Which groups are more susceptible to COVID-19? Vitamin D deficiency linked to infection risk, study finds

The global COVID-19 epidemic has intensified again in European and American countries. As the temperature continues to drop, we will enter the winter flu season. In addition to taking good protection, it is also important to enhance your own immunity. According to the latest published research, nutrition may be a key factor affecting infection. According to a study published in the September JAMA Network Open, people with vitamin D deficiency have a 77% increased risk of contracting the new coronavirus compared to people with sufficient vitamin D concentrations in their blood, which is a very high correlation.

US study: Vitamin D deficiency is linked to risk of infection with novel coronavirus

Professor Meltzer of the University of Chicago and his colleagues analyzed the electronic health records of 489 patients at the University of Chicago Medical Center before the outbreak of the new coronavirus in the United States. The data showed that 124 patients (25%) had insufficient vitamin D levels in their blood, while 287 patients (59%) had sufficient levels. The researchers then tracked the health of these patients from March 3 to April 10 and found that 22% of the subjects who were deficient in vitamin D were infected with COVID-19, but only 12% of those with sufficient vitamin D concentrations were infected.

The study also found that a lack of vitamin D increases the risk of testing positive for the new coronavirus by 77%, compared to older age factors, which we know carry a higher risk, but only increase the likelihood of testing positive by 6%. The study inferred that vitamin D has been found in the past to enhance innate immunity, so it may reduce the infection and spread of COVID-19; in addition, vitamin D can regulate acquired immune function, eliminate viruses and reduce inflammatory responses. Among them, controlling the excessive inflammatory response of severe new coronavirus pneumonia is a major goal of treatment, and vitamin D may help with this.

Vitamin D is the most lacking vitamin in China!

Since vitamin D plays a role in human immunity, are we getting enough of it? According to the Taiwan National Nutrition Status Change Survey from 2013 to 2016〔2〕, if the prevalence rates of "deficiency" and "marginal deficiency" are added together, the rates of vitamin D deficiency in the blood of men aged 13-44 and over 45 are nearly 60% and 40% respectively, and for women the rates are as high as 80% and 60%. This is the vitamin that is most lacking in Taiwan!

There are tips for getting vitamin D in your daily life

So how do we get vitamin D in our daily lives? Wu Zhixing, director of the Millennium Love Health Foundation and the Department of Family Medicine at National Cheng Kung University Hospital, said that the recommended daily intake of vitamin D for Chinese people is 5 micrograms (200 IU) for those aged 1 to 50, and 10 micrograms (400 IU) for those aged 51 and above. The main source of vitamin D needed by the human body is synthesized on the skin surface through sun exposure. It is recommended to choose a time other than noon, expose the face and all hands and feet, and expose to the sun for about 10-15 minutes to produce about 800-1000 IU of vitamin D. In winter or in northern regions, the time must be increased by 2-3 times. Director Wu also reminded that applying sunscreen and sun exposure is ineffective. To avoid injuries from excessive sun exposure, you can change the position of your skin exposed to the sun.

However, there is often a lack of sunlight in winter, and insufficient sunlight exposure makes people more susceptible to vitamin D deficiency. Nutritionist Cai Jiajun of the Millennium Love Health Foundation also recommends supplementing the necessary food with food, such as salmon, mackerel, swordfish, tuna, halibut and other fish rich in fat, cod liver oil, eggs (egg yolks), and dairy products with added vitamin D such as milk and cheese; plant sources such as mushrooms (after sun exposure) and algae also contain small amounts of vitamin D.

Based on the above, in addition to washing hands frequently and wearing masks during the epidemic, don’t forget to go out and get some sun, maintain basic exercise, and have enough vitamin D in the body through a balanced diet. This is the only way to resist the disease.