When are the government going to come out and actually say something about Vitamin D

[Namechanger20183110]

Since the very beginning this has considered to be a factor but there wasn't thought to be enough research.

Now Boston University have carried out a new study where patients over 40 with sufficient Vitamin D levels were 54% less likely to catch covid, and 51% less likely to die once they caught it.
news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-vitamin-d-reduces-infection-and-impact-of-covid-19-studies-find-12081132

I have been taking supplements since March. I am an ethnic minority, and I am really surprised when I speak to family members who are still not taking anything when BAMEs are known to be even more at risk. In fact I think everyone in the population should be taking it, especially now as we move into autumn/winter.

As much as I think personal accountability is required, shouldn't the government actually openly and officially comment on this new research? I feel that allowing doctors to prescribe Vit D tablets to those most vulnerable and eligible for free prescriptions would be better money well spent than other measures

I don't think they should have to prescribe them. I mean, they're not prescribing diet pills or subscriptions to WW/SW.

Like masks, the advice may change when they have a stockpile to distribute.

Boots were all but sold out this evening. One left.

@redlockscelt

I'm taking vitamin D but I haven't been able to find any for under 16s.

I just got one off the shelf in Aldi, been taking it since March, it’s suitable for 12 and over. Don’t know if that helps you.

I don’t really understand the dosages and worried about taking too many. But I am fat and probably need more than a thin person. The Aldi ones I have been taking are 250% RDA apparently

@Kalula it's not quite herbal nonsense is it, it's one of the most important nutrients in our biological system. Just as being deficient in iron would have health impacts, then why would a deficiency in vit d be any different? You've said yourself it helps to boost our immune system - Given covid triggers an immune response and it's the severity of that response which determines how ill you get, I don't think it's just nonsense.

Yes, that's my point - it IS that simple and yes people should be told. But as PP have said earlier, this would mean that the government have to acknowledge that they have a duty to supply it, it may also result in people stock piling (which is why they apparently had the initial stance on facemasks, they were worried the plebs in the public would buy them all and there wouldn't be enough for health workers!)

@FallenMadonnawiththeBadBoobies thank you for sharing, that's inspiring to read. Best of luck for the future

@Crocciesnap

The Spanish tend to avoid the mid day heat and are working inside most the time.

@palacegirl77 haha! I'm losing count of the number of U turns this government has done

@OverTheRainbow88 yes I agree. Otherwise there would be no such thing as a "siesta"

@kalula

“Effect of calcifediol treatment and best available therapy versus best available therapy on intensive care unit admission and mortality among patients hospitalized for COVID-19: A pilot randomized clinical study”

calcifediol = the active form of vitamin D

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7456194/

First randomised double blind controlled study on vitamin D as a treatment for covid (not just prophylaxis).

76 patients admitted to Córdoba hospital. 50 were randomly allocated to the treatment group, they were given the best standard care and treatment PLUS calcifediol (vit D). The other group of 26 were the control and just given the best standard care/treatment (no vit D)

Of the 50, only one patient was admitted to intensive care (2%). None died, no complications. Of the 26 in the non-calcifediol group, 13 were admitted to intensive care (50%), two of whom sadly died.

"Vitamin D linked to low coronavirus death rate"

medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-vitamin-d-linked-virus-death.html

We found a significant crude relationship between average vitamin D levels and the number COVID-19 cases, and particularly COVID-19 mortality rates, per head of population across the 20 European countries.

Vitamin D has been shown to protect against acute respiratory infections, and older adults, the group most deficient in vitamin D, are also the ones most seriously affected by COVID-19.

A previous study found that 75% of people in institutions, such as hospitals and care homes, were severely deficient in vitamin D.

"SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels"

journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0239252

^These results demonstrate an inverse relationship between circulating 25(OH)D levels and SARS-CoV-2 positivity. For the entire population those who had a circulating level of 25(OH)D

Thanks for this thread. I've been taking a multi vitamin with 400IU in and thought that was loads but after reading this thread have realised it isn't. Have ordered 4000IU from amazon? Would it be OK to keep taking my normal vitamin tablet (its Well Woman) for the zinc, magnesium etc and just taking the extra vitamin d a few times a week?

Dr John Campbell has been on about vit D from the start, so I put DH and myself on it in February, we were taking 25 ug (1,000 iU)

In May I got my levels tested, and it came out at 67 nmol/l. The company which did the test said over 50 was sufficient, so I was happy.

Then I saw another Dr John video about it, in which he cited these targets:

250 + dangerous
150 - 250 surplus, but considered safe
100 - 150 nmol/l = ideal
75 - 100 nmol/l = good
50 - 75 nmol/l = insufficient
*

Oily fish - salmon, sardines, tuna, etc contains Vitamin D. As do eggs.
Magnesium can be found in green leafy veg.

So, eat more fish & green veg!

I’ve been taking it for two years for general lowness during winter months. It possibly has helped as I stopped getting those feelings after a month on vit D.

When I got what was probably COVID in March I had a mildish version. I don’t know if it was the vit D - I’m in a higher risk category - but it can’t do any harm to take the recommended dose. I have advised friends and colleagues to take it, especially those with dark skin tones, since the start of COVID. It can’t do any harm and may do a lot of good.

@sansou

Oily fish - salmon, sardines, tuna, etc contains Vitamin D. As do eggs. Magnesium can be found in green leafy veg.

So, eat more fish & green veg!

but not enough unless you 'supplement' by regular sunbathing during mid day hours from april to october.

OP

sansou I have always eaten what you have suggested but my Vit D levels were low. Diet is not enough - trust me on this 💐

And government can’t get fully behind advising us to take it without more research. I think that’s why the NHS advice for reducing dietS is still low fat rather than low carb - the evidence has to be so concrete before they adopt the giving of new medical advice. Sometimes you need to be ahead of the curve.

You just can’t get enough through diet alone unfortunately.

re: K2

I take a supplement that includes 5000 iu D3 & 100 µg of vitamin K2, I don't take it every day, as I've been getting lots of sun, so I've been checking my estimated levels on the DMinder app and maintaining a level of around 130 nmol/l. I make sure I eat dietary sources of K2 for when I don't get the supplement dose of it. @sparklefarts the one in your link looks fine.

re: food sources of vitamin D, we can only get around 10% of what we need from the diet, unless you're eating an indigenous carnivore Arctic/Inuit diet of caribou fat, whale blubber, seal steaks, huge salmon fillets etc for every meal. Don't think that applies to many MNers! There's only about 40 iu of vit D in an egg and I can get that much by sitting in the lunchtime sun for about 15 seconds!

I've bought this one to take. It's a year's supply but doesn't have K2 or magnesium. How much should I take of each of these? I've also got this multivitamin, would that be enough or should I supplement more? Appreciate the help. Thanks.

What dose are people giving to children, please? The only junior ones I can find are 10ug, which still seems low. My dc are 6 and 7.

my dc (pre teen and teens) get 10ug a day.
plus exercise outside for at least one hour a day and a good varied diet.
one dc has regular blood tests due to a medical condition and their vit d3 level is between 75 - 100 nmol/l, which is perfect.

10ug is what is advised for everyone including children. My kids take 10ug

After a blood test some weeks ago my rheumatologist said I had very low vitamin D levels, unsurprising as I had spent weeks in varying degrees of lockdown and chained to my computer doing online teaching. I asked about sunshine-based Vitamin D production declining with age (I'm in my mid-60s), he laughed and said the peak age of efficient production was 12, and it was downhill all the way after that.
I'm on a large dose to get me up to a decent level for the next test.

Living in Australia means that you don't get the longer days with moderate sunshine to go out in; it goes from tolerable to scorching in a very short period, so it's hats and shade for a lot of the year.

I’ve been taking 2000 iu since the summer and Ds has been taking a 1000 iu gummy sweet from Holland & Barrett. I also take vitamin K2 alongside.

Regardless of the effect on Covid Ds out of the blue the other day told me that since starting to take it he’s felt so much healthier and alert.