Researcher: Vitamin D can help prevent contracting COVID-19

A study at Boston University School of Medicine reported your vitamin D level can impact your chances of contracting COVID-19.

A study by Dr. Michael Holick, Ph.D., MD, professor of medicine, physiology, biophysics and molecular medicine, found that vitamin D can boost the immune system to prevent the infection or at least lessen the impact of the virus.

“What we observed is if you’re vitamin D deficient, you have a 54% chance of having a higher risk of acquiring this infection compared to patients who are vitamin D sufficient,” said Holick.

One part of Holick’s research looked at more than 190,000 patients in the United States from all 50 states. The overall COVID-19 infection rate was 9.3%.

But if you looked closer, the study found patients with lower vitamin D levels had a 12.5% rate of infection, and those with higher vitamin D levels had an infection rate of 5.9%, which is less than half.

“All suggesting that improvement in your vitamin D status will improve your immune system and will help you fight this infection,” said Holick.

The sun is a good source of vitamin D, but Holick said sunscreen prevents you from making it.

Vitamin D is found in wild salmon, a Pacific Northwest staple, and milk.

But to make sure you’re getting enough, doctors at Boston University School of Medicine said supplements are the key.

Here’s the recommendation:

Infants 400-1000 IU.

Children 600-1000 IU.

Teens/Adults 1500-2000 IU.

Holick said having enough vitamin D will help by “reducing risk of acquiring the infection and reducing the complications and death associated with it.”

Cox Media Group