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vitamin D.
People with very low vitamin D levels were more likely to develop COVID-19 than people with higher vitamin D levels.
This article is about the relationship between vitamin D levels and the risk of COVID-19 infection. The authors found that people with low vitamin D levels were more likely to develop COVID-19 than people with higher vitamin D levels. They found that this association was only significant for people with vitamin D levels <12 ng/mL.
The authors conclude that vitamin D may play a role in protecting against COVID-19.
This article is well-written and easy to follow. The authors provide a clear overview of the topic and support their findings with evidence from previous studies.
This article is relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic because it provides evidence that vitamin D deficiency may be a risk factor for COVID-19 infection. This information could be used to develop public health interventions to increase vitamin D levels in the population, which could potentially reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection.
There are a few limitations to this study. First, it was an observational study, which means that it cannot prove cause and effect. It is possible that other factors, such as health behaviors or socioeconomic status, could explain the association between vitamin D levels and the risk of COVID-19 infection. Second, the study was conducted in Poland, so the results may not be generalizable to other populations. Finally, the study did not measure vitamin D levels at the time of COVID-19 infection.
Here are some additional details about the study:
- The study was conducted in Poland and included 134 healthy subjects.
- The subjects' vitamin D levels were measured in March-April 2020.
- Data on COVID-19 infection during the subsequent 12 months (prior to the vaccination program) were obtained from the national database of COVID-19 cases.
- None of the subjects received any 25OHD supplements.
- The average 25OHD concentrations were 18.1 ± 7.39 ng/mL (37.3% had 25OHD above 20 ng/mL).
- Thirty-one (23.1%) patients developed COVID-19 infection, but an increased risk was only observed in individuals with 25OHD concentrations below 12 ng/mL (COVID-19 infection in 11 out of 25 patients (44%) with 25OHD < 12 ng/mL versus 20 out of 109 (18.3%) for those with 25OHD above 12 ng/mL, p = 0.0063).
- A statistically significant relationship was not observed for subjects with 25OHD concentrations above 20 ng/mL (p = 0.2787).
Overall, this is a well-written and informative article that provides some evidence that vitamin D may play a role in protecting against COVID-19.
Frequency of COVID-19 Infection as a Function of Vitamin D Levels
Magdalena Basińska-Lewandowska, Krzysztof Lewandowski, Wojciech Horzelski, Andrzej Lewiński, Elżbieta Skowrońska-Jóźwiak
Nutrients, doi:10.3390/nu15071581
Background: It has been speculated that higher concentrations of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25OHD) provide some protection against COVID-19. We assessed whether there is any relationship between 25OHD concentrations and the subsequent development of COVID-19 infection. Materials and Methods: Concentrations of 25OHD were measured in March-April 2020 in 134 healthy subjects (57 males), age range 6-50, from a single urban general practice in central Poland. Data on COVID-19 infection during the subsequent 12 months (prior to the vaccination program) were obtained from the national database of COVID-19 cases. None of the subjects received any 25OHD supplements. Results: The average 25OHD concentrations were 18.1 ± 7.39 ng/mL (37.3% had 25OHD above 20 ng/mL). Thirty-one (23.1%) patients developed COVID-19 infection, but an increased risk was only observed in individuals with 25OHD concentrations below 12 ng/mL (COVID-19 infection in 11 out of 25 patients (44%) with 25OHD < 12 ng/mL versus 20 out of 109 (18.3%) for those with 25OHD above 12 ng/mL, p = 0.0063). Such a relationship was no longer observed for subjects with 25OHD concentrations above 20 ng/mL (p = 0.2787). Conclusions: Although only a minority of healthy subjects had 25OHD concentrations above 20 ng/mL in spring, an increased risk of subsequent COVID-19 infection was only observed in those with severe 25OHD deficiency (<12 ng/mL).
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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