Around the world, Covid-19 has been a menace. It has disrupted our lives. We may not see the world as we used to for the next couple of years. Public health practitioners, researchers, and doctors have been working overtime for a cure, but it may have to come in the distant future. Wearing personal protective equipment and social isolation is the only thing we can do against this invisible enemy. But can we do more?
There has been an ongoing clamor among certain sectors to look into the possibility of preventing infection through Vitamin D supplementation. Can it lower viral replication rates? Several small scale studies seem to suggest that it’s worth the try. And the fact that the outbreak started during the cold season gives credence to the possible role of sun exposure and its effect on our ability to synthesize this vitamin in our bodies.
To reduce the risk of infection, it is recommended that people at risk consider taking 10,000 IU/day of Vitamin D3 for a few weeks to rapidly raise vitamin D levels in the body.
Here are some important facts that we must remember about Vitamin D, which we can remember through the acronym C.O.VI.D.:
1. Vitamin D is important for Calcium absorption. That is why some Vitamin D supplements come with calcium supplementation. It is important to maintain bone health, especially among post-menopausal women. But you do not have to wait for menopause to shore up on your calcium stores.
2. It is the safest fat-soluble vitamin in terms of the probability for Overdose. Hypervitaminosis D is rare, although it could be serious. And you can never overdose from Vitamin D through excess sun exposure. It is only through over supplementation that overdose can happen.
3. Viral infections can be reduced by vitamin D. Vitamin D is said to act as a physical barrier and an enhancer of cellular and adaptive immunity. Vitamin D helps maintain the integrity of inter-cellular junctions. Vitamin D enhances cellular innate immunity partly through the induction of antimicrobial peptides.
4. It comes from Dehydrocholesterol. Yes, the cholesterol in your body that is stored underneath the skin is the initial substrate for Vitamin D synthesis in the body. The reason we need sunlight is because it activates the process leading to the formation of Vitamin D. The liver and kidneys are also involved in the process, so if you have liver or kidney failure, you may need supplementation.
As Filipinos, we are indeed blessed to be living in a tropical country. Let us take advantage of this by increasing our exposure to sunlight in the right amounts. If we cannot do this or if sunlight is not enough, we can take Vitamin D supplements in the recommended amounts. Just remember that as in most things that are beneficial, we must combine this with a healthy diet and a good amount of physical activity and rest.