Vitamin D (the so-called 'sunshine vitamin'), like all these dietary factors, is generally obtained from our food. It is, however, unusually also manufactured under bare skin (without clothes, lots of sun protection or copious make-up) when stimulated by the UV part of sunshine (this would make it a hormone as well as a vitamin). It has been evident, for some time, that BME folk appear more susceptible to Covid-19 and often suffer a worse infection, than paler-skinned counterparts. The fact that people with darker-pigmented skins produce less Vitamin D in the (relatively) weak sunshine of the UK, seems a prime reason for suggesting that this cheap supplement could offer protection in the pandemic. However, a thorough evaluation by NICE seems to have now established that a daily dose of Vitamin D will not protect people from this virus (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/29/no-evidence-that-taking-vitamin-d-prevents-coronavirus-say-experts). This also adds weight to the view that socio-economic/career-related factors (that increase risk) rather than 'biology' account for the differing mortality rates in BME and other ethnic groups. It's how we live (or are forced to live) that determines most of this difference rather than our genes. Vitamin D supplementation might have limited utility in people who have to remain house or institution-bound in lockdown but it's no 'magic bullet'.
No comments:
Post a Comment