Why Vitamin D Will Be Your Best Friend This Winter
Ahh, the sunshine. It is packed full of a vitamin critical for building strong bones. But when the cold weather arrives, our ability to pull vitamin D from the sun drastically decreases. So we give our kids lots of milk and cheese to bridge the gap. However, that isn’t enough for everyone. Research suggests that 1 in 10 children are deficient in vitamin D, and 60 percent have suboptimal levels. Furthermore, 41.6 percent of adults were deficient in Vitamin D. This number jumps to 69.2% in Hispanics and 82.1% in African-Americans.
So what, you ask? A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that 80% of people diagnosed with COVID were deficient in Vitamin D.
A different study found that COVID-19 patients who had adequate Vitamin D levels had a 51.5 percent lower risk of dying from the disease and a significant risk of complications.
Medical experts believe that having sufficient vitamin D levels may lower the risk or aid in the recovery of COVID-19. However, research on how vitamin D affects COVID-19 severity is not fully understood.
The study results aren’t surprising. It has long been known that Vitamin D helps fight disease. But the average American only correlates Vitamin D with building healthy bones and teeth. As we enter flu season and COVID cases continue to rise, the need to protect ourselves becomes increasingly important.
The Endocrine Society recommends that infants get anywhere from 400–1,000 IUs daily, children 600–1,000 IUs daily, and adults 600–2,000 IUs daily. However, some people need more vitamin-D. Therefore at Rainbow Pediatrics, we recommend that families speak with their pediatrician about vitamin D supplementation. Adults should talk with their primary care providers to find out if they should supplement vitamin D and how much they should take. The amount needed depends on your child’s (or your) current levels and if you are trying to raise them.
We want to help our families stay as healthy as possible. If you have questions about COVID-19 or vitamin D supplementation, please call our office. Stay well.
