Researchers have discovered a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 mortality rates. A research team led by Northwestern University has examined data from hospitals in China, France, Germany, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. The data collected shows that patients from places with high mortality rates (Spain, Italy, the UK) had lower vitamin D levels compared to countries that were less affected by the virus.
While I think it is important for people to know that vitamin D deficiency might play a role in mortality, we don’t need to push vitamin D on everybody. This needs further study, and I hope our work will stimulate interest in this area. The data also may illuminate the mechanism of mortality, which, if proven, could lead to new therapeutic targets.
Vitamin D appears to play role in COVID-19 mortality rates
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Backman and his team felt compelled to examine the correlation between death rates and vitamin D levels after noticing “unexplainable differences” in death rates from various countries. They point out that northern Italy, despite its death rate, has one of the best health care systems in the world. Through their research, they found a correlation between lower vitamin D levels and Cytokine storms, a hyperinflammatory condition.
Cytokine storm can severely damage lungs and lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome and death in patients,” Daneshkhah said. “This is what seems to kill a majority of COVID-19 patients, not the destruction of the lungs by the virus itself. It is the complications from the misdirected fire from the immune system.
Vitamin D appears to play role in COVID-19 mortality rates