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Covid

Vitamin D

23 replies

PinotAndPlaydough · 03/04/2020 22:18

I’ve never really been one to do vitamins, the kids have a basic one but rarely remember to take it, they have a good diet we are usually outdoors a lot, it’s never been a big priority.
However I’m now wondering is 1hr a day outside enough to get them enough vitamin D, should I be getting them a supplement?

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Distressingtimes · 04/04/2020 10:06
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Luciey · 04/04/2020 10:17

Supplement definitely. I live in Australia and I still take a vit D supplement. It's such a crucial vitamin.

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Dilbertian · 04/04/2020 11:10

In the UK we should all be taking Vitamin D all year round. There's only enough sunshine for our bodies to manufacture Vit D between 11am and 3pm April to October. Which is when most of us are indoors.

All of my family are taking Vitamin D.

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MrsL2016 · 04/04/2020 11:11

I take vitamin D all year round. I assume you don't have a garden so can only get out for the allowed exercise period?

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ToTheDoctors · 04/04/2020 11:14

I've only recently started taking these as a supplement, I'll continue to do so now

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incognitomum · 04/04/2020 11:16

I got a tub for us all to take we've been taking it a few weeks. High vitamin C too.

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Chista · 04/04/2020 11:17

I think it may be a good idea at the moment but when the summer hits, stop taking them and seek advice from the GP. My mum took the advice of a 'friend' about taking vit D supplements, she ended up in hospital with dangerously high levels. I get regular tests done at my GP and my levels are good so never needed a supplement but DH ended up with emergency vit D liquid course.

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PinotAndPlaydough · 04/04/2020 11:25

We have a communal garden but are on a rota so can’t get out as often as we would like. I’ll get a supplement, better than end up with rickets!

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BertiesLanding · 04/04/2020 11:40

We all take between 1000 and 3000IU of D3 a day. It is a very important vitamin.

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LWJ70 · 23/04/2020 08:13

I've been waiting for a published study of blood serum levels of vit D3 versus patient outcome and the first one that I have seen is on the net and the results show a significant correlation. Bear in mind it is not peer reviewed and does not prove causality. But I will continue with this until science proves me wrong.

The study was done by a researcher called Alipio from the Philippines. He took the data from 212 covid patients and ranked their symptoms: mild, ordinary, severe, critical.

He statistically analysed the categories and blood serum levels: normal was defined as vitamin D3 less than 30ng/ml, insufficient was in the range 21–29ng/ml and deficient as less than 20ng/ml.

Here are his results:
mild symptoms = 86% had normal levels of D3, 1.3 % had insufficient levels of D3
ordinary symptom = 26% deficient, 44% insufficient
severe = 40% deficient, 29% insufficient
critical = 32% deficient, 26% insufficient, 3% normal

OK I hear you say, it could be because those patients already had underlying conditions which rendered them deficient in the first place. But this is significant data.

Study is here:
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3571484

Two things really stand out for me. This is a study of 212 Philippines nationals living in SE Asia. This is one of the BAME communities who have sadly disproportionatly died of covid in the UK:
www.theguardian.com/world/2...exerts-heavy-toll-on-filipino-community-in-uk

Meanwhile, there have been only 446 deaths in the Philippines, with a population of 110 million (they had their first case of covid on 30th January!).

Secondly, the UK government has said that they will keep all the scientific data secret until after the pandemic -

'Key scientific data and advice the UK government is using to guide its covid-19 response won’t be published until the pandemic ends. Documents used to make decisions and the minutes of meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE) will only be made public when the current outbreak is brought under control, according to Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser.''

www.newscientist.com/articl...advice-wont-be-published-until-pandemic-ends/

Vitamin D
Vitamin D
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Thighmageddon · 23/04/2020 08:23

Everybody's this country should take a supplement during the autumn and winter months, that's been common knowledge for a long time.

I've taken it for over 11 years because I have autoimmune diseases and it's known that those of us with various diseases also tend to have lower vitamin d stores even if we spend an hour a day, every day from April to September in the sun without sunscreen on.

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ErrolTheDragon · 23/04/2020 08:28

Yes. It's been discussed for months in relation to Covid19. There is evidence supporting the use of a 10 microgram per day supplement, but not for a massive dose unless you're actually vitamin D deficient though.

I get 10 milligrams via 5 in a multivitamin plus 5 in a fish oil capsule. (10mg = 400 IU. )

Exposure to sun, skin colour and diet all affect vitamin D levels

If you've not been taking any over the winter then maybe you'd want a somewhat higher dose to build up your levels but don't exceed the maximum (100mg/4000 IU) unless it's on specific medical advice and you're having blood tests.

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BMW6 · 23/04/2020 09:07

I spend at least 2 hours a day walking the dog then working on my allotment, so won't be taking vitamin D tablets!

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Thisdressneedspockets · 23/04/2020 10:32

My daughter tested low for vitamin d in October, after a long summer outdoors. She's very fair and we don't use a lot of suncream, so she should not have been a candidate for low vitamin d levels.
Since discovering this, we supplement with breaks in-between.

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fedupfrida · 23/04/2020 11:06

@LWJ70

Thanks for your input and research once again. Like you I’m convinced there is a correlation between CV and Vit D. The disproportionate numbers of BAME people ill and dying from Covid who aren’t living in their native countries is shocking.
This as well as the data you provide in relation to critical patients low in D is very striking.
This has certainly thrown the importance of D into the mainstream.

Are you a scientist btw?

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LittleLittleLittle · 23/04/2020 11:59

@Thisdressneedspockets over the years some of the people I have advised to get their vitamin D level tested have been fair-haired and fair-skinned people with no underlying conditions. They have been shocked to find they have a vitamin D insufficiency. I have then asked them about their sun bathing habits. Most people admit they only go out when the sun isn't at its maximum and/or live in polluted towns/cities.

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Dilbertian · 08/05/2020 13:04

What about Vitamin K? I'm now hearing opinions that while supplementing Vit D will raise the level in your body, that added D will be ineffective unless you also supplement with Vitamin K.

I found this article from a reputable source, but am none the wiser as to whether I should add a Vit K supplement.

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Branster · 08/05/2020 13:30

About 15 years ago I read a book about calcium absorption, bone density, preventing osteoporosis etc. I haven’t got it anymore so can’t share the name of the author.
They covered all sorts of things but then started describing the importance of a Vit D to support healthy bones. Then it moved to cases around the world and found that groups of people living very up north, Eskimo level, had healthier bones than most in other countries. They concluded a diet rich in fish was the explanation because they get very little sunlight.
That stuck with me ever since. The book didn’t mention anything about immunity as that wasn’t the topic.
I think we need to be careful with self medicating and vitamins as they can be bad for some people. Even a generic multivitamin supplement would have vit K which can be very bad for people on certain medication. Even fish oil supplements can be bad when combined with some prescribed medication.
In some countries there is more of a culture in that from an early age children are given certain supplements especially from October to April.
I remember growing up we had to have a teaspoon of this and that and a tablet of this and that, definitely fish oil was one of them tasted disgusting but tablets didn’t exist in those days.
Apparently the Vit D spray is the best absorbed form of supplement - my local chemist mentioned it to me once but perhaps each individual has different requirements to top up their levels.

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SciFiScream · 08/05/2020 13:34

I'm "allergic" to fish and shellfish. (I miss cod, tuna, salmon, mussels Sad) I've put allergic in quotation marks because I once had an allergic reaction to salmon and gradually my body has started to feel nauseous whenever I eat the fish I love. So I can't eat them. It's not an allergy as such.

I often wonder if I should take vitamins. I don't take anything at the moment. (Never have really, apart from when I was pregnant)

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fedupfrida · 08/05/2020 14:05

@Dilbertian
Lots of vitamins and minerals inter-play.
In terms of K and D they have an important relationship along with calcium.

D ensures that Calcium is absorbed by the body and K ensures that it goes to your bones (where it should go) and not to your arteries (which would cause calcification- not desirable at all!).
So without adequate K, if you take lots of supplementary D, it takes the calcium to the wrong places.
You can buy sprays which contain D and K together or if you supplement with D alone ensure you eat plenty of foods high in K:
dark chicken meat, egg yolks, liver and hard cheese (specifically Gouda/Jarlsberg).

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fedupfrida · 08/05/2020 14:10

@SciFiScream

I’d be mainly concerned with the lack of Omega 3 fats if I couldn’t eat fish as opposed to a general vitamin lack. To be getting sufficient D and K from fish you’d have to be living on the stuff Inuit-style.

Sunshine and D/K supplements would be fine. But it’s practically impossible to get omega 3 anywhere other than oily fish. So perhaps experiment with some fish oil supplements or some sea vegetable ones.
A quick google should help.

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Branster · 08/05/2020 21:06

SciFiScream the omega gel tablet thingies (can’t remember the term - capsule?) that we use specify the fish oil. I don’t buy a specific brand so perhaps they all come from fish. I always give them to DCs for their brain especially as DD won’t touch fish anymore (gradually went off it for some reason and now can’t even stand the smell of any fish).
So maybe try one and see how it goes.
Taking multivitamins and supplements can be a bit of minefield especially with all the spin offs into things like garlic tablets, gut bacteria stuff and so on.
A balanced diet is good though.

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crispycracker · 08/05/2020 21:25

Vitamin D is important and many people may need supplements but be aware that more isn't always better.
Recent studies have shown a link between excessive vit D and a dangerous heart condition - Atrial Fibrillation

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