Reasons Why Vitamin D Is Important For Your Immune System

20 Jul 2021

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Photo: Freepik

Vitamin D People are increasingly being hunted because it is believed to be able to increase the body’s immune system and prevent themselves from being infected with the COVID-19 virus. This is because vitamin D is widely given to COVID-19 patients. Then what is the relationship between vitamin D and COVID-19 and immune system?

At the start of the pandemic, David Meltzer M.D., a professor of medicine at The University of Chicago, conducted a retrospective study on patients already in the hospital system. He was inspired by an old study that had been published which showed a reduction in respiratory viral infections with vitamin D supplementation. The results were surprising. Patients whose records showed vitamin D deficiency in the previous year were 77 percent more susceptible to contracting the COVID-19 virus.

While Vadim Backman, PhD, a researcher and professor of biomedical engineering at Northwestern University recently led another study linking vitamin D deficiency to increased complications and deaths from COVID-19. The results are so convincing that Scotland has provided a four-month supply of vitamin D to the country’s vulnerable population and the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also reportedly considering a similar move.

In line with the results of the research above, Nutrition Expert, Rachel Olsen B.Sc. also stated that there have been many medical journals that have proven that taking vitamin D supplements can “reduce the severity, seriousness, and death of the COVID-19 virus”. Vitamin D is very closely related to COVID-19 and the immune system because it functions to regulate the immune system and reduce oxidative stress/inflammation against COVID-19 virus infection. In addition, vitamin D also has many other benefits for the body, such as helping the absorption of calcium for bone health, improving blood pressure, regulating the menstrual cycle and insulin. Low vitamin D levels are also associated with depression, anxiety, impaired cardiovascular function, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Interestingly, vitamin D cannot be produced by the body itself so it can only be processed through the consumption of certain foods, such as fatty fish, mushrooms, egg yolks, yogurt, and fortified dairy products, and is synthesized through our skin with direct exposure. sunlight 7-10am for about 20 minutes—UVB light in particular.

But the body can not always meet the vitamin D needed every day so it needs additional supplements. The optimal level of vitamin D for the body actually depends on each individual. There are several groups who are prone to vitamin D deficiency, such as people with dark skin, rarely exposed to the sun, the elderly, pregnant women, and also people who are obese or have digestive system problems (IBS, celiac disease, short bowl syndrome). However, it is recommended that you take a vitamin D supplement of at least 600-1000 IU and no more than 5,000 IU a day to avoid a negative impact on blood calcium levels. (f)

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Stephanie Mamonto

Topic

#vitaminD , #immunity , #covid19