Does vitamin D deficiency lead to severe corona diseases? Many Germans are not adequately supplied

Is there a connection between Covid-19 and vitamin D deficiency?

Current studies apparently show exactly that. The British government is adjusting its pandemic strategy.

• Corona and vitamin D: Studies show a connection between a severe

  Covid-19

  course and

  vitamin D

  deficiency.

• Corona

  *: Tips on taking vitamin D supplements are spreading on social media.

• The cause and effect of the vitamin D deficiency on Covid diseases are still unclear.

Update from Tuesday, November 17, 2020, 1:04 p.m.:

How much does a

deficiency affect

the course of a

?

Scientists still disagree.

Several

indicate that many patients with severe Covid-19 illnesses also suffered from a vitamin D deficiency.

The

appears to be convinced of these studies.

As the British newspaper the guardian reports, the government around Prime Minister Boris Johnson apparently wants to recommend the use of dietary supplements.

Risk groups should also receive free vitamin supplements.

This is already the case in Scotland.

Is that

an option

for

too

?

Many Germans suffer from a deficiency in the so-called "sun vitamin".

According to studies by the

, “30.2% of adults are insufficiently supplied with vitamin D.

38.4% of adults achieve adequate care. ”The study is from 2016 and was published in the“ Journal of Health Monitoring ”.

Corona and Vitamin D: Symptom or Cause?

Update from Wednesday, November 4th, 2020, 11.00 a.m.:

Vitamin D tablets against

?

Studies prove an alleged relationship between a severe and even fatal course of a

disease infection and a lack of

.

But does this really lead to the conclusion that vitamin D deficiency is a cause of such a dire course of the disease?

Or is it just a

A recent study from Spain shows that around 80 percent of Covid 19 patients treated in hospital also suffer from a vitamin D deficiency.

It remains unclear, however, whether the vitamin D deficiency is the cause of the more severe Covid course, whether it favors it or whether the deficiency only arose through the infection with the coronavirus.

The study was published in the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism".

Although there are no randomized studies, I believe that available studies of lower quality are sufficient to take vitamin D tablets in case of deficiency.

Severe Covid course is unlikely.

I advise: At the next visit to the doctor: Vitamin D test https://t.co/MyTqdsTOAH

- Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) October 27, 2020

Corona and vitamin D: chain letters speak of connection

The assumption that taking

supplements against the

could help, has been circulating since the outbreak of the pandemic - in WhatsApp chain letters and other social networks.

Not what should be classified as a reliable source.

The German Health Portal, a startup that promises to make the latest scientific findings accessible in understandable language, has reported on such a study.

The original title is: "Association of Vitamin D Status and Other Clinical Characteristics With Covid-19 Test Results".

In the study,

deficiency was linked to a higher risk of

disease.

+

Corona: A vitamin D deficiency can have serious consequences.

© Matthias Hiekel

Corona and vitamin D deficiency: Uni presents meta-study

Hans K. Biesalski from the University of Hohenheim and his team compared 30 studies and found a possible link between a lack of vitamin D and a severe course of Covid-19 *.

As a result, the risk of developing severe

higher for people with low vitamin D levels than for people with normal levels.

But this is exactly where the pitfall lies, because such a connection does not mean that a

a cause of a severe

course.

Because many underlying diseases are associated with a deficiency in vitamin D and older people also increasingly show such a deficiency.

Both are among the risk groups for

.

Corona and vitamin D deficiency: Risk group for corona often suffers from vitamin D deficiency

The

lists the following groups as risk groups for a vitamin D deficiency:

• People who are rarely outdoors because they are not mobile, chronically ill or in need of care.

• These include: old people, especially if they live in nursing homes.

• Overall, older people are at risk because the self-production of vitamin D declines with age.

• Baby.

• People who have chronic gastrointestinal, liver or kidney disease.

• People who take certain medications (for example: anti-epileptic drugs, cytostatics).

As a result,

a symptom and side effect of the underlying vulnerability, but not a cause of a particularly severe course of

.

Because people with vitamin D deficiency are often in the risk group for infectious diseases.

This means that tips on swallowing vitamin D supplements in order not to contract Covid-19 are negligent.

The source for this is a report by SWR3.

Vitamin D: important for the immune system and health - and possibly with a corona infection

Nonetheless,

is important for health and the immune system.

According to the

, the formation of vitamin D is only possible from March to October, i.e. in the light months.

In order to counteract a lack of vitamin D throughout the year, the RKI recommends "to take precautions" for the winter months, because the body can not only meet the acute need, but also build up reserves for the winter months.

(1) Vitamin D deficiency is also a risk factor in other infectious diseases and weakens immune function.

Cancer risk also increases in some cases.

Therefore, studies are not surprising that vitamin D deficiency causes a higher risk of infection as well as a more severe course.

https://t.co/2TWCFiukGf

- Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) September 8, 2020

According to the RKI, you should expose your face, hands and arms to the sun two to three times a week between March and October, uncovered and without sun protection.

Half the time in which sunburn could otherwise occur is sufficient.

Because if you stay in the sun for a long time, sun protection must be guaranteed.

Corona and vitamin D: study apparently shows connection

According to the RKI, another possibility - if a healthy vitamin D level is not given either through self-production or nutrition - is dietary supplements.

According to the RKI, this restriction is essential because too high a vitamin D intake can lead to an overdose - poisoning that can lead to nausea, vomiting, but also serious consequences such as kidney damage, cardiac arrhythmias, unconsciousness or even death.

So far, it has been said that pregnant women do not belong to the corona risk group *.

Wrong assumption?

Long-term consequences for babies are now feared.

(Katharina Ahnefeld)

List of rubric lists: © Stephan Scheuer / dpa