Are pre-existing Vitamin D deficiencies linked to COVID-19 severity and mortality?
"Interestingly, of the over 250 individuals in the study, with a mean age of 63 years, just over half had <vitamin D deficiency> (VDD). Mortality was 13 times higher in this group, occurring in 26% of patients vs. 2% in the vitamin D-sufficient group.
Of those with VDD, almost half developed severe illness, compared to less than a tenth in those with vitamin D levels above 20 ng/mL. The lower the vitamin D levels, the greater the risk of severe COVID-19, observed in 87% of people with VDD compared to 34% of the rest of the group.
In fact, VDD was found in 9% of mild COVID-19 patients, vs. 58% in those with moderate illness, but 87% of severely or critically ill patients. The odds that a patient with severe or critical disease would have VDD were 14 times higher compared to those with mild or moderate disease, even after adjusting for age, male sex, and the presence of other illnesses."
What I find interesting is that people with so-called "normal" vitamin D levels (~30-40 ng/ml) do have significant protection from Covid according to this report. No study has been done with people who have super-normal levels (> 50 ng/ml) of vitamin D and Covid susceptibility. My hypothesis is that people who maintain high normal Vitamin D levels (sweet spot = 70 ng/ml) probably have a very strong resistance to Covid. In fact, these people likely have very strong resistance to respiratory virus' (i.e. colds and flu) in general. I know I do. Once I elevated my vitamin D level to above 50 ng/ml, over 15 years ago, I have not had a flu, cold, cough, sneeze or anything respiratory in that time. Prior to this, I would 'catch' a cold once or twice a year and catch the flu every other year or so. And back then, my vitamin D level tested at 17 ng/ml. I strongly believe vitamin D is vital to immune health against a variety of diseases (CML included) but especially respiratory virus' based on personal experience. It will be interesting to learn if others who maintain high normal vitamin D levels also experience lack of colds or flu.