Vitamin D / Covid-19 - more than anecdotal

Yes Scuba, and there's even more here: 

Vitamin D Supplements Could Reduce Risk of Influenza and COVID-19 Infection and Death

(OMNS Apr 9, 2020) There are two main reasons why respiratory tract infections such as influenza and COVID-19 occur in winter: winter sun and weather and low vitamin D status. Many viruses live longer outside the body when sunlight, temperature, and humidity levels are low as they are in winter [1]. Vitamin D is an important component of the body's immune system, and it is low in winter due to low solar ultraviolet-B (UVB) doses from exposure and the low supplement intakes of most. While nothing can be done about winter sun and weather, vitamin D status can be raised through vitamin D supplements.

Vitamin D has several mechanisms that can reduce risk of infections [2].

Important mechanisms regarding respiratory tract infections include: inducing production of cathelicidins and defensins that can lower viral survival and replication rates as well as reduce risk of bacterial infection reducing the cytokine storm that causes inflammation and damage to the lining of the lungs that can lead to pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

High dose Vit C: I'm still taking it :o)

2000 IU's per day to raise your vitamin D level is probably insufficient. I took 10,000 IU's per day 5 days a week for 3 weeks and rose my vitamin D level from 17 ng/ml to 45. I still had a long way to go to get to 70 ng/ml. I cut back to 5,000 / 10,000 every other day at that point and a few months later achieved my goal.

I take 200 mcg vitamin K2 (the "2" is important to note). Vitamin K2 is NOT the same as vitamin K1. Vitamin K2 also has several forms - MK-4, MK-7. The Mk-7 form of vitamin K2 is the most effective.

Taking vitamin K2 plus D3 and keeping D3 at or below 10,000 IU's per day will eliminate the potential for D overdose. My own rule of thumb is I don't take D3 supplements when I spend a day in the sun (SCUBA diving!)

Thanks Scuba for your comments on the dose needed.

Two further observations:

There is a body of literature out there some of which is in the medical field and some in solar research into "solar minima sunspot cycles,pandemics and vitamin D levels"-there is some controversy but worth a look.

Diet could be important-a teaspoon of cod liver oil contains 450 units of D3 and a portion of swordfish 700 .Fatty fish,some raw mushrooms ,egg yolks,some animal  based foods and say whole organic milk seem to be key ingredients.I have posted before about "lifestyle after cancer" so again worth some more thought and reflection on.

Stay safe

John

More data on vitamin D / covid-19 severity risk.

https://hospitalhealthcare.com/covid-19/is-vitamin-d-an-important-biomar...

Everyone on this forum should know their vitamin D blood level. If it is below 50 ng/ml - you should supplement to get it above 50 and ideally raise it to around 70 ng/ml.

Sandrea,

Outstanding ! Thank you for the visual - should help me explain to my neighbors.

However, most of my neighbors won't believe anything (on what can help) unless it is a headline on their social media app from an "expert" or if Taylor Swift tells them to supplement (or get out in the sun).

Until the media starts advising people to get their vitamin D tested and to supplement - very little will change. You and I know better, but the vast numbers of our fellow citizens do not. And worse, our older citizens become vulnerable to the disease.

Update:

I wanted to share this with everyone - just had my blood tested for vitamin D yesterday (quick turnaround!) and the reading was 52 ng/ml.

I was actually quite surprised it was this low! I take 5,000 IU's per day down from 10,000 / 5,000 during winter. Something was "consuming" my D !

This shows just how individual vitamin D supplementation needs to be - no one dose fits all. I will be increasing my dose to get my D back up to 70 ng/ml. Should take a month using my winter program and then I'll revert to summer dosing. 52 is fine for Covid-19 purposes, but D protection against cancer sweet spot is 70 ng/ml.

(note: I do suspect vitamin K2 may be why my D level was lower. K2 uses D to carboxylate calcium. And is a reason why it is hard to overdose on D (as long as you stay below 10,000 IU's per day when K2 is around)