Vitamin D has a long list of health benefits

Vitamin D3 is a critically important nutrient for health. We’ve spoken about its benefits often and they extend from bone health to cancer prevention, and more recently, focus has turned to its special ability to protect lung health.

Specifically, with the COVID-19 pandemic, it was realized that the route by which the coronavirus enters human cells is via a receptor that is literally empowered to defend itself against the virus when adequate vitamin D3 levels are present.

Vitamin D is deficient around the planet

The statistics here in the United States are that 42% of our population is deficient, with certain groups being more at risk including Blacks with an 82% deficiency rate and Hispanics 70%. We have spoken in the past that darker skin has a more difficult time absorbing vitamin D from the sun, although that isn’t the only contributing factor.

Vitamin D is an unsung hero during the pandemic

In our drug-centric conventional medicine model, this has gotten little press, but you cannot argue with a well designed, well executed randomized, double blind and controlled trial published in a respected journal.

A well designed study reports life saving results

The Spanish journal, the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, published the study earlier this month, September 3, 2020.

The researchers mentioned that despite Spain’s rather sunny disposition, vitamin D deficiency was a known issue.

The goal was to determine if vitamin D was effective

The goal was to determine if patients entering the hospital with confirmed COVID-19 and acute respiratory distress syndrome, as confirmed by X-ray, could experience reduced mortality and reduced need of intensive care if vitamin D3 was added to their treatment regimen.

Upon admission to the hospital 76 consecutive patients entering with the above mentioned profile, were blindly and randomly placed in either the control group or the vitamin D group. It is important to know that all 76 patients received the standard of care deemed most effective. In this particular hospital it was a combination of two drugs, hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.

The researchers decided to create a 2 to 1 ratio of those receiving the vitamin D as compared to the control group. Fifty participants received the normal treatment in addition to the vitamin D, while 26 received the drug protocol alone.

A strong dose of the active form of D was utilized

The researchers gave a particular form of vitamin D, calcifediol, which is the active form of the nutrient. The researchers appreciated that the vitamin D3 we typically take is the 25, hydroxy form which takes several days to get metabolized and activated through the liver and kidneys.

The participants of the study were gravely ill. They already had viral pneumonia and therefore time was not on their side. These researchers  gave them the active form of vitamin D which immediately raised their blood and plasma levels, allowing the vitamin D to “get to work”.

The goal of the study was to observe if the addition of the vitamin D would influence outcomes.

Participants were given a high dose of the active form of vitamin D, equivalent to about 20,000 IU on their first day. The dose was decreased approximated in half to about 10,000 IU which were given on days 3 and 7 respectively. The 10,000 IU was then given weekly until they were discharged.

Exciting outcomes for critically ill COVID patients

The results of the study were impressive to say the least.

The control group, numbering 26 individuals who received no vitamin D and only the standard drug therapy, had the following outcome:

13 of them were transferred to intensive care, or 50%.

2 died after admission to intensive care, or 7.7%.

The experimental group, numbering 50 individuals who received vitamin D therapy in addition to the standard drug therapy, had a much more favorable outcome:

Only 1 patient was transferred to intensive care, or 2%.

No one died.

All 50 were discharged without complications.

Conclusions were clear-cut and very exciting

The research team concluded the following:

Vitamin D reduced the severity of COVID-10 and all but obliterated the likelihood of intensive care being required.

If you were given a 50% chance of going into intensive care vs. a 2% chance, which would you opt for?

Have you had your vitamin D3 levels checked recently?

If you do not know your vitamin D3 level, you should. The “sweet spot” is about 50-60 ng/mL. If your doctor tells you a level of 20 is “fine”, he or she is doing you a disservice. It is an inexpensive supplement with a long list of benefits.

During the current worldwide pandemic all eyes have turned to trying to understand viruses. But the truth is that viruses are always around us and it is vital to have a strong immune system to defend you against viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.

If you need assistance to raise a chronically low level of D we can help. If you would like help ensuring your immune system is robust, please contact us for personalized drug-free treatment.