Low levels of vitamin D in the Dubai population may increase the risk for COVID-19

Recent studies suggest a relation between COVID-19 illness and vitamin D levels in the blood of patients. New insights indicate that healthy levels of vitamin D may help to fight COVID-19 disease.

This is an important new finding for people in Dubai as former studies from DHA in 2017 demonstrated that over 90% of the population in Dubai suffers from low levels of vitamin D in their blood. With the recent lock-down where we stayed insight for almost 2 months and the following summer period where we mostly avoid the sun, it is expected that the level of vitamin D has dropped even further and the number of people lacking sufficient vitamin D will have increased.

This may be a serious health threat during the corona pandemic. Seeing a doctor have your vitamin D level checked and an adequate vitamin D cure prescribed is therefore strongly recommended.

Can Vitamin D Help Fighting COVID-19?

Vitamin D is naturally produced by our body during exposure to sunlight and it is present in low quantities in certain foods. Many people take vitamin D supplements to restore an unhealthy low vitamin D level in their blood.

Vitamin D is responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium and building bones and teeth. It also supports the immune system and plays a significant role in supporting lung functions and preventing respiratory infections.

Recent research on COVID-19 by groups of researchers from different countries has shown that the sickest patients often have the lowest levels of vitamin D and that countries with higher death rates had larger numbers of people with vitamin D deficiency than countries with lower death rates.

Adequate vitamin D levels help the respiratory system stay healthy and prevent infections.

Multiple Covid-19 related surveys and studies that were carried out since the pandemic found that the most affected Covid-19 patients showed significant vitamin D deficiency. Because all these studies were diversely performed in different countries such as China, France, Germany, Italy, Iran, the United Kingdom (UK), the United States, etc., the potency of vitamin D supplements to fight COVID-19 could be more realistic than initially anticipated.

Research conducted at the University of Chicago concluded that patients who were vitamin D deficient were more susceptible to the COVID-19 infection than those with sufficient vitamin D levels.

Researchers from the Northwestern University (US) conducted a statistical analysis of data from hospitals and clinics across several countries and looked for a potential link between vitamin D deficiency and inflammation in patients with severe COVID-19 illness. They concluded that vitamin D deficient patients were more likely to develop a severe COVID-19 infection than patients with healthy vitamin D levels.

Experts comment that healthy blood levels of vitamin D may help people with COVID-19 avoid a cytokine storm when their immune system overreacts and attacks their own cells and body tissues. It seems that vitamin D gives the body a higher chance of surviving this inflammatory reaction that is out of control.

Although vitamin D has proven to treat and reduce the risk of respiratory infections that are caused by other coronaviruses, more research is needed to establish if restoring low vitamin D levels could significantly help as a treatment for the Covid-19 virus.

Although the question if vitamin D supplements for people with low vitamin D levels in their blood can significantly help as a treatment for the COVID-19 virus demands for further research, doctors and researchers now agree that restoring healthy vitamin D levels is strongly recommended as vitamin D plays a significant role in multiple functions of the body among others respiratory health and strengthening the immune system.

Your risk for low vitamin D levels?

Former research revealed that most residents in Dubai (90% according to a DHA study) suffer from low vitamin D levels in their blood. As we all stayed indoors for almost 2 months during the outbreak of the pandemic we were less exposed to sunlight and the level of vitamin D may have considerably dropped further. Physicians in Dubai are concerned that the number of residents with extremely low vitamin D levels (insufficient and even deficient levels) has increased considerably.

How to restore the vitamin d level in your blood?

It is easy to know the vitamin D level in your blood. A simple blood test can be done in the clinic. Based on the actual vitamin D level the doctor will prescribe the appropriate vitamin D cure.