What is the importance of Vitamin D in COVID-19?

Having adequate Vitamin D levels is important to a healthy immune system. Unfortunately, Vitamin D deficiency is common in the Middle East and some countries in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Supplementing with Vitamin D is, therefore, likely a highly effective and cheap intervention to lessen the impact of this disease, particularly in vulnerable populations (i.e., the elderly, obese, people of color, and those living in northern latitudes). In addition, Vitamin D supplementation may be important for pregnant women.

The greatest benefit comes in advance, as a protective element. Individuals deficient in Vitamin D should focus on raising their levels on a longer-term basis while the pandemic persists. When a person with Vitamin D deficiency develops COVID-19, risks increase for developing complications. After infection with the virus, Vitamin D supplementation will have less of a response. This concept is supported by a recent study that demonstrated that residents of a long-term care facility who took Vitamin D supplementation had a much lower risk of dying from COVID-19.