Study suggests low vitamin D levels linked to severe COVID-19 - Dr. David Samadi, prostate cancer expert investigates
NEW YORK, May 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Encouraging recent research finds susceptibility to developing a severe COVID-19 infection appears to be linked to vitamin D status. An editorial published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, found vitamin D may have a role in suppressing the severe inflammatory cytokine responses seen in critically ill COVID-19 patients and COVID-19 deaths.
"This doesn't surprise me as I've always been a big proponent of the health benefits of vitamin D," exclaimed Dr. David Samadi, director of Men's Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. "Vitamin D is actually a hormone with a wide range of functions in the body. It's been shown that deficiencies in vitamin D increases susceptibility to infections. Even as a urologist, I know from past studies, men with vitamin D deficiencies may have a 2.5 to 4.2 times increase for an advanced, aggressive prostate cancer tumor, depending on ethnicity."
The new study showed countries that lie below the latitude of 35 degrees North, such as Australia, have had relatively lower mortality from COVID-19 compared to countries that lie above the 35th latitude degrees North, such as Italy, Spain and certain regions of the U.S. like New York and New Jersey. Areas of the world above the 35th latitude North receive insufficient sunlight, necessary to make vitamin D, during the fall and winter. However, Nordic countries like Iceland, where vitamin D supplementation is widespread and have lower deficiencies, also had lower mortality rates of COVID-19.
"This new study once again reminds all of us to know where we stand with our vitamin D status," stressed Dr. Samadi. "A level of 30 ng/mL to 50 ng/mL is considered adequate for most healthy people. If you need supplementation, get your doctor's advice. Otherwise, eat oily fish like salmon, cheese, egg yolks and beef liver but better yet, spend some time outdoors exposed to the sun."
Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men's Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He's a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Visit Dr. Samadi's websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.
Contact:
Dr. David Samadi
212-365-5000
[email protected]
SOURCE RoboticOncology
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