Israeli data shows vitamin D efficacy vs Covid

Israeli study offers strongest proof yet of vitamin D’s power to fight COVID | Times of Israel - Nathan Jaffay:

3 February 3, 2022 - "Israel scientists say they have gathered the most convincing evidence to date that increased vitamin D levels can help COVID-19 patients reduce the risk of serious illness or death. Researchers from Bar Ilan University and the Galilee Medical Center say that the vitamin has such a strong impact on disease severity that they can predict how people would fare if infected based on nothing more than their ages and vitamin D levels.

"Lacking vitamin D significantly increases danger levels, they concluded in newly peer-reviewed research published Thursday in the journal PLOS One. The study is based on research conducted during Israel’s first two waves of the virus, before vaccines were widely available, and doctors emphasized that vitamin supplements were not a substitute for vaccines, but rather a way to keep immunity levels from falling.

"Vitamin D deficiency is endemic across the Middle East, including in Israel, where nearly four in five people are low on the vitamin, according to one study from 2011. By taking supplements before infection, though, the researchers in the new Israeli study found that patients could avoid the worst effects of the disease.

"'We found it remarkable, and striking, to see the difference in the chances of becoming a severe patient when you are lacking in vitamin D compared to when you’re not,' said Dr. Amiel Dror, a Galilee Medical Center physician and Bar Ilan researcher who was part of the team behind the study. He noted that his study was conducted pre-Omicron, but said that the coronavirus doesn’t change fundamentally enough between variants to negate vitamin D effectiveness. 'What we’re seeing when vitamin D helps people with COVID infections is a result of its effectiveness in bolstering the immune systems to deal with viral pathogens that attack the respiratory system,' he told The Times of Israel. 'This is equally relevant for Omicron as it was for previous variants.'

"Health authorities in Israel and several other countries have recommended vitamin D supplements in response to the coronavirus pandemic, though data on its effectiveness has been sparse until now. In June, researchers published preliminary findings showing that 26 percent of coronavirus patients died if they were vitamin D deficient soon before hospitalization, compared to 3% who had normal levels of vitamin D. They also determined that hospitalized patients who were vitamin D deficient were 14 times more likely, on average, to end up in severe or critical condition than others. 

"While the scientific community recognized the importance of the results, questions arose as to whether recent health conditions among the patients might have been skewing the results. The possibility was raised that patients could have been suffering from conditions that both reduce vitamin D levels and increase vulnerability to serious illness from COVID-19, meaning the vitamin deficiency would be a symptom rather than a contributing factor in disease severity.

"To zero out that possibility, Dror’s team delved deeper into the data, examining each of its patients’ vitamin D levels over the two-year stretch before coronavirus infection. They found that the strong correlation between sufficient vitamin D levels and ability to fight the coronavirus still held, and the level of increased danger in their preliminary findings remained almost identical....

"A flood of dubious claims about natural remedies to the coronavirus, including a theory that Israelis had immunized themselves with lemons and baking soda, have left some skeptical about claims of vitamins warding off the virus. But Dror insisted that his team’s research showed that the importance of vitamin D was not based on incomplete or flawed data. 'People should learn from this that studies pointing to the importance of taking vitamin D are very reliable, and aren’t based on skewed data,' he said. 'And it emphasizes the value of everyone taking a vitamin D supplement during the pandemic, which, consumed in sensible amounts in accordance with official advice, doesn’t have any downside.'"

Read more: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-study-offers-strongest-proof-yet-of-vitamin-ds-power-to-fight-covid/ 

Read study: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0263069

Finland has coped with Covid without lockdowns

Finland: The Covid Success Story No-One is Talking About - Lockdown Sceptics - Oliver Robinson:

March 8, 2021 - "Finland has not implemented a lockdown at any point during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, compared with its neighbour Sweden, which has been in the constant media spotlight for its lack of lockdowns, Finland’s avoidance of them has gone largely unacknowledged.

"The measures that Finland has imposed have not come close to the OECD definition of a lockdown (i.e., stay at home order plus school closures of non-essential business/venue closures). Finland has never implemented a stay-at-home order, or a limit on household mixing or any restriction on travel within the country, just non-binding guidance. So, what interventions did the Finnish Government make? From March to May 2020, schools were closed, public meetings were limited to 10 people, borders were shut and citizens returning from abroad were put into quarantine. Guidance was given to people with symptoms to stay at home, and over-70s were requested to avoid social contact unless essential (this last measure is notably similar to the Great Barrington Declaration’s proposed approach of ‘focused protection’). On June 1st, the number of people allowed to meet was increased to 50 and public indoor places were opened gradually. Since then, various selective international travel restrictions have been imposed.

"According to the Blavatnik School of Government’s COVID-19 Response Tracker, Finland’s response to COVID-19 was marginally stricter than Sweden from March to early April 2020, then the same level of strictness from April to May, then less strict than Sweden, something which remains true to this day. You can check for yourself here.

"So how has Finland done in terms of health outcomes during the pandemic? Exceptionally well. In terms of mortality, Finland has the second lowest Covid deaths per million in the whole of Europe. Its excess deaths statistics have never increased above ... the normal range.... 

"What’s the explanation? Is it down to low population density? Unlikely. Finland may be a large country with a small population, but over 85% of its population lives in towns and cities, where opportunity for viral transmission is the same as in more urban areas. Furthermore, somewhat surprisingly, research shows no relationship between Covid mortality rates and population density. How about obesity? Are Finns unusually thin? No. The obesity level is average for European countries at 22% (same as Belgium).

"One factor that helped Finland may be the early border closures and border quarantine for the first few months, which research shows can be effective in the early stages of this pandemic. But this is a long way from the Zero Covid approach of New Zealand or Australia. Finland’s borders have been open to the majority of countries since May 2020.

"Another factor could be Finland’s intensive focus on building public health into all aspects of Finnish life.For example, Vitamin D deficiency is a predictor of COVID-19 disease, and Finland has mandatory fortification of milk and margarine with Vitamin D. Or another more tenuous suggestion is that Finns are prolific users of saunas, and there’s some research evidence that saunas boost the immune function.

"Whatever the reason, one thing is for sure: Finland is an important case study in showing that success in managing the COVID-19 pandemic is NOT a function of strict lockdowns. Finland shows that if you manage your borders properly, keep people healthy, active and social connected, and give them clear information not panic-inducing propaganda, a pandemic need not turn into a catastrophe."

Dr Oliver Robinson is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Greenwich.

Read more: https://lockdownsceptics.org/finland-the-covid-success-story-that-no-one-is-talking-about/

Vitamin D cut Covid death 60% in Catalonia study

Vitamin D for patients admitted to hospital could cut Covid deaths by 60 per cent | The Telegraph - Sarah Knapton:

February 14, 2021 - "Giving high-dose Vitamin D to coronavirus patients when they are admitted to hospital could cut deaths by 60 per cent – double the benefit of the best current drug, new research suggests. Scientists from the University of Barcelona showed that patients prescribed calcifediol – an intensive dose of Vitamin D usually used for people with chronic kidney failure – had their risk of admission to intensive care dramatically cut and death rates significantly lowered.

"Currently the steroid dexamethasone has shown the greatest impact, reducing deaths by 30 per cent, and is now recommended for seriously ill NHS patients, but the new study suggests calcifediol could be twice as beneficial if given early.

"In the study, 10 per cent of patients admitted to Barcelona's Hospital del Mar with coronavirus died within 30 days. However, while 57 out of 379 (15 per cent) control patients died, just 36 out of 551 (6.5 per cent) of those treated with calcifediol died.

"The researchers found that earlier treatment was better. If given on admission to intensive care, the treatment made no difference. The authors concluded: 'Our results indicate that early calcifediol administration is critical for mortality reduction.... Ultimately these effects are thought to curb the inflammatory cascade that leads to the cytokine and chemokine storm associated with the pathogenesis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Adequate Vitamin D status could also play a role in preventing Covid-19 infection.'

"There has been growing speculation that one of the reasons why black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities are so disproportionately impacted by coronavirus is endemic low levels of Vitamin D in BAME populations. The vitamin is produced naturally in the body when skin comes into contact with sunshine and is vital for healthy bones, strong muscles and a good immune system. But not as much sunlight can penetrate darker skins, meaning less of the vitamin is produced.... 

"Italy and Spain have both experienced high mortality rates, and scientists found both countries have lower than average Vitamin D levels. This is partly because people in southern Europe, particularly the elderly, avoid strong sun, while their darker skin pigmentation also reduces the body's ability to produce natural Vitamin D. In contrast, the highest average levels of Vitamin D are found in northern Europe, due to high consumption of cod liver oil and Vitamin D supplements, and possibly less sun avoidance.

"Vitamin D has been shown to protect against acute respiratory infections. It also regulates the response of white blood cells, preventing them from releasing too many inflammatory cells which may stop the body overreacting to the virus.

"The study was published as a preprint of The Lancet journal and is yet to be peer reviewed."

Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/14/giving-hospital-admitted-patients-vitamin-d-could-cut-covid/

Read study here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3771318

Follow science on vitamin D, experts tell gov'ts

Experts send Vitamin D and Covid-19 open letter to world's governments | NUTRAingredients.com - Nikki Hancocks: 

December 21, 2020 - "In an open letter being sent to world governments today (21st December), 120 health, science and medical experts from the UK, US, and Europe say there is clear scientific evidence that vitamin D reduces Covid-19 infections, hospitalisations, and deaths. In the letter (signed by 120 on Friday 18th but rapidly increasing) scientists are calling for immediate, widespread, increased vitamin D intake to 4,000 International Units (IU) per day (or at least 2,000) for healthy adults.

"This comes just days after the UK government's health bodies SACN [Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition] and NICE [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence], denied there is enough evidence to support increasing vitamin D intake for COVID-19 specifically​. ​

"The scientists involved in the open letter say that global patterns and risk factors for the Covid-19 pandemic and Vitamin D deficiency match 'precisely' due to the impact on immune function​. They ... are calling for immediate, widespread, increased vitamin D intakes.... They say new mechanisms specific to SARS-Cov-2 are now very well-understood, with ... ​more than 70 studies showing higher vitamin D levels are associated with lower rates of infection and lower risk of hospitalisation, ICU, or death​, as well as early causal inference studies confirmed by recently published randomised controlled trials​ (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies.

"The campaign’s main organisers are Dr Karl Pfleger​ (USA) and Dr Gareth Davies​ (UK) - both have backgrounds in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, as well as Medicine. The letter has a growing list of 120 signatories. More than one hundred are medical doctors or PhDs, or both, and more than 60 are professors. Two British MPs - David Davis and Rupa Huq - have also signed the letter. 

"Martin Hewison, Professor of Molecular Endocrinology at Birmingham University and one of the world’s leading authorities on Vitamin D, has signed the letter after he strongly criticised SACN and NICE, calling their reports 'disappointing'​.  He reacted to the latest NICE report​, stating: 'NICE, SACN and PHE [Public Health England] continue to promote the idea of vitamin D "toxicity", despite no evidence of this in trials where up to 4,000 IU/day vitamin D were used. This obsession has become a major hurdle to better vitamin D health in the UK. Many vitamin D researchers have worked tirelessly over the summer to provide a framework in which vitamin D supplementation could be incorporated into the general strategies being used to defeat COVID-19. NICE, SACN and PHE have rejected this, and their new recommendations provide little or no help at all for the UK public.'

"MP David Davis has been a vocal supporter of vitamin D throughout the pandemic. He says, 'The evidence from several dozen studies show that vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is implicated in compromising the body’s immune response to respiratory diseases in general and COVID-19 in particular.... In the unlikely event that all this evidence is an artefact, the costs and health risks are minimal. ​In the much more likely event that the multiple sources of observational evidence, and the evidence from the growing number of RCTs, show a real causal role of vitamin D in activating and modulating the immune system, it would be irresponsible not to give vitamin D to all the groups who are at risk from COVID-19. It will save lives, improve population immunity, and help reduce the medical and economic impact whilst we await the universal roll out of vaccines. 

"​Furthermore, if it is to have any material effect the dosage has to be sufficient to correct the existing deficiency, which means up to ten times the UK recommended daily intake.'

"Signatory Dr David S Grimes, a retired gastroenterologist, has campaigned to get vitamin D taken more seriously for years. He says: '[NICE and SACN] have ignored past and current research and instead assert "there is not adequate evidence to support the use of vitamin D". They have denied the NHS the use of calcifediol, a rapid-acting form of vitamin D, in the treatment of Covid-19 pneumonia, despite it being shown in one clinical trial to have 96% efficacy. The UK has had 25,000 COVID-19 deaths since this study was published, yet NICE continues to claim "not enough evidence". They have so much to answer for. They’re a national disgrace.”​

Read more: https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2020/12/21/Experts-send-Vitamin-D-and-Covid-19-open-letter-to-world-s-governments

Study: 80% of Covid patients Vitamin D deficient

Study: Vitamin D deficiency found in over 80% of COVID-19 patients | Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Kiersten Willis:

October 28, 2020 - "COVID-19 patients at a hospital in Spain were overwhelmingly found to be deficient in vitamin D, according to a new study. Researchers discovered 80% of 216 COVID-19 patients at the Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla had a vitamin D deficiency. Men had lower levels of vitamin D than women and COVID-19 patients with lower levels of vitamin D had increased serum levels of inflammatory markers such as ferritin, a blood protein containing iron, and D-dimer, a protein fragment made when a blood clot dissolves in the body. The latter is usually elevated in COVID-19 patients, according to a July study published in the Journal of Intensive Care.

"'One approach is to identify and treat vitamin D deficiency, especially in high-risk individuals such as the elderly, patients with comorbidities, and nursing home residents, who are the main target population for the COVID-19,' said the new study’s co-author Dr. José L. Hernández of the University of Cantabria in Santander, Spain. 'Vitamin D treatment should be recommended in COVID-19 patients with low levels of vitamin D circulating in the blood since this approach might have beneficial effects in both the musculoskeletal and the immune system.' The new findings were announced Tuesday by the Endocrine Society and published in the medical organization’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

"The kidneys produce the hormone vitamin D. It controls blood calcium concentration and affects the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a variety of health concerns, but research continues to examine why it affects other systems of the body. There are many studies that point out how beneficial vitamin D is on the immune system and how it offers protection against infections, in particular.

"Mayo Clinic infectious disease specialist Dr. William F. Marshall wrote that not enough data exists to recommend the use of vitamin D to stop the infection from the coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, or to treat COVID-19, according to the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization. 

"Multiple studies have reviewed vitamin D’s impact on COVID-19, according to Mayo Clinic. A study of 489 people discovered those who were deficient in the hormone were more likely to test positive for the coronavirus than those who had normal vitamin D levels. A small, randomized study saw that only one of 50 people hospitalized with COVID-19 who were administered a high dose of a type of vitamin D, calcifediol, required treatment in the intensive care unit ... compared to the group of 26 people who were not given calcifediol in which 13 of them had to be treated in the intensive care unit.

"While vitamin D deficiency is common in the U.S., Black and Hispanic people are especially deficient in the hormone, according to a 2014 study. The two groups have also been disproportionately affected by COVID-19."

Read more: https://www.ajc.com/life/study-vitamin-d-deficiency-found-in-over-80-of-covid-19-patients/A6W5TCSNIBBLNNUMVVG4XBPTGQ/

Alberta MD condemns Covid "hysteria"

Dr. Roger Hodkinson says the virus is no worse than a “bad flu”, that masks are “useless”, and that lockdowns are driving suicides. | Western Standard:

November 17, 2020 - "A top Edmonton doctor in virology says Albertans 'are being led down the garden path' by government health officials in their efforts to stop the COVID-19 virus. Dr. Roger Hodkinson says the virus is no worse than a 'bad flu.'

"Hodkinson is the CEO of Western Medical Assessments, and has been the company’s medical director for over 20 years. He received his general medical degrees from Cambridge University in the U.K., and then became a Royal College certified pathologist in Canada (FRCPC) following a residency in Vancouver. He also taught at the University of Alberta and runs MutantDx, a molecular diagnostics company in North Carolina.

"'What I am going to say is lay language and blunt,' Hodkinson said during an Edmonton City Council Community and Public Services Committee meeting, audio of which is currently making the rounds on YouTube. 'There is utterly unfounded public hysteria driven by the media and politicians. It’s outrageous. This is the greatest hoax every perpetrated on an unsuspecting public.

"'There is absolutely nothing to be done to contain this virus other than protecting your more vulnerable people.... This is not Ebola. It’s not SARS. It’s politics playing medicine. And that’s a very dangerous game. Masks are utterly useless. There is no evidence based on their effectiveness whatsoever. Seeing these people walking around like lemmings obeying without any knowledge…putting the masks on.'

"Hodkinson said social distancing is also 'useless' because the virus can travel up to 30 m before landing. He said positive tests, which do not accurately reflect whether you have the virus, are driving 'public hysteria,' adding testing should stop unless you show up at a hospital with respiratory problems. He called for residents of long term care homes to be given daily doses of Vitamin D which can help battle the virus.

"Hodkinson said the risk of death from COVID-19 to Albertans under 65 is 1 in 300,000. He also blamed businesses closures for a spate of suicides and other social problems.

"'It’s just another bad flu, and you have to get your minds around that. You’re being led down the garden path by the chief medical officer of health (Dr. Deena Hinshaw) in this province.,' he said. 'I am absolutely outraged that it has reached this level.'"

Read more: https://www.westernstandardonline.com/2020/11/senior-doc-says-alberta-politicians-playing-medicine-media-driving-hysteria/

How to build up one's own immunity to a virus

Could vitamin D protect you from COVID-19? | Healthing - Emma Jones: 

September 10, 2020 - "A growing body of research is beginning to show that getting enough vitamin D every day may be an important factor in protecting yourself from COVID-19. 

"A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at the health data of 489 individuals who received a COVID test and also had vitamin D levels tested in the previous year. The researchers found that 19 per cent of vitamin-D deficient individuals tested positive for COVID, versus 12 per cent of patients who had sufficient levels.

"A different study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine also found a correlation between living in more northern latitudes (associated with less vitamin D absorption from the sun throughout the year) and an increased risk of death from COVID 19 at the beginning stages of the pandemic. It is important to note, however, that higher temperatures and UV radiation may negatively affect the virus’s survival, contributing to these results.

"Vitamin D deficiency has been known to play a role in respiratory infections and illnesses and is connected to pneumonia, tuberculosis and bronchiolitis, according to the World Health Organization. The U.S. Institute of Medicine’s report on Dietary Reference Intakes for vitamin D and calcium recommends that adults get from 600-800 IU (15 – 20 micro grams) of vitamin D per day from their diet (the exact amount fluctuates based on age). Daily intake of vitamin D should not exceed 4,000 IU per day.....

"According to a study published in the Frontiers In Immunology journal, the nutrients most commonly associated with a strong immune system include:

• Omega-3 fatty acids. Known for its potent anti-inflammatory effect, omega-3 fatty acids are most frequently found in fish, seafood, and specific types of nuts and seeds such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts.
• Vitamin D. This 'sunshine vitamin' is tough to come by in the winter months but can also be found in fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and trout. It’s also found in lesser quantities in fortified milk, milk alternatives, and eggs.
• Vitamin E. A potent antioxidant, Vitamin E is found most abundantly in the traditional sources of healthy fats like almonds, almond butter, avocados, and peanut-based products. Fish, vegetable oils, and leafy greens are secondary sources.
• Zinc. Low zinc intake is commonly associated with compromised immune function, even though most Canadians tend to get enough. Omnivores will find their zinc needs easily met through the consumption of various types of meat and dairy while vegans and vegetarians will need to rely more heavily on lentils and other legumes. The single greatest source of zinc? Oysters.
• Tea. While not technically a vitamin, mineral or food component, tea is the richest dietary source of a potent anti-inflammatory compound known as Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which may play an important role in enhancing our immune response."

Read more: https://www.healthing.ca/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus/vitamin-d-may-play-a-protective-role-in-covid-19