Should the Government be handing out free doses of Vitamin D NOW?

[LWJ70]

I have recently discovered (from reading very new scientific abstracts) that low Vit D levels leave us more prone to respiratory tract viruses. Most people only associate it with a healthy skeleton. After a long, cold winter, millions of us could be slightly deficient. Our most vulnerable section of society is unable to make use of the sunlight, which is beneficial.Could this explain the greatly differing pathways of coronavirus throughout the globe? Read these abstracts:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30675873
clinmedjournals.org/article...ases-and-epidemiology-jide-3-030.php?jid=jide

Difficult to decipher the abstract's stats without looking at the full paper. It is a summary from 25 previous studies with a grand total of 11,321 participants. It is published by US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health with a big participation from the Centre for Primary Care and Public Health, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London.

One thing is clear though:

''Vitamin D supplementation was safe, and it protected against ARIs overall. Very deficient individuals ................... experienced the benefit.

(ARI = acute respiratory infections)

I am amazed why this info is not being published in the wider public domain. Instead we have celebrity workouts, toilet rolls and memes.

Elderly people in sunny climates are probably not aware that they have afforded themselves a greater fighting chance to survive coronavirus.

There are 5.4 million people in the UK above the age of 75 years. The majority of them are locked in their houses (or they would prefer to be). If they leave their houses to buy vitamin supplements from a pharmacist, they could be exposed to the coronavirus. This is not far-fetched- a coronavirus can survive nine days or more on plastic/metal surfaces. Many parts of the UK are at a perfect temperature now for viral stability. If two thirds of infected people are asymptomatic, the infection is already everywhere.

My point is, why doesn't the NHS select the most vulnerable and make a mass delivery of Vit D or a broad spectrum of supplements?

[Bluntness100]

Eh? You can buy both on amazon and have them delivered tomorrow (prime) or Normal delivery for non prime and for normal price.

[Ohchristmastreeohchristmastree]

I saw that study and think it would be good for the gov to send out to people. It is meant to be great for asthma too.
I take D3 and whole family does now. Also been catching some sun in the garden.
I also make sure I have some controlled sun exposure in the summer months before I slap on my spf.

[delilahbucket]

Having read through the foods that contain these vitamins, it's things we as a family eat regularly. If you are vegetarian or vegan then you would struggle to get D3 and K2 through diet, as they are only produced by animals. There is a reason the government is encouraging people to get outdoors for exercise. It's hugely beneficial in lots of ways. There will always be people who can't get out, and they should be taking a supplement if they don't have a balanced diet.

[Lumene]

You can also get vit d from sunlight - out in the midday sun, 15 mins, from April should be Vit d generating.

[Lumene]

You can’t get enough vit D through diet alone, though diet helps.

[ScribblingMilly]

I started taking vit d a few weeks ago as I just couldn't wake up in the morning and felt like I wanted to stay in bed all day. Now it's 'ping' at 7am. I really think it's made a difference. I'm taking a vit c and zinc combo too since this started, but I read that you shouldn't take zinc long-term.

[SquishySquirmy]

I didn't know about vit D for respiratory health, but I thought they should be doing this anyway for kids (especially those with darker skin tones) due to the effects of lockdown.

It is harder for many to go out and get much needed sunlight now if they don't have a garden, especially with the interpretation some have of the rules... We are all allowed out for exercise and fresh air, but I fear that many will be shamed or frightened out of doing so.
Staying indoors for weeks on end makes us more susceptible to coronavirus, as well as cashing a number of other health issues.

[Tonyaster]

I've been taking vit d for two years and in Feb I had the worst flu I've ever had with all the symptoms of covid 19!

[EasterElf]

that’s interesting! I take a supplement of Vitamins D and B12 every day for vegan reasons but I’m going to start making DH take it too in case it helps.

It should be available on the NHS for vulnerable people imo.

[fessmess]

Ten minutes of sunshine (no sunscreen) a day is all you need.

[FourTeaFallOut]

I went a bit pink just sitting outside for half an hour yesterday because I'm so pale. But I'm in the North of England and thought it was something to do with the wavelength of uvb at this time of year which was the limiting factor so suspect if that's the case it's optimistic to think we'd benefit as early as late March despite vampiric qualities. I'm out of vitamin d now, hopefully I am wrong, will being outside on dry days be enough from this point?

[Lumene]

fessmess true BUT in the U.K. only between April and sept - sun won’t generate vit d here outside of those times.

Also needs to be in middle of day and may need to be a bit longer depending on skin colour

[Neverenoughcoffee]

Adequate magnesium intake is important too for uptake of vitamin d. It's a circular relationship as D2 ensures magnesium is used more efficiently.

[Baaaahhhhh]

All our elderly relatives take fistfuls of vitamins and minerals. Vit D in particular is prescribed by GPs, so they already get it.

[Summer15coming]

Any doctors on here? My daughter takes warfarin (heart condition and history of strokes), so can't take vitamin K. It seems vitamin D is fine for her - is there anything she should take with it to make it more effective?

[LeeMiller]

Elderly people in sunny climates are probably not aware that they have afforded themselves a greater fighting chance to survive coronavirus actually Italy, Spain, Greece have among the highest rates of vitamin d deficiency, especially along the elderly (possibly due to less sun-seeking behaviour than northern Europeans, more pigmented skin meaning more exposure is needed).

There was a preliminary study from the university of Turn this week which identified extremely low Vit D levels in covid-19 ICU patients ,they were recommending supplementation.

[BahHumbygge]

Not a doctor, but I would say that vitamin K1 and K2 are different chemicals with a weak pathway with each other... you’d have to seek clarification about contraindications with prescribed drugs. It’s easy to get K2 from diet though with unprocessed animal based foods, so go for that route... cheese (gouda is highest), pastured butter, eggs, full fat milk/yoghurt, meat, organs/offal etc. Add some liver to beef mince when cooking bolognese if you’re not so keen on the taste.

[LWJ70]

LeeMillar, I agree, the Mediterranean countries are not all year round sunny countries. Elderly people, particularly in the northern areas tend to stay indoors during the winter and early spring months. I have lived in Madrid for many years and have seen the way pensioners close the shutters of their homes for many months. Spaniards will sunbathe, but only on the beaches and in the municipal swimming pools when they open in May/June.

These Mediterranean countries are not the ones I am referring to.

The reason that I have written the original post is firstly because I have read the linked articles and I was surprised to know that higher levels of Vit D gives you more of a fighting chance against coronavirus. Secondly, I currently live in a large city in SE Asia. Here we have ALL YEAR ROUND SUNSHINE.

I can assure you that there are many more infections here in SE Asia but a much lower number of deaths compared to Europe (in winter) and N Americal (in winter). Why is this? Is it because there two strains of the virus: S-type or L-type. Or is it because my local community are used to walking in a sunny street every day of the year, building up high levels of Vit D?

[NeverTwerkNaked]

My uncle is a respiratory consultant. He's been telling us all to make sure we are taking vit D since early Feb I think (poss January).

[RapidRainbow]

Can anyone advise on why children's D3 does not contain K2? I'd like to buy some

[GrumpyHoonMain]

Elderly people in sunny climates are probably not aware that they have afforded themselves a greater fighting chance to survive coronavirus

Vitamin D without calcium causes brittle bones. In a lot of sunnier countries (India included) the elderly who don’t take calcium supplements are told to avoid the sun as much as possible.

[RapidRainbow]

My kids take bassets vitamins which have Vit D in but doesnt specify if D2 or D3. It also doesn't contain K2. Will this be safe and offer adequate protection? Vit D can be highly toxic and its a bit of a minefield.

[Lockdownshockdown]

My dd had some blood tests a few weeks ago. Dr said vitamin d deficient. So she had been taking them. Dr also mentioned Corona and suggested we all took them.along with ensuring we got lots of vitamin C.

So we have been doing this for a while. However, they are now harder to get hold of. I split my last bottle with a friend last kinsay morning so her and her children had enough. For a while.we cant get enough from food. And the dr said the sun isnt strong enough either, most of the year, in this country.

I too thought this was well known.

[Lockdownshockdown]

RapidRainbow my doctor said vit d supplement must be seperate as most kids vitamins dont have the right one or not enough.

[RapidRainbow]

If I buy an additional D3 and K2 supplement, they would t then be able to take a regular multivit with Vit D on it would they?? So if have to spend a lot purchasing seperate vits?