Vitamin D: The Right Immune Booster During This Pandemic

Till date there has been no sign of an effective cure for COVID-19 and everyone is waiting for the ‘D-Day’.

Researchers are now investigating the effect of Vitamin D and its correlation of contracting COVID-19 if there is deficiency. Vitamin D is an important source of nutrient for the body vis-a-vis our immune system: It has anti-inflammatory and immune boosting properties plus helps the immune cells to fight pathogens.

On the other hand, deficiency of Vitamin D is associated with various diseases, cardiovascular health, neurological conditions, infections, respiratory challenges and degradation of bones.

The main source of Vitamin D is sunlight; however, during monsoon and winters as the sun plummets, the deficiency is common among the elderly and overweight people. It also affects people with brown and dark skins. Due to the work from home regimen amid the pandemic and spending quite a bit of time indoors are having a toll on healthy people due to Vitamin D deficiency. We have to rely on sunlight to convert our cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D which is beneficial to immune system and bones. The deficiency has to be supplemented through nutraceuticals product. It is safe but has to be taken with the advice of an expert, because in the long run, excess supplementation is bad for the body. With a word of caution do not gulp it as a medicine bought over the counter.

A reminder: It is been found out that Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to susceptibility and severity of COVID-19.

The required daily allowance of Vitamin D: Teens 14–18 years – 15 mcg (600 IU), Adults 19–70 years – 15 mcg (600 IU), Adults 71 years and older – 20 mcg (800 IU), and Pregnant & Breastfeeding Women – 15 mcg (600 IU).

Apart from sunlight, we can get Vitamin D from fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon, fortified products with vitamin D, i.e. dairy products, orange juice, soy milk and cereals, lamb and goat liver, cheese and egg yolks.

If you do not obtain sufficient Vitamin D through sunlight alone, then supplementation is a must. Studies have shown that if we maintain our daily need of Vitamin D then it helps in boosting the immune system especially during this pandemic — this wonder vitamin manages both the symptoms and the COVID-19 virus.

It is observed a COVID-19 infected person gets into a high Cytokines and Bradykinin storm, which leads to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) — a condition in which water gets collected in the lungs — and multiple organ failure in a patient. Vitamin D plays a significant role by acting as a gatekeeper and modulating the immune agents to prevent these severe outcomes.