Posted on 05/19/2021 7:21:02 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Having low blood levels of vitamin D may not increase a person's risk for severe COVID-19, a study published Wednesday by JAMA Network Open found.
People with extremely low levels of vitamin D in their blood were not more likely to test positive for antibodies to the coronavirus, the data showed. The presence of antibodies -- cells made by the immune system -- suggests past infection.
Those with moderately low levels of the vitamin also did not have a higher risk for testing positive for coronavirus antibodies, the researchers said.
"We found no evidence for an independent association between low levels of vitamin D" and testing positive for COVID-19 antibodies, wrote researchers from Quest Diagnostics, a national chain of medical testing laboratories.
"These findings do not support the hypothesis that vitamin D plays a role in susceptibility to ... infection," they said.
Vitamin D is considered to be an important nutrient for immune health, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Earlier studies have suggested that having low levels of the nutrient could indicate poor immune system health and raise the risk for severe COVID-19.
This risk is particularly acute in Black people, who historically have lower levels of vitamin D than those in other racial and ethnic groups, studies show.
Data indicate that Black people also are at increased risk for infection and severe COVID-19.
More than 40% of adults in the United States are considered to be deficient in vitamin D, including roughly 80% of Black people, according to the recent estimates.
For this study, the Quest Diagnostics researchers tested more than 18,000 adults ages 37 to 56 in the United States for coronavirus antibodies.
All 18,000 adults had available information on prepandemic blood vitamin D levels in their medical records, the researchers said.
About one in four had extremely low levels of the nutrient in the blood before the pandemic, while another 60% had moderately low levels.
Among the study participants, 900, or 5%, tested positive for antibodies suggesting past COVID-19 infection.
Participants with extremely low levels of vitamin D were 4% more likely to test positive for coronavirus antibodies.
Those with moderately low levels, however, actually were 7% less likely to test positive, the researchers said.
"Individuals [positive for COVID-19 antibodies] did have lower vitamin D levels than [negative] individuals, both before and during the pandemic," the researchers wrote.
"However, low levels of vitamin D were not associated with [positivity] after adjusting for" other factors, they said.
Uh huh.
Future generations will laugh at our primitive reactions to this virus.
Bull.
Masks work, but cheap, immune enhancing supplements don’t. Sure.
My husband and I have been taking extra D3 for years, long before covid. No flu and not even colds during that time.
That’s one weird article if you read to the end.
Research here found that researchers can find anything they are paid to find.
Have found.
First sentence of the article seems out of place.
“Having low blood levels of vitamin D may not increase a person’s risk for severe COVID-19, a study published Wednesday by JAMA Network Open found.”
The rest of the article deals with succeptiblity to infection not severity.
I haven’t read the actual study yet to see if it’s just bad reporting.
Looks like a test designed to guarantee the desired results.
“…For this study, the Quest Diagnostics researchers tested more than 18,000 adults ages 37 to 56 in the United States for coronavirus antibodies.
All 18,000 adults had available information on prepandemic blood vitamin D levels in their medical records, the researchers said….”
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I have to wonder whether they included “dead from COVID-19” adults in their “study”. I suspect they didn’t from their wording. Garbage in, garbage out!
Keep your Vitamin D levels up, folks.
Me also. D3 supplements for 20 years..I had one cold in 2012
So says JAMA. Consider the source. Not buying it. D3 has helped many.
No way do I believe this.
Higher levels of vitamin D has been associated with reduced symptoms from COVID but maybe not susceptibility. I’ll keep taking D3.
In other words, “Darn, that D3 is really helping folks.”
Generally, whatever mainstream media tells me what is to be in my best interest, I take the opposite approach.
Lockdown? No lockdowns
Masks? No Masks
Jabs? No Jabs
Research here found that researchers can find anything they are paid to find....
BINGO ! A WINNER!
It's not whether you catch the China virus - but how you do once you get it.
Very low Vitamin D means that your endothelial cells are vulnerable - meaning you have more problems getting oxygen transferred into your body.
The study should have been how those with Vitamin D levels of at least 60 do, as compared to those below 25 - when sick with the virus.
Though I don’t think high levels of D make one “bullet proof” against covid. This is just one study, and not very convincing IMO.
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