110-Plus International Experts Release Open Letter: COVID-19 Preys on Those with Vitamin D Deficiency
- COVID-19 is disproportionately worse for people with low vitamin D levels
- 35-40% of the world's population is deficient in vitamin D, which is worse during wintertime; rates are highest for those who are overweight/obese, have dark skin, are elderly or residents of care homes
- These experts themselves take, on average, more than 6 times the recommended daily amount of vitamin D
Dec 22, 2020, 08:41 ET
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Governments, public health officials, doctors, and healthcare workers should immediately recommend people increase their intake of Vitamin D to reduce COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths, says a growing group – more than 110 -- of leading scientists and doctors from across the globe. These experts have banded together under the Vitamin D for All Coalition banner to bring awareness to the issue.
In this Open Letter addressed to key decision makers and health care workers, they lay out the research to recommend Vitamin D intake for adults up to 4000 IU (100mcg) daily. Those at an increased risk of deficiency due to excess weight, dark skin, or living in care homes may need higher intakes. Testing can help to avoid levels too low or high. This common, life-saving vitamin can be found in most local drugstores, grocery stores, and online for little cost.
"The data strongly suggests that vitamin D is the safest, easiest, and most important anti-pandemic measure the world is failing to prioritize," says Karl Pfleger, Ph.D., biotech investor, former Google data scientist, and one of the organizers of VitaminDforAll.org.
More than 80 percent of COVID-19 patients are deficient in Vitamin D, studies show.
The Open Letter states, "Evidence to date suggests the possibility that the COVID-19 pandemic sustains itself in large part through infection of those with low vitamin D, and that deaths are concentrated largely in those with deficiency."
The goal is that persons achieve and maintain blood levels of vitamin D over 30ng/ml (75nmol/L), a widely endorsed minimum with evidence of reduced COVID-19 risk. The suggested protocol for those not already receiving the recommended intake is 10,000 IU (250mcg) daily for 2-3 weeks (or until achieving 30ng/ml if undergoing testing), followed by taking 2000-4000 IU daily thereafter.
The letter shares the recommended dosage amounts and personal daily intake of Vitamin D for most of the 110 signatory doctors and scientists, almost all of whom take between 2000 IU to 10,000 IU per day with an average of 4000 IU/day, over 6 times the US recommended daily amount. The organizers declare no conflicts of interest and are driven by a need to disseminate this essential information.
John Umhau, M.D., MPH, former NIH research scientist and retired Commander of the US Public Health Service says, "Decision makers need to act on the expert consensus that increased vitamin D supplementation is an inexpensive yet critical life-saving measure in COVID-19."
Inadequate Vitamin D is by far the most easily and quickly modifiable risk factor with abundant evidence to support a large effect. Vitamin D is inexpensive, easily accessible, and has little risk compared to the considerable risk of COVID-19.
The Vitamin D for All Coalition is a volunteer group of more than 110 scientists, doctors, and leading authorities around the world calling for an increase in Vitamin D use to combat COVID-19. The coalition's goal in drafting this open letter is to change policy and standard of care to save lives and help mitigate the pandemic. Visit the website here: VitaminDforAll.org/
Contact: Karl Pfleger
Mobile: 646-714-2824
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE Vitamin D for All Coalition
