2023-10-19 07:04:58
A recent study from the Boston School of Medicine finds that a vitamin D deficiency puts you more at risk of covid 19(1,2).
The study was led by Professor Michael F. Holick who is both an endocrinologist and vitamin expert, on which he has published four books as well as 400 scientific publications(3).
He is the man of only one vitamin – which is in fact a hormone – and of a few controversies, as pioneers often can be.
He was criticized for praising exposure to the sun too much and for having received, between 2013 and 2017, funding from different pharmaceutical laboratories which produce vitamin D or use it in their hormonal treatments.(4).
This is obviously a downside which reminds us, once once more, that the scientific world lives in a state of “systemic corruption”, as Dr Louis Fouché reminds us.(5).
We should fundamentally review the way in which science is financed, but that is not the subject of the day.
Should we therefore put aside the work of Professor Holick?
To his credit, this researcher made his first discovery regarding vitamin D when he was still at the beginning of his studies(6) !
And it was no small discovery.
He identified 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 which is produced by the liver(6).
It is one of the most active and circulating forms of vitamin D in the body.(6).
And since then, this scientist has continued to receive awards for his discoveries and publications.
Even if he profited from it, his work remains very valuable for human health.
It was, for example, Michael Holick who described how the skin synthesizes vitamin D(6).
He has largely contributed to raising awareness of the benefits of vitamin D, which is an extraordinary asset for your body.
The study I cite in this letter appears to be free of conflicts of interest(1,2).
What does the 2023 study say?
190,000 people were followed by Michael Holick’s team between mid-March and mid-June 2023(1).
The researchers focused on the vitamin D levels of the subjects monitored.
The study shows that there is a strong correlation between the level of vitamin D, present in a person’s body, and their rate of positivity for SARS CoV 2 or coronavirus(1,2).
The higher the vitamin D level, the lower the risk of infection.
The study confirms the scientific literature that exists in this area(7).
Vitamin D blood levels are measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) (8)
The study shows that those who have a level below 20 ng/mL of vitamin D in their blood have a 54% greater risk of being positive for covid 19 than those who have a level of 30 ng/mL.
Knowing that less than 20 ng/mL is considered deficient, while 30 ng/mL is an adequate level(1,2).
The risk further decreases in those with a higher level, and it reaches a plateau from 55 ng/mL(1,2).
The study finally shows that having a good level of vitamin D in the blood is particularly important in the elderly and in women.
Vitamin D protects you once morest viruses!
This study confirms a sensitive point: vitamin D wards off respiratory infections.
The authors explain that this is not a surprise since vitamin D has many effects on the immune system.(1).
For example, monocytes, which are white blood cells designed to fight infections, have vitamin D receptors(1,9).
These monocytes are the precursors of macrophages which destroy viruses and bacteria(10,11).
This is also the case for epithelial cells found on the mucous membranes, particularly in the intestine.(12).
Furthermore, vitamin D regulates “cytokine storms” which are reactions of the immune system to an attack.(13).
When an infection occurs, the immune system can start producing too many cytokines.
These proteins are messengers. They sound the alarm but they can also damage cells(13).
Vitamin D helps you limit breakage!
Your body needs vitamin D
In addition to its immune activity, vitamin D has many benefits.
It helps your intestine absorb phosphorus and calcium, which makes it essential for the mineralization of your bones, teeth and cartilage.(14,15).
It ensures the right balance of these two micronutrients in your body(14,15).
This activity is decisive for children. Thus, rickets is linked to a vitamin D deficiency(14,15).
But vitamin D is also indicated for the elderly who do not always have good blood calcium levels. And it’s important to prevent falls and accidents(14,15).
In addition, vitamin D would be useful in preventing(14,15) :
- diabetes
- obesity
- certain cancers
It would also be protective for your heart and cardiovascular health(14,15).
D2 or D3?
There are 5 forms of vitamin: D1, D2, D3, D4, D5.
The most cited are D2 or ergocalciferol and D3 or cholecalciferol. You will find these two forms of food supplements easily(14,15,16).
The D3 has the advantage of being more stable. Its lifespan is longer and it is identical to that which your body synthesizes.
But the action of these two vitamins D on the body is similar.
Vitamin D2 is of plant origin. You will find it in particular in mushrooms and yeasts(16).
Other foods also provide you with it but in very small doses. This is the case for legumes and cereals(16).
The sun is your official supplier of vitamin D!
Vitamin D3 is produced by your body when you expose yourself to the sun.
It is, moreover, the most effective and natural way to stock up on vitamin D.
But you will also find it in fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, eel or salmon as well as in dairy products, including butter, and egg yolks.(14,15,16).
Some lichens also contain vitamin D3.
This is what we find in vitamin D3 food supplements of plant origin.
You will find vitamin D3 as a food supplement.
Most therapists prefer to recommend D3(14,15,16).
If you haven’t yet sunbathed today, don’t waste a minute and take a little walk!
The idea is to expose the skin of the face and, why not, the arms and forearms to the sun as much as possible as long as it does not hit too hard.
Naturally yours,
Augustine of Livois
1697763215
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