Putative Roles of Vitamin D in Modulating Immune Response and Immunopathology Associated With COVID-19
Virus Res. 2020 Nov 21 : 198235.doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2020.198235
Raman Kumar,a,b Himani,b Afrozul Haq,c Sunil J. Wimalawansa,d and Alpana Sharmaa,
pu·ta·tive /ˈpyo͞odədiv/ "generally considered or reputed to be"
COVID-19 treated by Vitamin D - studies, reports, videos
As of Nov 28 contained: 36 trials, 4 trial results, 3 meta-analyses, 31 observations, 14 recommendations, 35 associations, 79 speculations, 28 videos
Top Vitamin D and COVID-19 recent updates
- c19study.com/d has excellent synopsis of Vitamin D and COVID studies
- COVID-19 – Putative Roles of Vitamin D – Nov 2020
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- Clinical trials are proving that Vitamin D fights COVID-19 in hospitals by Vitamin D Life
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- Hospital COVID-19 observation: 7X more likely to live if more than 20 ng of vitamin D– Nov 19, 2020
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- Vitamin D fighting COVID-19 meets all Bradford Hill Criteria - Nov 2020
- French National Academy recommended 100,000 IU of Vitamin D to elderly to fight COVID-19 - May 2020
- Chinese COVID-19 study – 80 pct of severe cases had low Vitamin D, all asymptomatic cases had OK Vit D – Oct 13, 2020
- Vitamin D and COVID-19 - observational studies found it helps, never hurts - Campbell Oct 31, 2020
- Low Vitamin D associated 1.8X increased risk of COVID-19 death in hosptial – meta-analysis Nov 4, 2020
- COVID-19 lung death 4X more likely in Iran if less than 25 ng of vitamin D – Oct 30, 2020
- Evidence Regarding Vitamin D and Risk of COVID-19 and its Severity - Oct 27, 2020
- COVID-19 patients who happened to be taking Vitamin D did much better – Oct 27,2020
- 9X COVID-19 survival in nursing home if had 80,000 IU dose of vitamin D in previous month – Oct 2020
- COVID-19 fought by Vitamin D in 43 studies - Oct 15, 2020
- 15 studies indicating that Vitamin D fights COVID-19 - Dr. Grimes Oct 9, 2020
- 32X more likely to have severe-critical COVID-19 in Turkish hospital if Vitamin D deficient – Oct 5, 2020
- Vitamin D Cuts SARS-CoV-2 Infection Rate by Half Mercola Sept 28
- 47% lower SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate if > 50 ng vs < 20 ng
- 58% lower risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 if > 30 ng vs < 30 ng
- 2X higher risk of hospitialization if <30 ng
- ICU patients got semi-activated Vitamin D - death rate dropped to 2% from 50%
- Virtually no COVID-19 cases in countries having more than 30 ng of Vitamin D - Sept 17, 2020
- Studies on Vitamin D and COVID-19 (11 categories) - Sept 20, 2020
- Rate of COVID-19 test positive is 40 pcnt lower if high vitamin D (192,000 people) - Holick Sept 2020
- Vitamin D in Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19 (16 reasons) – Sept 1, 2020
 Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life
The first incidence of COVID-19 was reported in the Wuhan city of Hubei province in China in late December 2019. Because of failure in timely closing of borders of the affected region, COVID-19 spread across like a wildfire through air travel initiating a pandemic. It is a serious lower respiratory track viral infection caused by highly contagious, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Coronavirus including COVID-19 causing SARS-CoV-2 causes zoonotic diseases and thought to be originated from bats. Since its first incidence, the virus has spread all across the world, causing serious human casualties, economic losses, and disrupting global supply chains. As with SARS-CoV, COVID-19 causing SARS-CoV-2 follows a similar path of airborne infection, but is less lethal and more infectious than SARS and MERS. This review focusses on the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2, especially on the dysfunctional immune responses following a cytokine storm in severely affected persons. The mode of entry of SARS-CoV-2 is via the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptors present on the epithelial lining of lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and mucus membranes. Older persons with weaker immune system and associated co-morbidities are more vulnerable to have dysfunctional immune responses, as most of them concomitantly have severe hypovitaminosis D.
Consequently, causing severe damage to key organs of the body including lungs and the cardiovascular system. Since, vast majority of persons enters to the intensive care units and died, had severe vitamin D deficiency, thus, this area must be investigated seriously.
In addition, this article assesses the role of vitamin D in reducing the risk of COVID-19. Vitamin D is a key regulator of the renin-angiotensin system that is exploited by SARS-CoV-2 for entry into the host cells. Further, vitamin D modulates multiple mechanisms of the immune system to contain the virus that includes dampening the entry and replication of SARS-CoV-2, reduces concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increases levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines, enhances the production of natural antimicrobial peptide and activates defensive cells such as macrophages that could destroy SARS-CoV-2. Thus, this article provides the urgency of needed evidences through large population based randomized controlled trials and ecological studies to evaluate the potential role of vitamin D in COVID-19.