Many people rely on taking supplements as part of their daily routine. Certain vitamins and minerals are vital to ensure our bodies work to the best of their abilities.
While they can help to bolster your nutrient intake, they could also have a protective effect against certain illnesses.
According to some studies, topping up on some vitamin D tablets could do just this – even potentially helping you avoid a more serious COVID-19 infection.
One such study, published in Pharmaceuticals journal in 2023, found that you could diminish the impact of Covid by taking vitamin D supplements.
The research, conducted by a team from Italy, followed on from previous trials investigating the use of vitamin D.
As part of the study, the team searched four databases, finding information on four randomised controlled trials “suitable” for their analysis.
They found a correlation between taking vitamin D supplements and less severe outcomes for Covid patients.
“Vitamin D administration results in a decreased risk of death and ICU admission,” the study said.
“The trial sequential analysis of the protective role of vitamin D and ICU admission showed that, since the pooling of the studies reached a definite sample size, the positive association is conclusive.”
Researchers noted that various other studies conducted before the pandemic showed that patients who received vitamin D supplements “had a lower risk of acute respiratory infections and a shorter duration of symptoms”.
This was true among patients taking between 400 and 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily for up to a year.
However, the NHS warns against taking more than 4,000 IU (equivalent to 100 micrograms) of vitamin D a day as this can be “harmful”.
A separate study, published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, revealed that Covid patients with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to then suffer the effects of long Covid.
A team from the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Milan examined 100 patients aged from 51 to 70 years, with and without long Covid.
They measured their vitamin D levels when first admitted to hospital for COVID-19 and six months after being discharged, and found lower vitamin D levels in patients with long Covid compared to those without.
Lead investigator Professor Andrea Giustina said: “Previous studies on the role of vitamin D in long Covid were not conclusive mainly due to many confounding factors.
“The highly-controlled nature of our study helps us better understand the role of vitamin D deficiency in long Covid, and establish that there is likely a link between vitamin D deficiency and long Covid.”
But he added: “Our study shows that COVID-19 patients with low vitamin D levels are more likely to develop long Covid but it is not yet known whether vitamin D supplements could improve the symptoms or reduce this risk altogether.”
Our main source of vitamin D comes from sunlight. Therefore, between September and March in the UK the NHS recommends taking a daily supplement to keep levels up.
While we are far past the peak of the pandemic, Covid cases have seen a recent upsurge in the UK this year.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data shows there were 3,557 cases of Covid in England in the week up to July 17, an increase of 152 from the previous week.
There was also a 20 percent rise in deaths caused by Covid in the week up to July 12, when there were 197 fatalities.
