Vitamin D levels in 56 countries (many have less than 20 ng) – 2021

Created July 2021

Vitamin D in the time of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic – a clinical review from a public health and public mental health perspective

Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, https://doi.org/10.1177/20451253211027699

Ursula Werneke, Fiona Gaughran, David M. Taylor

% of population <10ng or < 20ng from three studies

Females are highlighted in yellow

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References (2014, 2017, 2019)

  • 37. Palacios C and Gonzalez L. Is vitamin D deficiency a major global public health problem? J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2014 ; 144 Pt A: 138–145. See Vitamin D Life Vitamin D deficiency is a major global public health problem – Maps Nov 2013

  • 38. Lips P, Cashman KD, Lamberg-Allardt C, et al. Current vitamin D status in European and Middle East countries and strategies to prevent vitamin D deficiency: a position statement of the European Calcified Tissue Society. Eur J Endocrinol 2019 ; 180: 23–54.

  • 39. van Schoor N and Lips P. Global overview of vitamin D status. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 2017 ; 46: 845–870

Note: Many Vitamin D studies are made in the cities (higher air pollution & less noon-time sun), both of which result in lower levels of vitamin D than in rural areas But, hospitals tend to have fewer % of low-income patients - who often have dark skins* Vitamin D levels from lowest to highest: Middle East, China. India, S EU. N EU – Dec 2019* Low Vitamin D in Southern Europe – 1 in 3 had less than 20 ng (630,000 Europeans) Sept 2018* Vast majority of Europeans have less than 30 ng of Vitamin D – Aug 2016 has a table 1. Deficiency of Vitamin D category starts with the following{include}

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Individuals with serious mental disorders (SMD) may have a higher risk of vitamin D (VIT-D) deficiency. They also experience higher mortality because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Therefore, we have conducted a comprehensive review to examine the significance of VIT-D for public health and public mental health during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This review had three specific aims, from a global perspective to

  • (a) create a profile of VIT-D and review the epidemiology of VIT-D deficiency,

  • (b) explore VIT-D deficiency as risk factor for SMD and COVID-19 infections and

  • (c) examine the effectiveness of VIT-D supplementation for both conditions.

We found that, in terms of SMD, the evidence from laboratory and observational studies points towards some association between VIT-D deficiency and depression or schizophrenia. Mendelian randomisation studies, however, suggest no, or reverse, causality. The evidence from intervention studies is conflicting.

Concerning COVID-19 infection, on proof of principle, VIT-D could provide a plausible defence against the infection itself and against an adverse clinical course. But data from observational studies and the first preliminary intervention studies remain conflicting, with stronger evidence that VIT-D may mitigate the clinical course of COVID-19 infection rather than the risk of infection in the first place. From a public health and public mental health point of view, based on the currently limited knowledge, for individuals with SMD, the benefits of VIT-D optimisation through supplementation seem to outweigh the risks. VIT-D supplementation, however, should not substitute for vaccination or medical care for COVID-19 infection.

Tags: Deficiency