In case you haven't already noticed, we are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. Covid-19 has made our lives a bit more difficult and stressful, but preventing a disease from within, is as important as preventing it from the outside. Sure, we have been given instructions on how to battle this pandemic and how to avoid its spread. But there's still little effort on trying to inform people about the role that Vitamin D plays against it. Until now, we know that Covid-19 leads to pneumonia and it's speculated that the cause is mostly due to uncontrollable hyper reaction of our immune system. But what causes our immune system to react in such a way?

Our lives have changed a lot since the earlier times. In this modern world we live, we as adults, as well as our children, do almost everything indoors. We eat, work, play, work out, shop and entertain ourselves indoors, and contact with the outside world has become less and less important for us nowadays, while sunscreens are widely used to protect us from the harmful sunrays. But we don't even need to go outside at all if we don't need to, as almost everything nowadays can be delivered right to our doorstep if we so desire. What's the cost though?

Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Quarantine

During a lockdown situation as the one we are going through now, production of Vitamin D in our skin has almost been reduced to zero. It is known that our required needs in Vitamin D are covered by just 10-20% of nutritional sources, while the rest 80-90% is produced in our skin by exposure to the sun. In addition, our diet nowadays is considered very poor and unhealthy because we consume less fresh products like fresh fish of the open sea, fresh eggs and milk from free range animals. Countries in the northern hemisphere all over the world have severe Vitamin D deficiencies. US and Canada are no exceptions. If you consider that even countries like Greece suffer from Vitamin D deficiency, then sure, the problem is not exclusive to countries with less sunlight.

It's widely known that Vitamin D isn't just effective against rickets as the scientific community initially believed. Scientists constantly rediscover its properties and we, as people, need to stay informed about their recent discoveries in order to know how to effectively produce it, while shielding our immune system from various diseases.

Vitamin D Supplements to Protect from Covid-19

Vitamin D acts by intervening directly into our DNA through intranuclear receptors, with great effect to the immune system. Sufficient intake of Vitamin D can help shield the immune system against autoimmune diseases, viral and microbial infections, and viruses. According to scientists, we should all begin taking Vitamin D supplements, if we do not already. Unless there are specific instructions by your doctor (like hypersensitivity) or you already take supplements.

Below, are the general dose instructions for cholecalciferol, according to each group of people, provided by the scientific community, and it should be consumed during the whole year, except during summer vacation:

Teenagers and adults: 8000-10000 IU daily intake for the first 2 months and then 4000-5000/day
Children of 4 years old and above: 6000 IU for the first 2 months and then 3000/day
Children of 1-4 years old: 5000 IU for the first 2 months and then 2500/day
Infants of 6-12 months old: If exclusively breastfed, 3000 IU for the first 2 months and then 1500/day
If on breast milk substitute, 2000 IU for the first 2 months and then 1000/day

The above dosage instructions can be safely given without medical supervision to prevent Vitamin D deficiency. Keep in mind that preventing a disease is the most effective cure to any disease. Especially now that we all need to stay safe at home. Sleep well, eat less and healthy and protect your immune system for a better quality life and use Vitamin D to protect yourself against Covid-19.

USE VITAMIN D TO COMBAT COVID-19