{"id":22661,"date":"2020-10-16T09:28:04","date_gmt":"2020-10-16T13:28:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/news\/?p=22661"},"modified":"2020-10-16T09:28:04","modified_gmt":"2020-10-16T13:28:04","slug":"how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"How Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

From GrassrootsHealth<\/em><\/h4>\n

A simplified review of how vitamin D helps to protect against COVID-19 infection and improve outcomes in those with COVID-19<\/h4>\n

Vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to\u00a0increase susceptibility to COVID-19<\/a>\u00a0and increase the risk of COVID-19 severity, including\u00a0ICU admission<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0death<\/a>. Conversely, other published studies have also shown those with higher vitamin D levels (over 30 ng\/ml or 75 nmol\/L) have a reduced risk of\u00a0severe symptoms<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0death due to COVID-19<\/a>. In fact, an analysis of over 190,000 Americans found that having vitamin D levels of at least\u00a050 ng\/ml resulted in a 53% lower positivity rate than those whose levels were less than 20 ng\/ml<\/a>! The first-published randomized controlled trial on vitamin D and COVID-19 found that adding vitamin D to the standard treatment\u00a0nearly eliminated ICU admissions and did eliminate deaths<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It sounds almost too good to be true\u2026 Yet vitamin D is known to influence the expression of thousands of genes and is involved in regulating over 80 biological pathways in the body. Vitamin D is not a miracle drug, nor does it act alone, but it is an important mediator of immune function, and we can largely control whether or not we get enough vitamin D from our daily habits (sun, diet and supplements).<\/p>\n

Today we will explain HOW vitamin D acts to protect you from getting COVID-19, and in an upcoming Part 2, we will discuss how vitamin D helps improve symptoms if you do get COVID-19.<\/p>\n

Vitamin D is Known to Help Prevent Upper Respiratory Tract Infections<\/h3>\n

\"\"Vitamin D is known to help fight upper respiratory tract infections. As previously discussed, a large meta-analysis including 25 randomized controlled trials with over 11,300 individuals showed that\u00a0vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of respiratory tract infections by 70%<\/a>. GrassrootsHealth participants with vitamin D levels greater than or equal to 40 ng\/mL were\u00a041% less likely to have had the flu and 15% less likely to have had a cold<\/a>\u00a0in the prior 6 months than participants with levels less than 20 ng\/mL.<\/p>\n

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a major complication and cause of death among those with serious COVID-19 infections. When comparing vitamin D levels among those with and at risk of ARDS, one study found that\u00a096% of those at risk of ARDS were deficient in vitamin D<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Vitamin D Can Protect Lung Cells from SARS-CoV-2 Attack<\/h3>\n

COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus (a specific type of virus) called SARS-CoV-2. Infection of COVID-19 begins when the SARS-CoV-2 virus enters the cells of the lung by binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor and de-activating it, resulting in inflammation. Vitamin D is responsible for increasing ACE-2 expression, which allows it to carry out its anti-inflammatory actions to help protect the lungs and keep inflammation at bay.<\/p>\n

During the early incubation stage when the virus is hijacking the cell there are generally no symptoms. Most people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience mild-moderate respiratory symptoms and recover without any need for hospitalization or therapy. In those who do experience more severe symptoms, only a small percentage have severe enough symptoms for the virus to be life threatening. This difference in both susceptibility (whether the virus is able to invade) and recovery (how well the body fights it off if it does invade) is attributed to the individual\u2019s immune response. Vitamin D may help protect against COVID-19 specifically through maintenance of physical barriers (susceptibility) and regulation of innate and adaptive immunity (mounting an effective immune response to the virus).<\/p>\n

The graphic below provides a very clear illustration of several ways vitamin D acts to directly protect the lungs, from its effect on the protective barrier of the lungs, to its involvement in the maturation of immune cells, and its role in regulating the inflammatory response and inhibiting the cytokine storm (which will be covered in more detail in Part 2).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Click to Enlarge & Print<\/a><\/p>\n

Vitamin D Regulates the Immune Response<\/h3>\n

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating immune system activity \u2013 both innate and adaptive responses. As previously described, the\u00a0innate immune system is responsible for the initial defensive front<\/a>\u00a0with a\u00a0central role played by phagocytes<\/a>. Vitamin D stimulates expansion of these phagocytes (monocytes and macrophages) increasing their ability to fight off the virus by increasing their numbers, as well as increasing their killing capacity through stimulating the production of the anti-viral protein cathelicidin. Vitamin D also acts to regulate the maturation of dendritic cells which are important for activating CD4+ T cells and in turn the rest of the immune response.<\/p>\n

Earlier studies have shown that in SARS and influenza the adaptive immune cells,\u00a0T cells<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0B cells<\/a>, are vital in defending the body against the virus. Many studies have found this to be the case in COVID-19 as well, with both antibody and cellular defenses being recruited to the fight. Vitamin D is a potent regulator of adaptive immunity, including both\u00a0cell-mediated (T cell)<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0humoral (B cell) immunity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Cox R and Brokstad K,\u00a0Nature Reviews<\/em>, 2020.<\/a>
\nClick to Download & Print<\/a><\/p>\n

Once SARS-CoV-2 has been successful at replicating itself and spreading to surrounding cells, mild to moderate symptoms progress (e.g. sore throat, cough, fever and muscle aches) that result from localized and appropriate inflammation, associated tissue damage and antiviral activity of B cells and T cells. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secrete cytokines (chemical signals that instruct other cells what to do) and are central to the successful elimination of COVID-19, as happens in most people. Unfortunately, more serious symptoms and death can result with an over-reactive or ineffective immune response, as can happen when there is not enough vitamin D for use. The role of vitamin D at this stage will be covered in Part 2.<\/p>\n

Thus, vitamin D is important to help fend off an attack by SARS-CoV-2. Ensuring optimal levels of vitamin D is an easy way to help support your immune system response.<\/p>\n

Click here to read more from GrassrootsHealth.<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a9 2020 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From GrassrootsHealth A simplified review of how vitamin D helps to protect against COVID-19 infection and improve outcomes in those with COVID-19 Vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to\u00a0increase susceptibility to COVID-19\u00a0and increase the risk of COVID-19 severity, including\u00a0ICU admission\u00a0and\u00a0death. Conversely, other published studies have also shown those with higher vitamin D levels (over […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22663,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nHow Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1 - Smart Tan News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From GrassrootsHealth A simplified review of how vitamin D helps to protect against COVID-19 infection and improve outcomes in those with COVID-19 Vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to\u00a0increase susceptibility to COVID-19\u00a0and increase the risk of COVID-19 severity, including\u00a0ICU admission\u00a0and\u00a0death. Conversely, other published studies have also shown those with higher vitamin D levels (over 30 ng\/ml or 75 nmol\/L) have a reduced risk of\u00a0severe symptoms\u00a0and\u00a0death due to COVID-19. In fact, an analysis of over 190,000 Americans found that having vitamin D levels of at least\u00a050 ng\/ml resulted in a 53% lower positivity rate than those whose levels were less than 20 ng\/ml! The first-published randomized controlled trial on vitamin D and COVID-19 found that adding vitamin D to the standard treatment\u00a0nearly eliminated ICU admissions and did eliminate deaths. It sounds almost too good to be true\u2026 Yet vitamin D is known to influence the expression of thousands of genes and is involved in regulating over 80 biological pathways in the body. Vitamin D is not a miracle drug, nor does it act alone, but it is an important mediator of immune function, and we can largely control whether or not we get enough vitamin D from our daily habits (sun, diet and supplements). Today we will explain HOW vitamin D acts to protect you from getting COVID-19, and in an upcoming Part 2, we will discuss how vitamin D helps improve symptoms if you do get COVID-19. Vitamin D is Known to Help Prevent Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Vitamin D is known to help fight upper respiratory tract infections. As previously discussed, a large meta-analysis including 25 randomized controlled trials with over 11,300 individuals showed that\u00a0vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of respiratory tract infections by 70%. GrassrootsHealth participants with vitamin D levels greater than or equal to 40 ng\/mL were\u00a041% less likely to have had the flu and 15% less likely to have had a cold\u00a0in the prior 6 months than participants with levels less than 20 ng\/mL. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a major complication and cause of death among those with serious COVID-19 infections. When comparing vitamin D levels among those with and at risk of ARDS, one study found that\u00a096% of those at risk of ARDS were deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D Can Protect Lung Cells from SARS-CoV-2 Attack COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus (a specific type of virus) called SARS-CoV-2. Infection of COVID-19 begins when the SARS-CoV-2 virus enters the cells of the lung by binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor and de-activating it, resulting in inflammation. Vitamin D is responsible for increasing ACE-2 expression, which allows it to carry out its anti-inflammatory actions to help protect the lungs and keep inflammation at bay. During the early incubation stage when the virus is hijacking the cell there are generally no symptoms. Most people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience mild-moderate respiratory symptoms and recover without any need for hospitalization or therapy. In those who do experience more severe symptoms, only a small percentage have severe enough symptoms for the virus to be life threatening. This difference in both susceptibility (whether the virus is able to invade) and recovery (how well the body fights it off if it does invade) is attributed to the individual\u2019s immune response. Vitamin D may help protect against COVID-19 specifically through maintenance of physical barriers (susceptibility) and regulation of innate and adaptive immunity (mounting an effective immune response to the virus). The graphic below provides a very clear illustration of several ways vitamin D acts to directly protect the lungs, from its effect on the protective barrier of the lungs, to its involvement in the maturation of immune cells, and its role in regulating the inflammatory response and inhibiting the cytokine storm (which will be covered in more detail in Part 2). Click to Enlarge & Print Vitamin D Regulates the Immune Response Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating immune system activity \u2013 both innate and adaptive responses. As previously described, the\u00a0innate immune system is responsible for the initial defensive front\u00a0with a\u00a0central role played by phagocytes. Vitamin D stimulates expansion of these phagocytes (monocytes and macrophages) increasing their ability to fight off the virus by increasing their numbers, as well as increasing their killing capacity through stimulating the production of the anti-viral protein cathelicidin. Vitamin D also acts to regulate the maturation of dendritic cells which are important for activating CD4+ T cells and in turn the rest of the immune response. Earlier studies have shown that in SARS and influenza the adaptive immune cells,\u00a0T cells\u00a0and\u00a0B cells, are vital in defending the body against the virus. Many studies have found this to be the case in COVID-19 as well, with both antibody and cellular defenses being recruited to the fight. Vitamin D is a potent regulator of adaptive immunity, including both\u00a0cell-mediated (T cell)\u00a0and\u00a0humoral (B cell) immunity. Cox R and Brokstad K,\u00a0Nature Reviews, 2020. Click to Download & Print Once SARS-CoV-2 has been successful at replicating itself and spreading to surrounding cells, mild to moderate symptoms progress (e.g. sore throat, cough, fever and muscle aches) that result from localized and appropriate inflammation, associated tissue damage and antiviral activity of B cells and T cells. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secrete cytokines (chemical signals that instruct other cells what to do) and are central to the successful elimination of COVID-19, as happens in most people. Unfortunately, more serious symptoms and death can result with an over-reactive or ineffective immune response, as can happen when there is not enough vitamin D for use. The role of vitamin D at this stage will be covered in Part 2. Thus, vitamin D is important to help fend off an attack by SARS-CoV-2. Ensuring optimal levels of vitamin D is an easy way to help support your immune system response. Click here to read more from GrassrootsHealth.     SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business. \u00a9 2020 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1 - Smart Tan News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From GrassrootsHealth A simplified review of how vitamin D helps to protect against COVID-19 infection and improve outcomes in those with COVID-19 Vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to\u00a0increase susceptibility to COVID-19\u00a0and increase the risk of COVID-19 severity, including\u00a0ICU admission\u00a0and\u00a0death. Conversely, other published studies have also shown those with higher vitamin D levels (over 30 ng\/ml or 75 nmol\/L) have a reduced risk of\u00a0severe symptoms\u00a0and\u00a0death due to COVID-19. In fact, an analysis of over 190,000 Americans found that having vitamin D levels of at least\u00a050 ng\/ml resulted in a 53% lower positivity rate than those whose levels were less than 20 ng\/ml! The first-published randomized controlled trial on vitamin D and COVID-19 found that adding vitamin D to the standard treatment\u00a0nearly eliminated ICU admissions and did eliminate deaths. It sounds almost too good to be true\u2026 Yet vitamin D is known to influence the expression of thousands of genes and is involved in regulating over 80 biological pathways in the body. Vitamin D is not a miracle drug, nor does it act alone, but it is an important mediator of immune function, and we can largely control whether or not we get enough vitamin D from our daily habits (sun, diet and supplements). Today we will explain HOW vitamin D acts to protect you from getting COVID-19, and in an upcoming Part 2, we will discuss how vitamin D helps improve symptoms if you do get COVID-19. Vitamin D is Known to Help Prevent Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Vitamin D is known to help fight upper respiratory tract infections. As previously discussed, a large meta-analysis including 25 randomized controlled trials with over 11,300 individuals showed that\u00a0vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of respiratory tract infections by 70%. GrassrootsHealth participants with vitamin D levels greater than or equal to 40 ng\/mL were\u00a041% less likely to have had the flu and 15% less likely to have had a cold\u00a0in the prior 6 months than participants with levels less than 20 ng\/mL. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a major complication and cause of death among those with serious COVID-19 infections. When comparing vitamin D levels among those with and at risk of ARDS, one study found that\u00a096% of those at risk of ARDS were deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D Can Protect Lung Cells from SARS-CoV-2 Attack COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus (a specific type of virus) called SARS-CoV-2. Infection of COVID-19 begins when the SARS-CoV-2 virus enters the cells of the lung by binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor and de-activating it, resulting in inflammation. Vitamin D is responsible for increasing ACE-2 expression, which allows it to carry out its anti-inflammatory actions to help protect the lungs and keep inflammation at bay. During the early incubation stage when the virus is hijacking the cell there are generally no symptoms. Most people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience mild-moderate respiratory symptoms and recover without any need for hospitalization or therapy. In those who do experience more severe symptoms, only a small percentage have severe enough symptoms for the virus to be life threatening. This difference in both susceptibility (whether the virus is able to invade) and recovery (how well the body fights it off if it does invade) is attributed to the individual\u2019s immune response. Vitamin D may help protect against COVID-19 specifically through maintenance of physical barriers (susceptibility) and regulation of innate and adaptive immunity (mounting an effective immune response to the virus). The graphic below provides a very clear illustration of several ways vitamin D acts to directly protect the lungs, from its effect on the protective barrier of the lungs, to its involvement in the maturation of immune cells, and its role in regulating the inflammatory response and inhibiting the cytokine storm (which will be covered in more detail in Part 2). Click to Enlarge & Print Vitamin D Regulates the Immune Response Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating immune system activity \u2013 both innate and adaptive responses. As previously described, the\u00a0innate immune system is responsible for the initial defensive front\u00a0with a\u00a0central role played by phagocytes. Vitamin D stimulates expansion of these phagocytes (monocytes and macrophages) increasing their ability to fight off the virus by increasing their numbers, as well as increasing their killing capacity through stimulating the production of the anti-viral protein cathelicidin. Vitamin D also acts to regulate the maturation of dendritic cells which are important for activating CD4+ T cells and in turn the rest of the immune response. Earlier studies have shown that in SARS and influenza the adaptive immune cells,\u00a0T cells\u00a0and\u00a0B cells, are vital in defending the body against the virus. Many studies have found this to be the case in COVID-19 as well, with both antibody and cellular defenses being recruited to the fight. Vitamin D is a potent regulator of adaptive immunity, including both\u00a0cell-mediated (T cell)\u00a0and\u00a0humoral (B cell) immunity. Cox R and Brokstad K,\u00a0Nature Reviews, 2020. Click to Download & Print Once SARS-CoV-2 has been successful at replicating itself and spreading to surrounding cells, mild to moderate symptoms progress (e.g. sore throat, cough, fever and muscle aches) that result from localized and appropriate inflammation, associated tissue damage and antiviral activity of B cells and T cells. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secrete cytokines (chemical signals that instruct other cells what to do) and are central to the successful elimination of COVID-19, as happens in most people. Unfortunately, more serious symptoms and death can result with an over-reactive or ineffective immune response, as can happen when there is not enough vitamin D for use. The role of vitamin D at this stage will be covered in Part 2. Thus, vitamin D is important to help fend off an attack by SARS-CoV-2. Ensuring optimal levels of vitamin D is an easy way to help support your immune system response. Click here to read more from GrassrootsHealth.     SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business. \u00a9 2020 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Smart Tan News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmartTan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-10-16T13:28:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Vitamin-D-and-Lungs-10-16-20.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1361\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"smarttannews\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@SmartTan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@SmartTan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"smarttannews\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"smarttannews\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/person\/722dc7049af55e0ed743d67ce9ed4819\"},\"headline\":\"How Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-10-16T13:28:04+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/\"},\"wordCount\":1094,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Vitamin-D-and-Lungs-10-16-20.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/\",\"name\":\"How Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1 - Smart Tan News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Vitamin-D-and-Lungs-10-16-20.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-10-16T13:28:04+00:00\",\"description\":\"From GrassrootsHealth A simplified review of how vitamin D helps to protect against COVID-19 infection and improve outcomes in those with COVID-19 Vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to\u00a0increase susceptibility to COVID-19\u00a0and increase the risk of COVID-19 severity, including\u00a0ICU admission\u00a0and\u00a0death. Conversely, other published studies have also shown those with higher vitamin D levels (over 30 ng\/ml or 75 nmol\/L) have a reduced risk of\u00a0severe symptoms\u00a0and\u00a0death due to COVID-19. In fact, an analysis of over 190,000 Americans found that having vitamin D levels of at least\u00a050 ng\/ml resulted in a 53% lower positivity rate than those whose levels were less than 20 ng\/ml! The first-published randomized controlled trial on vitamin D and COVID-19 found that adding vitamin D to the standard treatment\u00a0nearly eliminated ICU admissions and did eliminate deaths. It sounds almost too good to be true\u2026 Yet vitamin D is known to influence the expression of thousands of genes and is involved in regulating over 80 biological pathways in the body. Vitamin D is not a miracle drug, nor does it act alone, but it is an important mediator of immune function, and we can largely control whether or not we get enough vitamin D from our daily habits (sun, diet and supplements). Today we will explain HOW vitamin D acts to protect you from getting COVID-19, and in an upcoming Part 2, we will discuss how vitamin D helps improve symptoms if you do get COVID-19. Vitamin D is Known to Help Prevent Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Vitamin D is known to help fight upper respiratory tract infections. As previously discussed, a large meta-analysis including 25 randomized controlled trials with over 11,300 individuals showed that\u00a0vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of respiratory tract infections by 70%. GrassrootsHealth participants with vitamin D levels greater than or equal to 40 ng\/mL were\u00a041% less likely to have had the flu and 15% less likely to have had a cold\u00a0in the prior 6 months than participants with levels less than 20 ng\/mL. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a major complication and cause of death among those with serious COVID-19 infections. When comparing vitamin D levels among those with and at risk of ARDS, one study found that\u00a096% of those at risk of ARDS were deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D Can Protect Lung Cells from SARS-CoV-2 Attack COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus (a specific type of virus) called SARS-CoV-2. Infection of COVID-19 begins when the SARS-CoV-2 virus enters the cells of the lung by binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor and de-activating it, resulting in inflammation. Vitamin D is responsible for increasing ACE-2 expression, which allows it to carry out its anti-inflammatory actions to help protect the lungs and keep inflammation at bay. During the early incubation stage when the virus is hijacking the cell there are generally no symptoms. Most people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience mild-moderate respiratory symptoms and recover without any need for hospitalization or therapy. In those who do experience more severe symptoms, only a small percentage have severe enough symptoms for the virus to be life threatening. This difference in both susceptibility (whether the virus is able to invade) and recovery (how well the body fights it off if it does invade) is attributed to the individual\u2019s immune response. Vitamin D may help protect against COVID-19 specifically through maintenance of physical barriers (susceptibility) and regulation of innate and adaptive immunity (mounting an effective immune response to the virus). The graphic below provides a very clear illustration of several ways vitamin D acts to directly protect the lungs, from its effect on the protective barrier of the lungs, to its involvement in the maturation of immune cells, and its role in regulating the inflammatory response and inhibiting the cytokine storm (which will be covered in more detail in Part 2). Click to Enlarge & Print Vitamin D Regulates the Immune Response Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating immune system activity \u2013 both innate and adaptive responses. As previously described, the\u00a0innate immune system is responsible for the initial defensive front\u00a0with a\u00a0central role played by phagocytes. Vitamin D stimulates expansion of these phagocytes (monocytes and macrophages) increasing their ability to fight off the virus by increasing their numbers, as well as increasing their killing capacity through stimulating the production of the anti-viral protein cathelicidin. Vitamin D also acts to regulate the maturation of dendritic cells which are important for activating CD4+ T cells and in turn the rest of the immune response. Earlier studies have shown that in SARS and influenza the adaptive immune cells,\u00a0T cells\u00a0and\u00a0B cells, are vital in defending the body against the virus. Many studies have found this to be the case in COVID-19 as well, with both antibody and cellular defenses being recruited to the fight. Vitamin D is a potent regulator of adaptive immunity, including both\u00a0cell-mediated (T cell)\u00a0and\u00a0humoral (B cell) immunity. Cox R and Brokstad K,\u00a0Nature Reviews, 2020. Click to Download & Print Once SARS-CoV-2 has been successful at replicating itself and spreading to surrounding cells, mild to moderate symptoms progress (e.g. sore throat, cough, fever and muscle aches) that result from localized and appropriate inflammation, associated tissue damage and antiviral activity of B cells and T cells. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secrete cytokines (chemical signals that instruct other cells what to do) and are central to the successful elimination of COVID-19, as happens in most people. Unfortunately, more serious symptoms and death can result with an over-reactive or ineffective immune response, as can happen when there is not enough vitamin D for use. The role of vitamin D at this stage will be covered in Part 2. Thus, vitamin D is important to help fend off an attack by SARS-CoV-2. Ensuring optimal levels of vitamin D is an easy way to help support your immune system response. Click here to read more from GrassrootsHealth.     SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business. \u00a9 2020 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Vitamin-D-and-Lungs-10-16-20.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Vitamin-D-and-Lungs-10-16-20.jpg\",\"width\":1361,\"height\":1000},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/\",\"name\":\"Smart Tan News\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Smart Tan\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Smart-Tan.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/smarttan.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Smart-Tan.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":164,\"caption\":\"Smart Tan\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmartTan\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/SmartTan\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/person\/722dc7049af55e0ed743d67ce9ed4819\",\"name\":\"smarttannews\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c0189f76465f47ce293287354f8076bfdb83130e65538eb34fcd2cd44e9f0e53?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c0189f76465f47ce293287354f8076bfdb83130e65538eb34fcd2cd44e9f0e53?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c0189f76465f47ce293287354f8076bfdb83130e65538eb34fcd2cd44e9f0e53?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"smarttannews\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/author\/smarttannews\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1 - Smart Tan News","description":"From GrassrootsHealth A simplified review of how vitamin D helps to protect against COVID-19 infection and improve outcomes in those with COVID-19 Vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to\u00a0increase susceptibility to COVID-19\u00a0and increase the risk of COVID-19 severity, including\u00a0ICU admission\u00a0and\u00a0death. Conversely, other published studies have also shown those with higher vitamin D levels (over 30 ng\/ml or 75 nmol\/L) have a reduced risk of\u00a0severe symptoms\u00a0and\u00a0death due to COVID-19. In fact, an analysis of over 190,000 Americans found that having vitamin D levels of at least\u00a050 ng\/ml resulted in a 53% lower positivity rate than those whose levels were less than 20 ng\/ml! The first-published randomized controlled trial on vitamin D and COVID-19 found that adding vitamin D to the standard treatment\u00a0nearly eliminated ICU admissions and did eliminate deaths. It sounds almost too good to be true\u2026 Yet vitamin D is known to influence the expression of thousands of genes and is involved in regulating over 80 biological pathways in the body. Vitamin D is not a miracle drug, nor does it act alone, but it is an important mediator of immune function, and we can largely control whether or not we get enough vitamin D from our daily habits (sun, diet and supplements). Today we will explain HOW vitamin D acts to protect you from getting COVID-19, and in an upcoming Part 2, we will discuss how vitamin D helps improve symptoms if you do get COVID-19. Vitamin D is Known to Help Prevent Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Vitamin D is known to help fight upper respiratory tract infections. As previously discussed, a large meta-analysis including 25 randomized controlled trials with over 11,300 individuals showed that\u00a0vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of respiratory tract infections by 70%. GrassrootsHealth participants with vitamin D levels greater than or equal to 40 ng\/mL were\u00a041% less likely to have had the flu and 15% less likely to have had a cold\u00a0in the prior 6 months than participants with levels less than 20 ng\/mL. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a major complication and cause of death among those with serious COVID-19 infections. When comparing vitamin D levels among those with and at risk of ARDS, one study found that\u00a096% of those at risk of ARDS were deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D Can Protect Lung Cells from SARS-CoV-2 Attack COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus (a specific type of virus) called SARS-CoV-2. Infection of COVID-19 begins when the SARS-CoV-2 virus enters the cells of the lung by binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor and de-activating it, resulting in inflammation. Vitamin D is responsible for increasing ACE-2 expression, which allows it to carry out its anti-inflammatory actions to help protect the lungs and keep inflammation at bay. During the early incubation stage when the virus is hijacking the cell there are generally no symptoms. Most people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience mild-moderate respiratory symptoms and recover without any need for hospitalization or therapy. In those who do experience more severe symptoms, only a small percentage have severe enough symptoms for the virus to be life threatening. This difference in both susceptibility (whether the virus is able to invade) and recovery (how well the body fights it off if it does invade) is attributed to the individual\u2019s immune response. Vitamin D may help protect against COVID-19 specifically through maintenance of physical barriers (susceptibility) and regulation of innate and adaptive immunity (mounting an effective immune response to the virus). The graphic below provides a very clear illustration of several ways vitamin D acts to directly protect the lungs, from its effect on the protective barrier of the lungs, to its involvement in the maturation of immune cells, and its role in regulating the inflammatory response and inhibiting the cytokine storm (which will be covered in more detail in Part 2). Click to Enlarge & Print Vitamin D Regulates the Immune Response Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating immune system activity \u2013 both innate and adaptive responses. As previously described, the\u00a0innate immune system is responsible for the initial defensive front\u00a0with a\u00a0central role played by phagocytes. Vitamin D stimulates expansion of these phagocytes (monocytes and macrophages) increasing their ability to fight off the virus by increasing their numbers, as well as increasing their killing capacity through stimulating the production of the anti-viral protein cathelicidin. Vitamin D also acts to regulate the maturation of dendritic cells which are important for activating CD4+ T cells and in turn the rest of the immune response. Earlier studies have shown that in SARS and influenza the adaptive immune cells,\u00a0T cells\u00a0and\u00a0B cells, are vital in defending the body against the virus. Many studies have found this to be the case in COVID-19 as well, with both antibody and cellular defenses being recruited to the fight. Vitamin D is a potent regulator of adaptive immunity, including both\u00a0cell-mediated (T cell)\u00a0and\u00a0humoral (B cell) immunity. Cox R and Brokstad K,\u00a0Nature Reviews, 2020. Click to Download & Print Once SARS-CoV-2 has been successful at replicating itself and spreading to surrounding cells, mild to moderate symptoms progress (e.g. sore throat, cough, fever and muscle aches) that result from localized and appropriate inflammation, associated tissue damage and antiviral activity of B cells and T cells. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secrete cytokines (chemical signals that instruct other cells what to do) and are central to the successful elimination of COVID-19, as happens in most people. Unfortunately, more serious symptoms and death can result with an over-reactive or ineffective immune response, as can happen when there is not enough vitamin D for use. The role of vitamin D at this stage will be covered in Part 2. Thus, vitamin D is important to help fend off an attack by SARS-CoV-2. Ensuring optimal levels of vitamin D is an easy way to help support your immune system response. Click here to read more from GrassrootsHealth.     SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business. \u00a9 2020 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1 - Smart Tan News","og_description":"From GrassrootsHealth A simplified review of how vitamin D helps to protect against COVID-19 infection and improve outcomes in those with COVID-19 Vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to\u00a0increase susceptibility to COVID-19\u00a0and increase the risk of COVID-19 severity, including\u00a0ICU admission\u00a0and\u00a0death. Conversely, other published studies have also shown those with higher vitamin D levels (over 30 ng\/ml or 75 nmol\/L) have a reduced risk of\u00a0severe symptoms\u00a0and\u00a0death due to COVID-19. In fact, an analysis of over 190,000 Americans found that having vitamin D levels of at least\u00a050 ng\/ml resulted in a 53% lower positivity rate than those whose levels were less than 20 ng\/ml! The first-published randomized controlled trial on vitamin D and COVID-19 found that adding vitamin D to the standard treatment\u00a0nearly eliminated ICU admissions and did eliminate deaths. It sounds almost too good to be true\u2026 Yet vitamin D is known to influence the expression of thousands of genes and is involved in regulating over 80 biological pathways in the body. Vitamin D is not a miracle drug, nor does it act alone, but it is an important mediator of immune function, and we can largely control whether or not we get enough vitamin D from our daily habits (sun, diet and supplements). Today we will explain HOW vitamin D acts to protect you from getting COVID-19, and in an upcoming Part 2, we will discuss how vitamin D helps improve symptoms if you do get COVID-19. Vitamin D is Known to Help Prevent Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Vitamin D is known to help fight upper respiratory tract infections. As previously discussed, a large meta-analysis including 25 randomized controlled trials with over 11,300 individuals showed that\u00a0vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of respiratory tract infections by 70%. GrassrootsHealth participants with vitamin D levels greater than or equal to 40 ng\/mL were\u00a041% less likely to have had the flu and 15% less likely to have had a cold\u00a0in the prior 6 months than participants with levels less than 20 ng\/mL. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a major complication and cause of death among those with serious COVID-19 infections. When comparing vitamin D levels among those with and at risk of ARDS, one study found that\u00a096% of those at risk of ARDS were deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D Can Protect Lung Cells from SARS-CoV-2 Attack COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus (a specific type of virus) called SARS-CoV-2. Infection of COVID-19 begins when the SARS-CoV-2 virus enters the cells of the lung by binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor and de-activating it, resulting in inflammation. Vitamin D is responsible for increasing ACE-2 expression, which allows it to carry out its anti-inflammatory actions to help protect the lungs and keep inflammation at bay. During the early incubation stage when the virus is hijacking the cell there are generally no symptoms. Most people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience mild-moderate respiratory symptoms and recover without any need for hospitalization or therapy. In those who do experience more severe symptoms, only a small percentage have severe enough symptoms for the virus to be life threatening. This difference in both susceptibility (whether the virus is able to invade) and recovery (how well the body fights it off if it does invade) is attributed to the individual\u2019s immune response. Vitamin D may help protect against COVID-19 specifically through maintenance of physical barriers (susceptibility) and regulation of innate and adaptive immunity (mounting an effective immune response to the virus). The graphic below provides a very clear illustration of several ways vitamin D acts to directly protect the lungs, from its effect on the protective barrier of the lungs, to its involvement in the maturation of immune cells, and its role in regulating the inflammatory response and inhibiting the cytokine storm (which will be covered in more detail in Part 2). Click to Enlarge & Print Vitamin D Regulates the Immune Response Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating immune system activity \u2013 both innate and adaptive responses. As previously described, the\u00a0innate immune system is responsible for the initial defensive front\u00a0with a\u00a0central role played by phagocytes. Vitamin D stimulates expansion of these phagocytes (monocytes and macrophages) increasing their ability to fight off the virus by increasing their numbers, as well as increasing their killing capacity through stimulating the production of the anti-viral protein cathelicidin. Vitamin D also acts to regulate the maturation of dendritic cells which are important for activating CD4+ T cells and in turn the rest of the immune response. Earlier studies have shown that in SARS and influenza the adaptive immune cells,\u00a0T cells\u00a0and\u00a0B cells, are vital in defending the body against the virus. Many studies have found this to be the case in COVID-19 as well, with both antibody and cellular defenses being recruited to the fight. Vitamin D is a potent regulator of adaptive immunity, including both\u00a0cell-mediated (T cell)\u00a0and\u00a0humoral (B cell) immunity. Cox R and Brokstad K,\u00a0Nature Reviews, 2020. Click to Download & Print Once SARS-CoV-2 has been successful at replicating itself and spreading to surrounding cells, mild to moderate symptoms progress (e.g. sore throat, cough, fever and muscle aches) that result from localized and appropriate inflammation, associated tissue damage and antiviral activity of B cells and T cells. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secrete cytokines (chemical signals that instruct other cells what to do) and are central to the successful elimination of COVID-19, as happens in most people. Unfortunately, more serious symptoms and death can result with an over-reactive or ineffective immune response, as can happen when there is not enough vitamin D for use. The role of vitamin D at this stage will be covered in Part 2. Thus, vitamin D is important to help fend off an attack by SARS-CoV-2. Ensuring optimal levels of vitamin D is an easy way to help support your immune system response. Click here to read more from GrassrootsHealth.     SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business. \u00a9 2020 International Smart Tan Network. All rights reserved.","og_url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/","og_site_name":"Smart Tan News","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SmartTan","article_published_time":"2020-10-16T13:28:04+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1361,"height":1000,"url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Vitamin-D-and-Lungs-10-16-20.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"smarttannews","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@SmartTan","twitter_site":"@SmartTan","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"smarttannews","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/"},"author":{"name":"smarttannews","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#\/schema\/person\/722dc7049af55e0ed743d67ce9ed4819"},"headline":"How Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1","datePublished":"2020-10-16T13:28:04+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/"},"wordCount":1094,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Vitamin-D-and-Lungs-10-16-20.jpg","articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/","url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/","name":"How Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1 - Smart Tan News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/how-vitamin-d-helps-fight-covid-19-part-1\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Vitamin-D-and-Lungs-10-16-20.jpg","datePublished":"2020-10-16T13:28:04+00:00","description":"From GrassrootsHealth A simplified review of how vitamin D helps to protect against COVID-19 infection and improve outcomes in those with COVID-19 Vitamin D deficiency has now been shown to\u00a0increase susceptibility to COVID-19\u00a0and increase the risk of COVID-19 severity, including\u00a0ICU admission\u00a0and\u00a0death. Conversely, other published studies have also shown those with higher vitamin D levels (over 30 ng\/ml or 75 nmol\/L) have a reduced risk of\u00a0severe symptoms\u00a0and\u00a0death due to COVID-19. In fact, an analysis of over 190,000 Americans found that having vitamin D levels of at least\u00a050 ng\/ml resulted in a 53% lower positivity rate than those whose levels were less than 20 ng\/ml! The first-published randomized controlled trial on vitamin D and COVID-19 found that adding vitamin D to the standard treatment\u00a0nearly eliminated ICU admissions and did eliminate deaths. It sounds almost too good to be true\u2026 Yet vitamin D is known to influence the expression of thousands of genes and is involved in regulating over 80 biological pathways in the body. Vitamin D is not a miracle drug, nor does it act alone, but it is an important mediator of immune function, and we can largely control whether or not we get enough vitamin D from our daily habits (sun, diet and supplements). Today we will explain HOW vitamin D acts to protect you from getting COVID-19, and in an upcoming Part 2, we will discuss how vitamin D helps improve symptoms if you do get COVID-19. Vitamin D is Known to Help Prevent Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Vitamin D is known to help fight upper respiratory tract infections. As previously discussed, a large meta-analysis including 25 randomized controlled trials with over 11,300 individuals showed that\u00a0vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of respiratory tract infections by 70%. GrassrootsHealth participants with vitamin D levels greater than or equal to 40 ng\/mL were\u00a041% less likely to have had the flu and 15% less likely to have had a cold\u00a0in the prior 6 months than participants with levels less than 20 ng\/mL. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a major complication and cause of death among those with serious COVID-19 infections. When comparing vitamin D levels among those with and at risk of ARDS, one study found that\u00a096% of those at risk of ARDS were deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D Can Protect Lung Cells from SARS-CoV-2 Attack COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus (a specific type of virus) called SARS-CoV-2. Infection of COVID-19 begins when the SARS-CoV-2 virus enters the cells of the lung by binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor and de-activating it, resulting in inflammation. Vitamin D is responsible for increasing ACE-2 expression, which allows it to carry out its anti-inflammatory actions to help protect the lungs and keep inflammation at bay. During the early incubation stage when the virus is hijacking the cell there are generally no symptoms. Most people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 experience mild-moderate respiratory symptoms and recover without any need for hospitalization or therapy. In those who do experience more severe symptoms, only a small percentage have severe enough symptoms for the virus to be life threatening. This difference in both susceptibility (whether the virus is able to invade) and recovery (how well the body fights it off if it does invade) is attributed to the individual\u2019s immune response. Vitamin D may help protect against COVID-19 specifically through maintenance of physical barriers (susceptibility) and regulation of innate and adaptive immunity (mounting an effective immune response to the virus). The graphic below provides a very clear illustration of several ways vitamin D acts to directly protect the lungs, from its effect on the protective barrier of the lungs, to its involvement in the maturation of immune cells, and its role in regulating the inflammatory response and inhibiting the cytokine storm (which will be covered in more detail in Part 2). Click to Enlarge & Print Vitamin D Regulates the Immune Response Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating immune system activity \u2013 both innate and adaptive responses. As previously described, the\u00a0innate immune system is responsible for the initial defensive front\u00a0with a\u00a0central role played by phagocytes. Vitamin D stimulates expansion of these phagocytes (monocytes and macrophages) increasing their ability to fight off the virus by increasing their numbers, as well as increasing their killing capacity through stimulating the production of the anti-viral protein cathelicidin. Vitamin D also acts to regulate the maturation of dendritic cells which are important for activating CD4+ T cells and in turn the rest of the immune response. Earlier studies have shown that in SARS and influenza the adaptive immune cells,\u00a0T cells\u00a0and\u00a0B cells, are vital in defending the body against the virus. Many studies have found this to be the case in COVID-19 as well, with both antibody and cellular defenses being recruited to the fight. Vitamin D is a potent regulator of adaptive immunity, including both\u00a0cell-mediated (T cell)\u00a0and\u00a0humoral (B cell) immunity. Cox R and Brokstad K,\u00a0Nature Reviews, 2020. Click to Download & Print Once SARS-CoV-2 has been successful at replicating itself and spreading to surrounding cells, mild to moderate symptoms progress (e.g. sore throat, cough, fever and muscle aches) that result from localized and appropriate inflammation, associated tissue damage and antiviral activity of B cells and T cells. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells secrete cytokines (chemical signals that instruct other cells what to do) and are central to the successful elimination of COVID-19, as happens in most people. Unfortunately, more serious symptoms and death can result with an over-reactive or ineffective immune response, as can happen when there is not enough vitamin D for use. The role of vitamin D at this stage will be covered in Part 2. Thus, vitamin D is important to help fend off an attack by SARS-CoV-2. Ensuring optimal levels of vitamin D is an easy way to help support your immune system response. Click here to read more from GrassrootsHealth.     SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can\u2019t say in your tanning salon business. \u00a9 2020 International Smart Tan Network. 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