Publication: Vitamin D and Its Potential Benefit for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Issued Date
2021-05-01
Resource Type
ISSN
19342403
1530891X
1530891X
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2-s2.0-85105896407
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Endocrine Practice. Vol.27, No.5 (2021), 484-493
Suggested Citation
Nipith Charoenngam, Arash Shirvani, Michael F. Holick Vitamin D and Its Potential Benefit for the COVID-19 Pandemic. Endocrine Practice. Vol.27, No.5 (2021), 484-493. doi:10.1016/j.eprac.2021.03.006 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/76189
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Title
Vitamin D and Its Potential Benefit for the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Abstract
Vitamin D is known not only for its importance for bone health but also for its biologic activities on many other organ systems. This is due to the presence of the vitamin D receptor in various types of cells and tissues, including the skin, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, endocrine pancreas, immune cells, and blood vessels. Experimental studies have shown that vitamin D exerts several actions that are thought to be protective against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infectivity and severity. These include the immunomodulatory effects on the innate and adaptive immune systems, the regulatory effects on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system in the kidneys and the lungs, and the protective effects against endothelial dysfunction and thrombosis. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have shown that vitamin D supplementation is beneficial in protecting against risk of acquiring acute respiratory viral infection and may improve outcomes in sepsis and critically ill patients. There are a growing number of data connecting COVID-19 infectivity and severity with vitamin D status, suggesting a potential benefit of vitamin D supplementation for primary prevention or as an adjunctive treatment of COVID-19. Although the results from most ongoing randomized clinical trials aiming to prove the benefit of vitamin D supplementation for these purposes are still pending, there is no downside to increasing vitamin D intake and having sensible sunlight exposure to maintain serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D at a level of least 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) and preferably 40 to 60 ng/mL (100-150 nmol/L) to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection and its severity.