All Studies Meta Analysis Recent:

Daily oral dosing of vitamin D3 using 5000 TO 50,000 international units a day in long-term hospitalized patients: Insights from a seven year experience

McCullough et al., The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2018.12.010

Jan 2019

Post
Facebook

Source PDF All Studies Meta AnalysisMeta

Vitamin D for COVID-19

8th treatment shown to reduce risk in October 2020

^*, now known with p < 0.00000000001 from 120 studies, recognized in 8 countries.

Lower risk for mortality, ICU admission, hospitalization, progression, recovery, cases, and viral clearance.

No treatment is 100% effective. Protocols combine complementary and synergistic treatments. ^* >10% efficacy in meta analysis with ≥3 clinical studies.

4,100+ studies for 60+ treatments. c19early.org

Report on the long-term use of vitamin D in hospitalized patients with daily dosing from 5,000 to 50,000IU over 7 years. There were no cases of hypercalcemia or any adverse events related to vitamin D supplementation. Authors conclude that long-term supplementation with vitamin D3 in doses ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 IUs/day appears to be safe.

Reviews covering vitamin D for COVID-19 include Andrade, Arora, Basha, Brenner, Cannell, Cutolo, DiGuilio, EFSA, EFSA (B), Foshati, Gotelli, Grant, Grant (B), Grant (C), Griffin, Kohlmeier, McCullough, Mercola, Nicoll, Palacios, Quesada-Gomez, Schloss, Shah Alam, Xu.

Important missing comments or errors? Let us know.

1. Andrade et al., Vitamin A and D deficiencies in the prognosis of respiratory tract infections: A systematic review with perspectives for COVID-19 and a critical analysis on supplementation, SciELO preprints, doi:10.1590/SciELOPreprints.839.scielo.org, doi.org.

2. Arora et al., Global Dietary and Herbal Supplement Use during COVID-19—A Scoping Review, Nutrients, doi:10.3390/nu15030771.mdpi.com, doi.org.

3. Basha et al., Is the shielding effect of cholecalciferol in SARS CoV-2 infection dependable? An evidence based unraveling, Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health, doi:10.1016/j.cegh.2020.10.005.sciencedirect.com, doi.org.

4. Brenner, H., Vitamin D Supplementation to Prevent COVID-19 Infections and Deaths—Accumulating Evidence from Epidemiological and Intervention Studies Calls for Immediate Action, Nutrients, doi:10.3390/nu13020411.mdpi.com, doi.org.

5. Cannell et al., Epidemic influenza and vitamin D, Epidemiol Infect., 2006, 134:6. 1129-40, doi:10.1017/S0950268806007175.nih.gov, doi.org.

6. Cutolo et al., Involvement of the secosteroid vitamin D in autoimmune rheumatic diseases and COVID-19, Nature Reviews Rheumatology, doi:10.1038/s41584-023-00944-2.nature.com, doi.org.

7. DiGuilio et al., Micronutrient Improvement of Epithelial Barrier Function in Various Disease States: A Case for Adjuvant Therapy, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, doi:10.3390/ijms23062995.mdpi.com, doi.org.

8. EFSA, Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to vitamin D and normal function of the immune system and inflammatory response (ID 154, 159), maintenance of normal muscle function (ID 155) and maintenance of normal cardiovascular function (ID 159) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (E, EFSA Journal, doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1468.wiley.com, doi.org.

9. EFSA (B), Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to vitamin D and contribution to the normal function of the immune system pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, EFSA Journal, doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4096.europa.eu, doi.org.

10. Foshati et al., Antioxidants and clinical outcomes of patients with coronavirus disease 2019: A systematic review of observational and interventional studies, Food Science & Nutrition, doi:10.1002/fsn3.3034.wiley.com, doi.org.

11. Gotelli et al., Understanding the immune-endocrine effects of vitamin D in SARS-CoV-2 infection: a role in protecting against neurodamage?, Neuroimmunomodulation, doi:10.1159/000533286.karger.com, doi.org.

12. Grant, W., Vitamin D and viral infections: Infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancers, Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, doi:10.1016/bs.afnr.2023.12.007.sciencedirect.com, doi.org.

13. Grant (B) et al., A Narrative Review of the Evidence for Variations in Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration Thresholds for Optimal Health, Nutrients, doi:10.3390/nu14030639.mdpi.com, doi.org.

14. Grant (C) et al., Evidence that Vitamin D Supplementation Could Reduce Risk of Influenza and COVID-19 Infections and Deaths, Nutrients, 12:4, 988, doi:10.3390/nu12040988.mdpi.com, doi.org.

15. Griffin et al., Perspective: Vitamin D supplementation prevents rickets and acute respiratory infections when given as daily maintenance but not as intermittent bolus: implications for COVID-19, Clinical Medicine, doi:10.7861/clinmed.2021-0035.sciencedirect.com, doi.org.

16. Kohlmeier et al., When Mendelian randomisation fails, BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, doi:10.1136/bmjnph-2021-000265.bmj.com, doi.org.

17. McCullough et al., Daily oral dosing of vitamin D3 using 5000 TO 50,000 international units a day in long-term hospitalized patients: Insights from a seven year experience, The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2018.12.010.sciencedirect.com, doi.org.

18. Mercola et al., Evidence Regarding Vitamin D and Risk of COVID-19 and Its Severity, Nutrients 2020, 12:11, 3361, doi:10.3390/nu12113361.mdpi.com, doi.org.

19. Nicoll et al., COVID-19 Prevention: Vitamin D Is Still a Valid Remedy, Journal of Clinical Medicine, doi:10.3390/jcm11226818.mdpi.com, doi.org.

20. Palacios et al., Is vitamin D deficiency a major global public health problem?, J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol., 2014, 144PA, 138–145, doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2013.11.003.nih.gov, doi.org.

21. Quesada-Gomez et al., Vitamin D Endocrine System and COVID-19: Treatment with Calcifediol, Nutrients, doi:10.3390/nu14132716.mdpi.com, doi.org.

22. Schloss et al., Nutritional deficiencies that may predispose to long COVID, Inflammopharmacology, doi:10.1007/s10787-023-01183-3.springer.com, doi.org.

23. Shah Alam et al., The role of vitamin D in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infection: An update, International Immunopharmacology, doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107686.sciencedirect.com, doi.org.

24. Xu et al., The importance of vitamin d metabolism as a potential prophylactic, immunoregulatory and neuroprotective treatment for COVID-19, Journal of Translational Medicine, doi:10.1186/s12967-020-02488-5.biomedcentral.com, doi.org.

McCullough et al., 4 Jan 2019, peer-reviewed, 3 authors.

This Paper Vitamin D All

Daily oral dosing of vitamin D3 using 5000 TO 50,000 international units a day in long-term hospitalized patients: Insights from a seven year experience

Patrick J Mccullough, Douglas S Lehrer, Jeffrey Amend

The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2018.12.010

Vitamin D3 is a secosteroid hormone produced in the skin in amounts estimated up to 25,000 international units (IUs) a day by the action of UVB radiation on 7-dehydrocholesterol. Vitamin D deficiency is common due to both lack of adequate sun exposure to the skin, and because vitamin D is present in very few food sources. Deficiency is strongly linked to increased risk for a multitude of diseases, several of which have historically been shown to improve dramatically with either adequate UVB exposure to the skin, or to oral or topical supplementation with vitamin D. These diseases include asthma, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, rickets and tuberculosis. All patients in our hospital have been routinely screened on admission for vitamin D deficiency since July 2011, and offered supplementation to either correct or prevent deficiency. During this time, we have admitted over 4700 patients, the vast majority of whom agreed to supplementation with either 5000 or 10,000 IUs/day. Due to disease concerns, a few agreed to larger amounts, ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 IUs/day. There have been no cases of vitamin D3 induced hypercalcemia or any adverse events attributable to vitamin D3 supplementation in any patient. Three patients with psoriasis showed marked clinical improvement in their skin using 20,000 to 50,000 IUs/day. Analysis of 777 recently tested patients (new and long-term) not on D3 revealed 28.7% with 25-hydroxyvitaminD3 (25OHD3) blood levels < 20 ng/ml, 64.1% < 30 ng/ml, a mean 25OHD3 level of 27.1 ng/ ml, with a range from 4.9 to 74.8 ng/ml. Analysis of 418 inpatients on D3 long enough to develop 25OHD3 blood levels > 74.4 ng/ml showed a mean 25OHD3 level of 118.9 ng/ml, with a range from 74.4 to 384.8 ng/ml. The average serum calcium level in these 2 groups was 9.5 (no D3) vs 9.6 (D3), with ranges of 8.4 to 10.7 (no D3) vs 8.6 to 10.7 mg/dl (D3), after excluding patients with other causes of hypercalcemia. The average intact parathyroid hormone levels were 24.2 pg/ml (D3) vs. 30.2 pg/ml (no D3). In summary, long-term supplementation with vitamin D3 in doses ranging from 5000 to 50,000 IUs/day appears to be safe.

Conflicts of Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

References

Aitken, Lupus vulgaris* with special reference to its treatment with the finsenlomholt lamp, Br. Med. J

Aloia, The 2011 report on dietary reference intake for vitamin d: where do we go from Here, J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab, doi:10.1210/jc.2011-0090

Araki, Holick, Alfonso, Vitamin d intoxication with severe hypercalcemia due to manufacturing and labeling errors of two dietary supplements made in the United States, J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab

Barrea, Savanelli, Somma, Napolitano, Megna et al., Vitamin D and its role in psoriasis: an overview of the dermatologist and nutritionist, Rev. Endocr. Metab. Disord, doi:10.1007/s11154-017-9411-6

Bevans, Taylor, Lesions following the use of Ertron in rheumatoid arthritis, Am. J. Pathol

Biography, Neils Ryberg-Finsen, None

Cannell, Gary Null and Vitamin D Toxicity

Cannon, Ford, Hester, Trump, The incidental use of high-dose vitamin D3 in pancreatic Cancer, Case Rep, Pancreat. Cancer, doi:10.1089/crpc.2016.0003

Castro, King, Kunselman, for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Asthma Net. Effect of Vitamin D 3 on Asthma Treatment Failures in Adults with Symptomatic Asthma and Lower Vitamin D Levels. The VIDA Randomized Clinical Trial, JAMA, doi:10.1001/jama.2014.5052

Christiansen, Rodbro, Sjö, Anticonvulsant action" of vitamin D in epileptic patients. A controlled pilot study, Br. Med. J

Derex, Trouillas, Reversible parkinsonism, hypophosphoremia, and hypocalcemia under vitamin D therapy, Mov. Disord

Dowling, Prosser Thomas, Lupus vulgaris treated with calciferol, Proc. R. Soc. Med

Dowling, Prosser Thomas, Wallace, Lupus vulgaris treated with calciferol, Proc. R. Soc. Med

Dowling, Prosser, Treatment of lupus vulgaris with calciferol, Lancet

Dreyer, Reed, The treatment of arthritis with massive doses of vitamin D, Arch. Phys. Ther

Dudenkov, Mara, Petterson, Maxson, Thacher, Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin d values and risk of all cause and cause-specific mortality: a population-based cohort study, Mayo Clin. Proc

Dudenkov, Yawn, Oberelman, Fischer, Singh et al., Changing incidence of serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin d values above 50 ng/ml: a 10-Year population-based study, Mayo Clin. Proc

Ekwaru, Zwicker, Holick, Giovannucci, Veugelers, The importance of body weight for the dose response relationship of oral vitamin d supplementation and serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin d in healthy volunteers, PLoS One, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111265

Evans, Houghton, Schumaker, Brenner, Buras et al., Vitamin D receptor and growth inhibition by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in human malignant melanoma cell lines, J. Surg. Res

Ferraro, Taylor, Gambaro, Curhan, Vitamin d intake and the risk of incident kidney stones, J. Urol, doi:10.1016/j.juro.2016.08.084

Fleet, Desmet, Johnson, Vitamin D and cancer: a review of molecular mechanisms, Biochem. J

Fleet, Molecular actions of vitamin D contributing to cancer prevention, Mol. Aspects Med, doi:10.1016/j.mam.2008.07.003

Garland, French, Baggerly, Heaney, Vitamin d supplement doses and serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin d in the range associated with Cancer prevention, Anticancer Res

Garland, Garland, Do sunlight and vitamin D reduce the likelihood of colon cancer?, Int. J. Epidemiol

Garland, Garland, Gorham, Lipkin, Newmark et al., The role of vitamin d in Cancer prevention, Am. J. Public Health, doi:10.2105/AJPH.2004.045260

Garland, Kim, Mohr, Gorham, Grant et al., RP meta-analysis of allcause mortality according to serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin d, Am. J. Public Health, doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014.302034

Garrett-Mayer, Wagner, Hollis, Kindy, Gattoni-Celli, Vitamin D3 supplementation (4000 IU/d for 1 y) eliminates differences in circulating 25-hydorxyvitamin D between African American and white men, Am J Clin Nutr

Giovannucci, The epidemiology of vitamin D and cancer incidence and mortality: a review (United States), Cancer Causes Control

Gotzsche, Niels Finsen's treatment for lupus vulgaris, J. R. Soc. Med

Grant, An estimate of premature cancer mortality in the US because of inadequate doses of solar ultraviolet-B radiation, Cancer

Haddad, Chyu, Competitive protein-binding radioassay for 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, J. Clin. Endocr

Haghighi, Samimagham, Gahardehi, Calcium and vitamin d supplementation and risk of kidney stone formation in postmenopausal women, IJKD

Hathcock, Shao, Vieth, Heaney, Risk assessment for vitamin D, Am. J. Clin. Nutr

Heaney, Davies, Chen, Holick, Barger-Lux, Human serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol response to extended oral dosing with cholecalciferol, Am. J. Clin. Nutr

Hess, Unger, The cure of infantile rickets by sunshine, JAMA

Holick, Binkley, Bischoff-Ferrari, Evaluation, treatment, and prevention of vitamin D deficiency: an endocrine society clinical practice guideline, J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab

Holick, Environmental factors that influence the cutaneous production of vitamin D, Am. J. Clin. Nutr

Holick, The death D-fying vitamin, Mayo Clin. Proc

Holick, Vitamin d deficiency, New Engl. J. Med

Holick, Vitamin d is not as toxic as was once thought: a historical and an up-to date perspective, Mayo Clin. Proc

Hollis, Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin d levels indicative of vitamin d sufficiency: implications for establishing a new effective dietary intake. Recommendation for vitamin D, J. Nutr

Holló, Clemens, Kamondi, Lakatos, Szűcs, Correction of vitamin D deficiency improves seizure control in epilepsy: a pilot study, Epilepsy Behav, doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2012.03.011

Hossein-Nezhad, Holick, Vitamin d for health; a global perspective, Mayo Clin. Proc

Howard, Meyer, Intoxication with vitamin D, J. Clin. Endocrinol

Huckins, Felson, Holick, Treatment of psoriatic arthritis with oral 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3: a pilot study, Arthritis Rheum

Jones, Pharmacokinectics of vitamin D toxicity, Am. J. Clin. Nutr

Kimball, Mirhosseini, Holick, Evaluation of vitamin D3 intakes up to 15,000 international units/day and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations up to 300 nmol/L on calcium metabolism in a community setting, Dermato-Endocrinology, doi:10.1080/19381980.2017.1300213

Krafka, A simple treatment for psoriasis, J. Clin. Lab. Med

Lappe, Travers-Gustafson, Davies, Recker, Heaney, Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk: results of a randomized trial, Am. J. Clin. Nutr

Leake, Vitamin d toxicity, Cal. West. Med

Liu, Stenger, Li, Toll-like receptor triggering of a vitamin D-Mediated human antimicrobial response, Science

Luxwolda, Kuipers, Kema, Van Der Veer, Dijck-Brouwer et al., Vitamin D status indicators in indigenous populations in East Africa, Eur. J. Nutr, doi:10.1007/s00394-012-0421-6

Madden, Murphy, Zgaga, Bennett, De novo vitamin D supplement use post-diagnosis is associated with breast cancer survival, Breast Cancer Res. Treat, doi:10.1007/s10549-018-4896-6

Marshall, Savage, Garrett-Mayer, Vitamin D3 supplementation at 4000 international units per day for one year results in a decrease of positive cores at repeat biopsy in subjects with low-risk prostate Cancer under active surveillance, J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab

Masten, Good climate -an asset in the treatment of tuberculosis, Chest

Masten, Tuberculosis of the Lungs (A Booklet for the Patient), Colorado State Board of Health Bulletin

Mccullough, Amend, Results of daily oral dosing with up to 60,000 international units (iu) of vitamin D3 for 2 to 6 years in 3 adult males, J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol, doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2016.12.009

Mccullough, Arnold-Long, Marked Improvement in Psoriasis Skin Lesions Within 5 Months in Two Patients After Treatment With Oral Vitamin D3 in Doses Ranging From

Mccullough, Heaney, Correction of vitamin D deficiency using sublingually administered vitamin D2 in a Crohn's disease patient with mal-absorption and a new ileostomy, J. Ster. Biochem. Mol. Biol

Mccullough, Lehrer, Vitamin D, cod liver oil, sunshine and phototherapy: safe, effective and forgotten tools for treating and curing tuberculosis infections -a comprehensive review, J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol

Mcdonnell, Baggerly, Baggerly, Aliano, French, Maternal 25(OH)D concentrations ≥40 ng/mL associated with 60% lower preterm birth risk among general obstetrical patients at an urban medical center, PLoS One, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180483

Mcdonnell, Baggerly, French, Baggerly, Garland et al., Breast cancer risk markedly lower with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations > 60 vs < 20ng/ml (150 vs 50 nmol/L): pooled analysis of two randomized trials and a prospective cohort, PLoS One, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0199265

Menter, Korman, Elmets, Guidelines of care for the management of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Section 5. Guidelines of care for the treatment of psoriasis with phototherapy and photochemotherapy, J. Am. Acad. Dermatol

Michelson, Steves, Treatment of cutaneous tuberculosis with large doses of vitamin D, Arch. Derm. Syphilol

Morimoto, Yoshikawa, Kozuka, An open study of vitamin D3 treatment in psoriasis vulgaris, Br. J. Dermatol

Morner, Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine Award Ceremony Speech

Newmark, Newmark, Vitamin d and Parkinson's disease-a hypothesis, Mov. Disord

Nguyen, Baggerly, French, Heaney, Gorham et al., 25Hydroxyvitamin D in the range of 20 to 100 ng/ml and Incidence of Kidney Stones, Am. J. Public Health

Norman, Bouillon, Vitamin D nutritional policy needs a vision for the future, Exp. Biol. Med

Norman, Minireview: vitamin d receptor: new assignments for an already busy receptor, Endocrinology

Nygaad, Frandsen, Brandi, Effects of high doses of cholecalciferol in normal subjects: a randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, PLoS One

Osmancevic, Landin-Wilhelmsen, Larko, Krogstad, Vitamin D status in psoriasis patients during different treatments with phototherapy, J. Photochem. Photobiol. B: Biol

Parks, The therapy of rickets, JAMA

Penniston, Jones, Nakada, Hansen, Vitamin D repletion does not alter urinary calcium excretion in healthy postmenopausal women, BJU Int

Perez, Raab, Chen, Turner, Holick, Safety and efficacy of oral calcitriol (1,25-dihydorxyvitamin D3) for the treatment of psoriasis, Br. J. Dermatol

Pipili, Oreopoulos, Vitamin d status in patients with recurrent kidney stones, Nephron Clin. Pract

Raab, Vitamin D -its bactericidal action, Chest

Rajakumar, Vitamin d, cod-liver oil, sunlight, and rickets: a historical perspective, Pediatrics

Ramagopalan, Heger, Berlanga, A ChIP-seq defined genome-wide map of vitamin D receptor binding: associations with disease and evolution, Genome Res

Rappaport, Reed, Hathaway, Struck, The treatment of hay fever and Asthma with viosterol of high potency, J. Allergy

Reed, Symptoms of viosterol overdosage in human subjects, JAMA

Ryan, Moran, Mckenna, The effect of narrowband UV-B treatment for psoriasis on vitamin d status during wintertime in Ireland, Arch. Dermatol

Shabahang, Buffan, Nolla, Schumaker, Brenner et al., The effect of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on the growth of soft-tissue sarcoma cells as mediated by the vitamin D receptor, Ann. Surg. Oncol

Shabahang, Buras, Davoodi, Schumaker, Nauta et al., 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor as a marker of human colon carcinoma cell line differentiation and growth inhibition, Cancer Res

Shabahang, Buras, Davoodi, Schumaker, Nauta et al., Growth inhibition of HT-29 human colon cancer cells by analogues of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, Cancer Res

Smith, Pincus, Donovan, Holick, A novel approach for the evaluation and treatment of psoriasis, J. Am. Acad. Dermatol

Stamp, Haddad, Twigg, Comparison of oral 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, vitamin D, and ultraviolet light as determinants of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D, Lancet

Szabo, Vitamin, the Sunshine Supplement, has Shadowy Money Behind It

Tang, Mcfann, Chonchol, Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin d and nephrolithiasis: the national health and nutrition examination survey III, 1988-94, Nephrol. Dial. Transplant

Tavera-Mendoza, White, Cell defenses and the sunshine vitamin, Sci. Am

Tomlinson, Calcium content of skin in lupus vulgaris treated with Calciferol, Lancet

Uhmann, Niemann, Lammering, Antitumoral effects of calcitriol in basal cell carcinomas involve inhibition of hedgehog signaling and induction of vitamin d receptor signaling and differentiation, Mol. Cancer Ther

Van Lugt, Rottier, Finsen therapy and vitamin D, Acta Dermato-Venerologica

Vieth, Vitamin D supplementation, 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, and safety, Am. J. Clin. Nutr

Vieth, Vitamin D toxicity, policy, and science, J. Bone Miner. Res, doi:10.1359/JBMR.07S221

Williams, On the use and administration of cod-liver oil in pulmonary consumption, Lond. J. Med

Download Image

Please send us corrections, updates, or comments. c19early involves the extraction of 100,000+ datapoints from thousands of papers. Community updates help ensure high accuracy. Treatments and other interventions are complementary. All practical, effective, and safe means should be used based on risk/benefit analysis. No treatment or intervention is 100% available and effective for all current and future variants. We do not provide medical advice. Before taking any medication, consult a qualified physician who can provide personalized advice and details of risks and benefits based on your medical history and situation. FLCCC and WCH provide treatment protocols.

Submit

Post

@CovidAnalysis

FAQ

Public domain CC0 1.0