Remember when we were little, our teachers and parents told us that we should sit in the sun every day? It was torture, especially during those hot and sweaty summer days. But exposing ourselves to the sun is one of the best ways to heal our bodies. It gives us an abundant amount of Vitamin D that helps us fight against several issues including COVID-19.
Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common problems that people face globally. It is one of the main reasons behind many health conditions including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, depression, cancer, etc. And recent studies have found that people with Vitamin D deficiency are more likely to develop severe COVID-19 symptoms.
Vitamin D Deficiency May Increase the Risk of Getting COVID-19.
It’s been more than a year of the COVID-19 pandemic entering our lives and changing it. Globally more than 120 million people have the virus while 2.7 million have lost their lives to date. And even though the vaccines are now rolling out, the question “what is the new normal?” remains.
However, beneath all the questions and confusions regarding COVID-19, there might be a silver lining; an abundance of Vitamin D.
Vitamin D is associated with bones and bone-related weaknesses. But studies show that Vitamin D deficiency can cause severe problems.
The study conducted by the University of Chicago Medicine on patients tested for coronavirus has found a connection between the possibility of getting COVID-19 and Vitamin D deficiency. The study showed the patients who had Vitamin D deficiency and was not treated had almost twice the chances of testing positive for the virus. Whereas people with sufficient or higher Vitamin D levels were more likely to have lesser to none COVID-19 severity.
Higher Vitamin D Level = Lesser Chance of Catching COVID-19.
Retrospective research among people tested for COVID-19 shows that people with a higher level of Vitamin D in their bodies might save them from coronavirus.
The sufficient level of Vitamin D in a human body is 30 ng/ml or more. Whereas 20 ng/ml or less is considered Vitamin D deficiency. The research that studied over 3,000 patients showed the connection between the two. However, what’s interesting was the significant association between higher Vitamin D level and COVID-19 was more likely among Black people. While on the contrary, the same was not found in white people. Further clinical trials are going on about the finding.
The Solution.
The human body can receive Vitamin D through a few different sources. Foods like fish and other seafood, liver, egg yolks, and fortified milk are an amazing source of Vitamin D. So, there is a high chance of you developing Vitamin D deficiency if you follow a strict vegan diet.
Human bodies can also naturally produce Vitamin D by exposing to the sun every day. Daily exposure to the sun for 10-30 minutes (longer for darker skin) can give us enough Vitamin D our body requires in a day. However, people with skin sensitivity, homebound, or living in northern latitudes might be the ones at greater risk. So, a great alternative could be taking Vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin D supplements are usually safe to consume. And it can even protect people with low Vitamin D levels from COVID-19 severity. However, make sure to consult a physician for proper doses as excessive Vitamin D supplement consumption might result in hypercalcemia. It is a condition where calcium builds up in one’s bloodstream and causes numerous issues like weakness, nausea, vomiting, and frequent urination. T eventually leads to kidney stones and bone pain.
Also Read: Got Vaccinated Against COVID-19, Now What?
