Vitamin D Nearly Eliminated COVID Hospitalizations, In New Study

As scientists and doctors search for an effective COVID-19 treatment, we've been exploring the burgeoning science around staying healthy during this nightmare pandemic. Beyond tending to your overall metabolic health, we've been particularly interested in the connection between vitamin D and immunity—and researchers have recently found this is just the beginning.

The study, published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology2, was conducted on 76 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in Spain. The patients were split into two groups, and both received the same medical treatment based on hospital protocol. However, one group also received a daily Calcifediol supplement. The patients stopped taking the supplements when they were discharged from the hospital. 

The supplement group was made up of 50 people, and only one (2% of participants) was admitted to the ICU. Additionally, all of the patients in the vitamin D group were discharged without complication or death from the virus.

It's important to note there is still no surefire treatment for the coronavirus. However, the study does show a strong potential correlation between vitamin D supplementation and a decrease in the severity of COVID-19 effects. 

"Our pilot study demonstrated that administration of a high dose of Calcifediol or 25-hydroxyvitamin D, a main metabolite of vitamin D endocrine system, significantly reduced the need for ICU treatment of patients requiring hospitalization due to proven COVID-19," the study authors write. 

Plus, those who are deficient in vitamin D are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease,3 age-related brain diseases, osteoporosis, and autoimmune disorders4. Regardless of its impact on COVID, vitamin D is critical for overall health.