While most of the news today is about the vaccine and when it will be available, I have been looking at research to determine how to keep myself healthy throughout the pandemic. Now that the vaccine is rolling out, it may still be a while before everyone can get it. In the meantime, a simple and affordable way to reduce the symptoms is to take Vitamin D. This has been on my radar for a while, and though I am not the best at taking it daily, the following evidence is showing it is well worth it!
Vitamin D has been reported to mitigate the symptoms of common cold and influenza (Rondanelli et al., 2018) Though the Covid virus is different, there are similarities in the presentations of the respiratory illnesses.
The main concern I have is the dosing. "Thus, from the literature, it is reasonable to suggest taking 10,000 IU/day for a month, which is effective in rapidly increasing circulating levels of 25(OH)D into the preferred range
of 40–60 ng/mL. To maintain that level after that first month, the dose can be decreased to 5000 IU/d [135,139,140]." According to this article, we need to be doing a significant amount over normal daily dosages to get blood levels high enough to help mitigate the symptoms.
Your doctor is important in managing your levels to prevent toxicity.
Furthermore, this newly published article confirms what has suggested back in April that Vit D supplementation is an important factor in the effects of covid-19 on the body.
Virus Res. 2021 Jan 15; 292: 198235. Putative roles of vitamin D in modulating immune response and immunopathology associated with COVID-19
Nutrients. 2020 Apr; 12(4): 988.
Published online 2020 Apr 2. doi: 10.3390/nu12040988 Evidence that Vitamin D Supplementation Could Reduce Risk of Influenza and COVID-19 Infections and Deaths
Rajesh Khemraj, PT COMT FAAOMPT
Disclaimer: The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.