Would Vitamin D Have Saved Half of COVID Deaths?

Via Mercola

Story at-a-glance

  • Vitamin D supplementation cut risk of death from COVID-19 by 51% and reduced risk of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) by 72%
  • The results were deemed “conclusive” and suggest “a definitive association between the protective role of vitamin D and ICU hospitalization” from COVID-19
  • Vitamin D may protect against COVID-19 by maintaining pulmonary barrier function, boosting the innate immune response and reducing the production of proinflammatory cytokines
  • In another study, none of the patients with severe COVID-19 who received high-dose vitamin D died; instead, 100% of the group improved
  • Regulatory agencies around the world are largely industry-funded, which is likely why they aren’t recommending vitamin D — a “dirt cheap” intervention — for COVID-19

I launched an information campaign to raise awareness about the use of vitamin D for COVID-19 back in June 2020. My own vitamin D review was published October 31, 2020, in the high-impact, peer-reviewed journal Nutrients.1

At the time, 14 observational studies suggested vitamin D levels are inversely linked with the incidence or severity of COVID-19, and my paper concluded, “The evidence seems strong enough that people and physicians can use or recommend vitamin D supplements to prevent or treat COVID-19.”2

I was widely vilified and discredited in the media for bringing attention to vitamin D’s potential for COVID-19. The New York Times, in their July 2021 front-page hit piece,3 even dubbed me, “The most Influential spreader of coronavirus misinformation online,” in an attempt to minimize my efforts. The reporter claimed she could not verify my published study on vitamin D, even though I sent her a link to it, and it’s easy to find online.

Now, however, as is usually the case, the truth is being set free. An increasing number of studies are confirming what I said in 2020 — that vitamin D is a potent and highly effective intervention for COVID-19.

New Studies on Vitamin D and COVID-19

Giving vitamin D to people with COVID-19 cut risk of death from SARS-CoV-2 by 51% and reduced risk of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) by 72%.4 This was the finding of a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA), which weighs errors in order to assess if further studies are needed5 — or the results are so solid they’re unlikely to be affected by other studies.

The TSA revealed “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.”6 To put it another way, the results suggest “a definitive association between the protective role of vitamin D and ICU hospitalization.”7

Words like “conclusive” and “definitive” aren’t typically used lightly in scientific research. So, this finding is indeed impressive — although not altogether surprising, since a wealth of other data also shows vitamin D’s protective effect against COVID-19.

What does raise eyebrows, however, is why the study, which has major implications for public health, isn’t being talked about — and vitamin D isn’t being widely recommended for COVID-19.

Vitamin D Offers Serious Protection Against COVID-19

In the video above, John Campbell, a retired nurse and teacher based in England, details the study, which was published in the journal Pharmaceuticals.8 He believes regulatory authorities are acting unethically by not recommending vitamin D for COVID-19. Not only did COVID-19 patients supplemented with vitamin D have lower rates of ICU admission and fewer mortality events, but they also had lower rates of COVID-19 infection, by 54%.9

In other words, vitamin D provided significant protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Meanwhile, throughout the pandemic, “high-risk interventions were carried out. Very, very safe interventions, like vitamin D, zinc — basically ignored. It really is a scandal. A total scandal. Absolute disgrace,” Campbell says.10 The study laid out a number of reasons why it makes perfect sense that vitamin D fights COVID-19, stating:11

“COVID-19 is characterized by high levels of inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), and increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In this sense, various data have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties of vitamin D, in addition to the importance of vitamin D for bone health, as well as its role in extra-skeletal function.”

Specific examples of how vitamin D may be beneficial in the case of COVID-19 show that it:12

Maintains pulmonary barrier function Determines the production of antimicrobial peptides
Enhances neutrophil activity, which boosts the innate immune response Shifts that adaptive immune response to a more T helper cell-2 type
Reduces the production of proinflammatory cytokines Increases the anti-inflammatory response

Taken together, the researchers again stated that an “indisputable association between vitamin D supplementation and the protective effect on ICU admission can be considered definitive evidence.”13

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High-Dose Vitamin D Saves Many COVID Patients

Another study investigated the effect of the drug tocilizumab and other factors, including high-dose vitamin D, in people with severe COVID-19.14 Perhaps most revealing was Table 3,15 which showed the effects of co-management agents including vitamin D, anticoagulants, steroids and antivirals. Among the seven patients who received high-dose vitamin D, none died. Instead, 100% of the group improved. According to the study:16

“100% of the patients with a low vitamin D status (less than 20 ng/mL) receiving high doses of vitamin D (50,000 IU every other day for two weeks or one intramuscular shot of 300,000 IU) showed clinical improvement compared to those receiving the usual treatment doses (10,000 IU daily or less) or those who did not receive it.”

In response, science journalist Simon Goddek, Ph.D., tweeted, “What happens if you administer high doses of Vitamin D to severe COVID-19 patients? They simply won’t die, as this study shows.”17

Vitamin D Lowers COVID-19 Infection and Death

Yet another study — this one published in Scientific Reports18 — shows the association between vitamin D, a “safe, widely available and affordable treatment,”19 and COVID-19 protection cannot be ignored.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University, the University of Chicago and the Department of Veterans Health Affairs conducted a large-scale pharmacoepidemiologic study of the association between vitamin D3 and D2 supplementation and the probability of COVID-19 infection and mortality.20

“Vitamin D deficiency has long been associated with reduced immune function that can lead to viral infection. Several studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency … increases the risk of infection with COVID-19,” they wrote.21

The study involved a large population of veterans, including 220,265 patients supplemented with vitamin D3 before and during the pandemic, and 407,860 untreated patients.22 Those taking vitamin D3 had a 20% lower risk. Death from COVID-19 was also lower among those taking vitamin D — 33% lower among those taking vitamin D3.23

“These associated reductions in risk are substantial and justify more significant exploration and confirmation using RCTs [randomized controlled trials],” the researchers explained. “This is particularly important given the high rates of vitamin D deficiency in the U.S. population and COVID-19.”24

About half the U.S. population has insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D, and rates of vitamin D deficiency are even higher in people with darker skin, those living in higher latitudes in the winter, nursing home residents and people with reduced sun exposure. Among groups with low levels of vitamin D, rates of COVID-19 are higher.25

“In response to these findings, physicians might consider regularly prescribing vitamin D3 to patients with deficient levels to protect them against COVID-19 infection and related mortality. The 50,000 IU dosage may be especially beneficial,” according to the study.26

Why Isn’t Vitamin D Recommended for COVID?

The fact that vitamin D helps combat COVID-19 was widely censored and deemed “misinformation” during the pandemic. And despite the “conclusive” evidence, the U.K.’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) states, “Do not offer a vitamin D supplement to people solely to prevent COVID‑19, except as part of a clinical trial.” It added:27

“Based on direct evidence from the NICE evidence review and indirect evidence from the SACN [Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition] rapid review of vitamin D in acute respiratory tract infection (which did not include COVID‑19 as an outcome), the panel agreed that there was not enough evidence to recommend vitamin D supplements solely for preventing COVID‑19.”

Yet, vitamin D is typically nontoxic, representing a low-risk option that could have significant positive public health outcomes. When the researchers of the Scientific Reports study extrapolated their vitamin D findings to the entire U.S. population in 2020, they found supplementation with vitamin D3 would have prevented 4 million COVID-19 cases and 116,000 deaths.28 Campbell asks:29

“Now, why is this not being used despite the definitive evidence … why is it not being advised? Why is it not being shouted from the hilltops? … Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Authority in the United Kingdom is 86% industry-funded. Of course, they have no vested interest.

This is the national body that represents medicine … throughout all of the United Kingdom, and it’s 86% industry-funded. Coincidentally, vitamin D, which is basically free — it’s dirt cheap — and is essentially completely safe is not recommended. Other interventions, which are associated with high levels of risk are recommended … When is this going to be addressed? This is outrageous.”

This conflict of interest isn’t unique to the U.K., however. Significant portions of regulatory agencies’ budgets around the world come from the pharmaceutical industry that these agencies are supposed to regulate. For instance:30

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration — 96% of budget derived from industry Europe’s EMA — 89%
U.K.’s MHRA —6% Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency — 85%
U.S. FDA — 65%8 Health Canada — 50.5%

Vitamin D Even Improves Pancreatic Cancer

Another little-talked-about benefit of vitamin D relates to pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of cancer with a five-year survival rate of just 7.2%.31 Researchers published the case of an 83-year-old woman with pancreatic cancer “who errantly took supratherapeutic doses of vitamin D 50,000 U daily, achieving a serum 25(OH)D level of more than 150 ng/mL, with no appreciable side effects.”

Eight months after diagnosis — and consistent daily intake of high-dose vitamin D — scans revealed “no evidence of disease progression.” Further, the researchers noted, “Currently she describes as feeling quite well with no difficulty accomplishing her activities of daily living.” They called for further research to investigate:32

“One cannot conclude that her vitamin D dose was in any way related to this outcome. There is only one CT scan before the initiation of vitamin D, and there is no way to know what her pace of disease would have been in the absence of vitamin D supplementation. In addition, she was taking several other supplements such as shitake mushrooms, although inconsistently and for a shorter duration, which were also intended to treat her malignancy.

Nonetheless, given the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer and the limited treatment options for patients, this case should stimulate further investigation. The daily dose of 50,000 U of vitamin D3 was well tolerated in our patient for over 10 months at the time of writing. Consideration should be given to a clinical trial that evaluates a similar dose.”

I’ve long recommended a vitamin D level of 40 to 60 ng/ml for optimal health and disease prevention. However, higher levels of 60 to 80 ng/ml may be even better, while a level upward of 100 ng/mL appears safe and beneficial for certain conditions, especially cancer.33

Ideally, Get Your Vitamin D From the Sun

Optimizing your vitamin D levels isn’t only about preventing COVID-19; it supports health in multiple ways. It’s been shown that people genetically predisposed to vitamin D deficiency were 25% more likely to die from any cause compared to those with different genetics conducive to healthy vitamin D levels.34

To optimize your levels, regular sun exposure is the best option, as not only will it naturally raise your vitamin D levels to healthy levels, but it will provide numerous other benefits, such as enhanced production of melatonin — a potent anticancer agent.35 However, if you’re unable to get adequate sun exposure each day, supplementation may be necessary.

The only way to determine how much sun exposure is enough and/or how much vitamin D3 you need to take is to measure your vitamin D level, ideally twice a year. When supplementing, also remember vitamins D and K2, calcium and magnesium all work together and must be properly balanced for optimal health.

Once you’ve confirmed your vitamin D levels via testing, adjust your sun exposure and/or vitamin D3 supplementation accordingly. Then, remember to retest in three to four months to make sure you’ve reached your target level.

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hardscrabble farmer
hardscrabble farmer

In case you ever wonder why they chose to socially isolate people and impose lockdowns…

flash
flash

Yep. I’ve known two guys my entire life and both have drank, drugged, smoked and been general rakes their entire lives, and both still working, with one, aged 72, still climbing rafters and driving nails.
Neither one has ever taken a supplement nor gave a rats ass about their health, but they’re are lean and mean, not a drop of fat on they’re bones and all muscle , due to their profession as carpenters , which for them being framers, has mostly been spent outside.

Now, I would not recommend this lifestyle for anyone, but it appears to me that the sickest people in society are the ones who work indoors, take tons of supplemenst and spend too much time worrying about living instead of doing it.

ILuvCO2
ILuvCO2

I love me a good sunburn. Feels so good.

Ken31
Ken31

I keep working outdoors without a hat (because it’s winter, I guess) and have had a constant sun burned head for about 2 weeks.

Rod
Rod

My father spent summers outdoors at 7,000 ft. elevation and the remainder of the year in often cloudy environs; after about 5 years he got skin cancer on the top both ears. Wear a hat!

Svarga Loka
Svarga Loka

Haven’t used sunscreen in years, not on me and not on kids, and we don’t have sunburns. In the spring, we increase time outside little by little, naturally, and in the summer we simply avoid the hours in the middle of the day and just go outside and the beach/pool in the mornings or late afternoons. Healthiest kids around.

Edit: We do take Vitamin D supplements, too, though, even though it seems to be unpopular in this thread. Approximately 2000-4000 IU/d. I have no idea if it makes a difference. It might not, since there is a law of diminishing returns: when you are already healthy, how much healthier can you possibly get?

flash
flash

I worked out in the sun my entire life, from 8 on, and never used a drop of sunscreen, but people I know who spent their entire working lives indoors and used sunscreen , which has known cancer causing agents, have had multiple skin cancers removed…go figure.

anon a moos
anon a moos

same. FIL worked indoors his entire life and then spent his remaining days, indoors. Had four skin cancers removed. From the time its warm enough I go tshirt and shorts, then shorts and work all day outside. I don’t get burned and don’t get sick either.

But, I also know people who just sit in the sun and spray oil on themselves for that ‘tan’. They look like old leather boots and they still sit in the sun. Some of these have had melanoma as well.

How stupid are people?? Very. I get a tiny bit sarcastic when people say they never burned as a kid and now that they are adults they burn easily and either can’t understand why or attribute it to ‘climate change’ as their being burned is proof. Nothing to do with being indoors 50 weeks of a year and going out on a two week skin frying holiday has anything to do with it… nope.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Truthfully indicating the actual cause of death on death certificates would have prevented MORE than half of “Covid deaths”.

hardscrabble farmer
hardscrabble farmer

Calling it the annual flu would have taken care of the rest of the cases.

Anonymous
Anonymous

How much of moving patients from the hospitals to nursing homes was loading statistics to create the notion there was an outbreak in the nursing homes. Those patients were likely near death, And social isolation kicked them over the edge.

Anthony Aaron
Anthony Aaron

Putting TheFauci and the rest of the evildoers into a tiny concrete box from the beginning would have prevented ALL of these ‘covid deaths’ …

Rod
Rod

Don’t forget to turn the water valve on.

ryan
ryan

Those powers that be ensure that milk is fortified with vitamin D. Since we know that the opposite of what they tell us is in fact the truth, we can safely conclude that vitamin D supplementation is not beneficial. There is research in this direction:
https://newagora.ca/excess-vitamin-d-too-much-of-a-good-thing/
Of course, vitamin D being effective against something imaginary such as a virus is ridiculous.

Anthony Aaron
Anthony Aaron

This is just one more reason that the FDA is threatening to totally eliminate any and all of the ‘supplements’ industry in the US … just like they temporarily did with NAC for a very short while (they told AMZN to stop selling NAC — AMZN complied within hours) …

Visayas Outpost
Visayas Outpost

Casual observers noticed by mid-2020 that the covid-Flu thrived in cold weather. Both infection spread and severity were markedly reduced in warm weather climates (where there is copious Vitamind D).

Glad we have new studies to tell us what we already know.

idaho
idaho

I doubt it. I take a lot of D and I still damn near died from covid. I had over 2 dozen blood clots in my lungs. I got rid of them with bold thinners and exercise.

Anonymous
Anonymous

What a joke, almost died from something that doesn’t exist. Totally deluded. Lol!

idaho
idaho

bold=blood……but you knew that

Doc Adams
Doc Adams

The group that recommends Vitamin D supplement levels refuses to correct their erroneous recommendation-it is about 8x-10x too low. Canadian researchers uncovered the calculation mistake that was made by that group in 2015, yet a correction has never been made. Wonder why?

DS
DS

I don’t know… I thought this too, but I just read the link provided above by ryan (thanks bro), and it is a very compelling argument that the whole Vit D paradigm is wrong — check it out:

https://newagora.ca/excess-vitamin-d-too-much-of-a-good-thing/

OriginalDan
OriginalDan

Not having checked into a deathpital (aka hospital) would of saved the other half.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Covid deaths? How can something that doesn’t exist kill anyone? You must mean vaccine deaths!

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