Vitamin D and Immunity
- qualifiednutritionist
- May 7, 2020
- 2 min read
There's a lot of talk at the moment about vitamin D in relation to Covid-19.
I’ve done some research to determine what vitamin D really does for our body and if it could affect our chances of becoming ill.
Classically, vitamin D has been known for its role in the body of maintaining calcium levels and promoting bone health by encouraging growth of bone cells.
According to a scientific research paper from 2011, there is clear evidence that vitamin D plays a vital role in our immune system, and vitamin D deficiency is linked to an increased susceptibility to infection, especially of the upper respiratory tract (nose and throat).
The paper quotes a double-blind placebo study which used a therapeutic dose of vitamin D resulted in a 42% decrease in incidence of influenza infection.
It’s estimated that around 50% of the global population have insufficient intake of vitamin D. Although some foods are vitamin D fortified, still it remains difficult to get sufficient levels from our diet – our best source is sunlight (UVB rays).
During Sept-Mar in the UK we receive zero vitamin D from sunlight. As well as this, if you work inside or spend the majority of your time inside, it is unlikely you will be getting much vitamin D in the summer months either. This is especially relevant right now with the nation being housebound.
In the UK, our recommended supplement intake is 10mcg. Recent studies in Ireland have led them to increase their recommended intake to 20 mcg in the midst of coronavirus, but as of yet we have no further instruction in England to increase the recommended dose.
So, should we supplement?
In short, yes. There is sufficient evidence to prove that we are probably receiving inadequate levels of vitamin D, and this is linked to a number of issues including reduced immune response and in particular, influenzas.
Vitamin D tablets are not expensive and 10ug tablets can be purchased for around £3.50 for 100 tablets, with just 1 tablet per day being sufficient.
If you suffer with autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, MS, diabetes mellitus or inflammatory bowel disease, unfortunatley you are at significantly higher risk of vitamin D deficiency. Your daily requirements will likely be much higher.
If you do have an autoimmune disease I would highly recommend going to your GP and requesting a blood test to determine your vitamin D levels. If required, vitamin D may be prescribed to bring you back up to a healthy percentage.
I hope this has been helpful and makes a bit of sense in the highly confusing times we are in.
If you have any questions regarding this article please feel free to send me an email and I'll do my best to clarify 🖤
For further reading and references see:
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