Speaking about a paper accepted by Oxford University Press’s ‘OJM: The International Journal of Medicine’, which presents important findings that could reassure and cheer the Indian population, it’s lead author says, “Vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of mortality, need for intensive care and ventilation in Covid-19 patients irrespective of age, gender, race, ethnicity and comorbidity conditions”.
Dr Komal Shah, an assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Public Health in Gandhinagar, says the paper is “a review of reviews”, which is a scientific method to summarise the findings of earlier individual studies.
In this instance, 10 studies have been summarised from countries as diverse and far apart as India, China, Indonesia, Greece, Spain, Brazil, Germany and the United Kingdom.
In a 15-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Shah says the studies, which her paper summarises, suggest a pretty comprehensive outcome that should apply to all people in probably all countries.
First, Shah’s paper says that “in people receiving Vitamin D supplements, the odds of mortality were 52% lower as compared to individuals not receiving Vitamin D supplements”.
Second, the paper says: “It was observed that there is a statistically significant difference between ICU admission rate in patients receiving Vitamin D supplements as compared to patients not receiving Vitamin D”. In fact, the need for ICU care falls by 65%.
Third, the paper says: “There is a reduction in odds of requiring ventilation support in patients treated with Vitamin D supplementation as compared to others without Vitamin D treatment.” This time the reduction in the need for ventilation is 46%.
The paper’s conclusion is: “The current evidence suggests that Vitamin D…has a major role in lowering COVID-19-related mortality, ICU hospitalisations, and ventilation. As a result, we believe that supplementary vitamin D can be safely added to the existing Covid-19 treatment procedures.”
These findings are particularly relevant and important for the Indian population because India has a high level of Vitamin D deficiency which is caused by our pigmentation and the way it absorbs UV radiation.
Asked whether her paper suggests that, in addition to its impact as a therapeutic treatment for people who have got COVID-19, Vitamin D could also work as a prophylactic i.e. to prevent and guard against COVID-19, Shah said there were studies from other countries, but not India, that clearly suggest Vitamin D can work to protect and guard against Covid-19.
Finally, asked if people who are healthy but want to prevent COVID-19 infection should start taking regular Vitamin D tablets, Shah said that if your Vitamin D level is below the baseline and deemed deficient supplementary, then Vitamin D would be advisable.
She seemed to suggest the deficiency level can range between 20 ng/ml to 50 ng/ml. However, she added that people should get their baseline levels checked before taking supplementary Vitamin D and only do so after consulting their doctor. But she also added that if your Vitamin D levels are deficient supplementation will provide protection against COVID-19.
Watch the full interview here.
