Experts claim that a vitamin D deficiency can have a negative impact on the course of a corona infection - but there are no serious indications.
Corona and vitamin D: Studies show a connection between a severe
Covid-19
course and
vitamin D
deficiency - however, there is no reliable evidence.
Corona
*: Tips on taking vitamin D supplements are spreading on social media.
Caution: An overdose of
vitamin D
can lead to poisoning and organ damage.
Update from Friday, February 12th, 2021, 5:32 p.m.:
Vitamin D strengthens the immune system.
In recent months, scientists and doctors have claimed that a deficiency even
favors
corona infection
and worsens the course of the disease.
Accordingly, many patients were advised to take vitamin D tablets daily.
But be careful: It can quickly lead to a dangerous
overdose
.
According to a report by the
Tagesschau
, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment recommends a daily maximum amount of 800 iU (international unit) in food supplements.
An overdose of vitamin D can cause massive side effects such as
nausea
,
headaches
,
cardiac arrhythmias
,
depression
and permanent
organ damage
.
In
addition, there is still no reliable evidence to support
the claim that vitamin D
protects
against the
corona virus
.
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessments and the German Nutrition Society point out that the current studies have not yet provided any valuable information.
Therefore, one should not rely on a regular vitamin D intake really protecting against
Covid 19 infection
.
+
Can Vitamin D Affect Corona Disease Sales?
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment has doubts - because: there is no serious evidence of this yet.
© Frank Rumpenhorst / dpa
Current study: Vitamin D deficiency affects the course of Corona disease
Update from Monday, January 4th, 2021, 12.45 p.m.:
Especially in winter, the lack of
vitamin D is increased
in many people, as many people stay in closed rooms and hardly go outside.
Some studies have already indicated that a
vitamin D deficiency
could affect and even worsen the course of the coronavirus.
A recent
study
from Indonesia has
now
examined the course of the disease and the vitamin D status of a total of 780 corona patients.
Corona infection: researchers determine an increased risk of death with vitamin D deficiency
The researchers found that deficiency
resulted in
a significantly
increased risk of death
.
As reported by the
German press agency (dpa)
, the risk of a fatal outcome is 19 times higher than normal vitamin D levels.
Health expert of the SPD, Karl Lauterbach, these results are hardly surprising - he already explained on
that a vitamin D deficiency weakens the immune system and the course of the disease is
negatively influenced
by
Covid-19
.
+
Vitamin D can affect coronavirus disease sales: Current studies show that a deficiency can have a negative impact on corona infection and even increase the risk of death.
(Symbol image)
© Frank Rumpenhorst / dpa
In another
study
, 212 corona infected people were divided into groups based on the severity of the disease (mild, average, severe and critical) and the
vitamin D values
were examined in more detail.
The result of this study shows: the lower the vitamin D value, the more severe the course of the disease.
With this finding, it could finally be confirmed that vitamin D has a significant influence on the
course of Covid 19 disease
.
Vitamin D deficiency can promote severe corona disease
Update from Wednesday, November 18, 2020, 3:19 p.m .:
Does
vitamin D
help
against
corona
?
Some studies suggest that a vitamin D deficiency
could favor
a severe course of
Covid-19
.
According to the Robert Koch Institute, older people, especially those who live in nursing homes, are at risk for a vitamin D deficiency.
Among other things, because they are immobile, chronically ill or in need of care.
But the self-production of vitamin D also decreases with age.
However
, taking
large amounts of
vitamin D
to protect
yourself against
corona
is not advisable, because excessive intake of vitamin D can lead to
poisoning
.
The reason: Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and can be stored in fat and muscle tissue.
If the dose of vitamin D is too high, an increased "calcium level (hypercalcemia) occurs in the body, which can acutely lead to nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, vomiting or, in severe cases, kidney damage, cardiac arrhythmias, unconsciousness and death", according to the RKI.
A
poisoning
is possible only by high-dose drugs, a high consumption of fortified foods or a combination of the variants according to the RKI.
If you want to know whether you have a
vitamin D deficiency
, you can find out by doing a blood test at the doctor's.
A corona study shows that many sick people only have an inconspicuous complaint.
Does vitamin D protect against a severe corona course?
Update from Tuesday, November 17, 2020, 1:04 p.m.:
How much does a
vitamin D
deficiency affect
the course of a
corona disease
?
Scientists still disagree.
Several
studies
indicate that many patients with severe Covid-19 illnesses also suffered from a vitamin D deficiency.
The
UK government
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 also
an option
for
Germany
?
Many Germans suffer from a deficiency in the so-called "sun vitamin".
According to studies by the
Robert Koch Institute
, “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: researchers discover possible connections
Update from Wednesday, November 4th, 2020, 11.00 a.m.:
Vitamin D tablets against
corona
?
Studies prove an alleged relationship between a severe and even fatal course of a
Covid-19
disease infection and a lack of
vitamin D
.
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
symptom?
A recent study from Spain shows that around 80 percent of Covid 19 patients treated in hospital also suffer from a vitamin D deficiency.
However, it remains unclear whether the vitamin D deficiency is the cause of the more severe Covid course, whether it favors it or whether the deficiency only arose as a result of the coronavirus infection.
The study was published in the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism".
Do vitamin D supplements help against corona disease?
The assumption that taking
vitamin D
supplements against the
coronavirus
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.
Vitamin D |
|
Source: |
Up to 90 percent of the vitamin D required is produced by sunlight) |
Symptoms of deficiency: |
Bone pain, decrease in bone density, disruption of calcium and phosphate metabolism, higher likelihood of depression, respiratory infections |
Important for: |
Bones, immune system |
nutrition |
Around 10 to 20 percent can be taken in through diet: fatty sea fish, certain offal, edible mushrooms, eggs |
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,
vitamin D
deficiency was linked to a higher risk of
Covid-19
disease.
New study on corona and vitamin D deficiency
Hans K. Biesalski from the University of Hohenheim and his team compared 30 studies with each other 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
coronavirus is
higher for people with low vitamin D levels than for people with normal levels.
But this is precisely the pitfall, because such a connection does not mean that a
vitamin D deficiency is
a cause of a severe
Covid-19
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
.
Corona and vitamin D deficiency: Older people particularly often suffer from vitamin D deficiency
The
"Robert Koch Institute"
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 decreases with age.
Baby.
People who have chronic gastrointestinal, liver or kidney disease.
People who take certain drugs (for example: anti-epileptic drugs, cytostatic drugs).
Accordingly,
vitamin D deficiency is
a symptom and side effect of the underlying vulnerability, but not a cause of a particularly severe course of
Covid-19
.
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,
vitamin D
is important for health and the immune system.
According to the
Robert Koch Institute
, the formation of vitamin D is only possible from March to October, i.e. in the light months.
In order to counteract a deficiency in vitamin D all year round, the RKI recommends "to take precautions" for the winter months, because the body can not only meet the acute need, but also build reserves for the winter months.
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, it is essential to ensure sun protection.
Corona and vitamin D: study apparently shows connection
According to the RKI, another possibility - if a healthy vitamin D level is not given by self-production or diet - 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, Alina Schröder and Diana Rissmann)
* hna.de and merkur.de are part of the nationwide Ippen digital editorial network.
List of rubric lists: © Frank Rumpenhorst / dpa
