Avoidance of vitamin D deficiency to slow the COVID-19 pandemic
Vitamin D deficiency, which impedes good immune function, is common during winter and spring in regions of high latitude. There is good evidence that vitamin D deficiency contributes to the seasonal increase of virus infections of the respiratory tract, from the common cold to influenza, and now pos...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2020-06-01
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| Series: | BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health |
| Online Access: | https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/3/1/67.full |
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| author | Martin Kohlmeier |
| author_facet | Martin Kohlmeier |
| author_sort | Martin Kohlmeier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Vitamin D deficiency, which impedes good immune function, is common during winter and spring in regions of high latitude. There is good evidence that vitamin D deficiency contributes to the seasonal increase of virus infections of the respiratory tract, from the common cold to influenza, and now possibly also COVID-19. This communication explores key factors that make it more likely, particularly in combination, that individuals are vitamin D deficient. These factors include old age, obesity, dark skin tone and common genetic variants that impede vitamin D status. Precision nutrition is an approach that aims to consider known personal risk factors and health circumstances to provide more effective nutrition guidance in health and disease. In regard to avoiding vitamin D deficiency, people with excess body fat, a dark skin tone or older age usually need to use a moderately dosed daily vitamin D supplement, particularly those living in a high-latitude region, getting little ultraviolet B exposure due to air pollution or staying mostly indoors. Carriers of the GC (group-specific component) rs4588 AA genotype also are more likely to become deficient. Very high-dosed supplements with more than 4000 IU vitamin D are rarely needed or justified. A state-by-state Mendelian randomisation analysis of excess COVID-19 mortality of African-Americans in the USA shows a greater disparity in northern states than in southern states. It is conceivable that vitamin D adequacy denies the virus easy footholds and thereby slows spreading of the contagion. This finding should drive home the message that vitamin D supplementation is particularly important for individuals with dark skin tones. Vitamin D deficiency, even for a few months during the winter and spring season, must be rigorously remedied because of its many adverse health impacts that include decreased life expectancy and increased mortality. Slowing the spread of COVID-19 would be an added bonus. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4a083ed9988d48c2bc7329f9d875acbb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2516-5542 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-4a083ed9988d48c2bc7329f9d875acbb2025-08-20T02:09:55ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health2516-55422020-06-013110.1136/bmjnph-2020-000096Avoidance of vitamin D deficiency to slow the COVID-19 pandemicMartin Kohlmeier0University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine and Gillings School of Global Public Health, and UNC Nutrition Research Institute, Chapel Hill, NC, USAVitamin D deficiency, which impedes good immune function, is common during winter and spring in regions of high latitude. There is good evidence that vitamin D deficiency contributes to the seasonal increase of virus infections of the respiratory tract, from the common cold to influenza, and now possibly also COVID-19. This communication explores key factors that make it more likely, particularly in combination, that individuals are vitamin D deficient. These factors include old age, obesity, dark skin tone and common genetic variants that impede vitamin D status. Precision nutrition is an approach that aims to consider known personal risk factors and health circumstances to provide more effective nutrition guidance in health and disease. In regard to avoiding vitamin D deficiency, people with excess body fat, a dark skin tone or older age usually need to use a moderately dosed daily vitamin D supplement, particularly those living in a high-latitude region, getting little ultraviolet B exposure due to air pollution or staying mostly indoors. Carriers of the GC (group-specific component) rs4588 AA genotype also are more likely to become deficient. Very high-dosed supplements with more than 4000 IU vitamin D are rarely needed or justified. A state-by-state Mendelian randomisation analysis of excess COVID-19 mortality of African-Americans in the USA shows a greater disparity in northern states than in southern states. It is conceivable that vitamin D adequacy denies the virus easy footholds and thereby slows spreading of the contagion. This finding should drive home the message that vitamin D supplementation is particularly important for individuals with dark skin tones. Vitamin D deficiency, even for a few months during the winter and spring season, must be rigorously remedied because of its many adverse health impacts that include decreased life expectancy and increased mortality. Slowing the spread of COVID-19 would be an added bonus.https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/3/1/67.full |
| spellingShingle | Martin Kohlmeier Avoidance of vitamin D deficiency to slow the COVID-19 pandemic BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health |
| title | Avoidance of vitamin D deficiency to slow the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Avoidance of vitamin D deficiency to slow the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Avoidance of vitamin D deficiency to slow the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Avoidance of vitamin D deficiency to slow the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Avoidance of vitamin D deficiency to slow the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | avoidance of vitamin d deficiency to slow the covid 19 pandemic |
| url | https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/3/1/67.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT martinkohlmeier avoidanceofvitaminddeficiencytoslowthecovid19pandemic |