Vitamin D and COVID-19
Last month, the University of Chicago Medicine revealed a promising connection between Vitamin D and the likelihood of coronavirus infection.
“Vitamin D is important to the function of the immune system and vitamin D supplements have previously been shown to lower the risk of viral respiratory tract infections,” said David Meltzer, MD, PhD, Chief of Hospital Medicine at UChicago Medicine. “Our statistical analysis suggests this may be true for the COVID-19 infection.”
Meltzer’s research team looked at 489 patients whose vitamin D level had been measured within a year before being tested for COVID-19. Patients who had untreated vitamin D deficiency were almost twice as likely to test positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus compared to patients who had sufficient levels of the vitamin.
Dr. Fauci followed this news with a personal confirmation on Instagram Live that he takes vitamin D supplements and generally recommends doing so.
Even more recently, President Trump’s medical team noted that vitamin D is included in his current COVID-19 treatment.
Vitamin D has long been known to support immune function. Yet half of Americans are deficient. Even higher rates can be seen in African Americans, Hispanics and individuals living in areas like Chicago where it is difficult to get enough sun exposure to naturally produce vitamin D.
Treating vitamin D deficiency
Treating vitamin D deficiency can have a significant improvement on your health – supporting your immune system, reducing inflammation, and protecting bone health.
Supplements
Our Functional Medicine-approved supplements are formulated for bioavailability – and include vitamin K2 for optimal calcium absorption. Shop them here >>
In regards to COVID-19 risk, experts like Meltzer say that vitamin D could be of “great (global) importance” – noting that it is inexpensive and generally safe to take.
Our team agrees and encourages you to add vitamin D to your daily routine to optimize immune function. It’s important to note that you should only take the dose recommended by your doctor.
Testing for deficiency
Working with a Functional Medicine practitioner can help you screen for vitamin-D deficiency and ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to thrive.
Signs of low vitamin D may be subtle and include: muscle weakness, low immunity, frequency of illness, depression, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, and low bone density.
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Schedule
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