Stopping COVID19 With Vitamin D

Researchers have discovered a clear association between extreme vitamin D deficiency and mortality rates after analyzing global data from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The research team, led by Northwestern University, analyzed data collected from hospitals and clinics in China, France, Germany, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States.

The researchers observed that patients from countries with high COVID-19 mortality rates, such as Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, had lower vitamin D levels than patients from less seriously affected countries.

This does not mean that anyone should begin stockpiling supplements, particularly those without a known deficiency, the researchers warn.

"While I believe it is critical for people to understand that vitamin D deficiency can contribute to mortality, we do not need to force vitamin D on everyone," said Vadim Backman of Northwestern University, who led the study. "This requires additional research, and I hope our work sparks interest in this field. Additionally, the data can shed light on the mechanism of mortality, which, if established, may result in the identification of novel therapeutic targets."

The analysis is available on medRxiv, a health sciences preprint server.

At Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering, Backman is the Walter Dill Scott Professor of Biomedical Engineering. Ali Daneshkhah is the first author of the paper. He is a postdoctoral research associate in Backman's laboratory.

Backman and his colleagues were motivated to investigate vitamin D levels when they noticed unexplained variations in COVID-19 mortality rates between countries. Some speculated that disparities in healthcare quality, population age distributions, testing rates, or coronavirus strains may be to blame. However, Backman maintained his skepticism.

"It seems as if none of these variables play a significant role," Backman said. "Northern Italy's healthcare system is one of the strongest in the world. Also within the same age group, differences in mortality occur. And, although testing limitations do differ, mortality differences persist even though countries or populations have similar testing rates.

"Rather than that, we observed a strong association with vitamin D deficiency," he said.

Backman and his colleagues discovered a clear link between vitamin D levels and cytokine storm — a hyperinflammatory disease caused by an overactive immune system — as well as a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and mortality by studying publicly available patient data from around the world.

"A cytokine storm can cause significant damage to the lungs, resulting in acute respiratory distress syndrome and death," Daneshkhah explained. "It seems to be the primary cause of death in the majority of COVID-19 patients, rather than the virus's destruction of the lungs. It is the problems caused by the immune system's misdirected fuel."

This is precisely the area in which Backman claims vitamin D plays a critical role. Vitamin D not only strengthens our innate immune systems, but also keeps them from being dangerously hyperactive. This means that maintaining adequate vitamin D levels can protect patients against severe COVID-19 complications, including death.

"Our study indicates that it may be as much as halving the mortality rate," Backman said. "While it may not prevent a patient from contracting the virus, it can help to prevent complications and death in those who are already infected."

According to Backman, this connection can help clarify a number of COVID-19-related mysteries, such as why children are less likely to die. Children do not yet have a fully formed acquired immune system, which serves as the second line of protection for the immune system and is more prone to overreact.

"Children depend on their innate immune system to a large extent," Backman explained. "This could account for their lower mortality rate."

Backman emphasizes the importance of avoiding excessive vitamin D intake, which can have harmful side effects. He mentioned that the topic requires additional research to determine the most efficient way to use vitamin D to protect against COVID-19 complications.

"It is difficult to determine the optimal dose for COVID-19," Backman said. "However, it is clear that vitamin D deficiency is dangerous and can be easily corrected by adequate supplementation. This may be another way to support disadvantaged people, such as African-Americans and the elderly, who suffer from vitamin D deficiency."

Backman is the director of Northwestern University's Center for Physical Genomics and Engineering and the associate director for research technology and infrastructure at Northwestern University's Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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