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Vitamin D: What& #39;s its role in fighting the #coronavirus?
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I was initially reluctant to look into it. I& #39;m very skeptical of the supplement industry given that most supplements don& #39;t really work, which is connected to the fact that they& #39;re not regulated.
[1/
Thread
I was initially reluctant to look into it. I& #39;m very skeptical of the supplement industry given that most supplements don& #39;t really work, which is connected to the fact that they& #39;re not regulated.
[1/
But after reading about the Bradykinin Hypothesis, which gives a potential pathway for Vitamin D to work, and realizing that one paper supporting the Bradykinin Hypothesis has been peer-reviewed, I decided to look into it.
[2/ https://elemental.medium.com/a-supercomputer-analyzed-covid-19-and-an-interesting-new-theory-has-emerged-31cb8eba9d63">https://elemental.medium.com/a-superco...
[2/ https://elemental.medium.com/a-supercomputer-analyzed-covid-19-and-an-interesting-new-theory-has-emerged-31cb8eba9d63">https://elemental.medium.com/a-superco...
The Bradykinin hypothesis was 1st suggested in April.
[3/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7267506/">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic...
[3/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7267506/">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic...
Another paper in July, peer reviewed, supported it.
[4/ https://elifesciences.org/articles/59177 ">https://elifesciences.org/articles/...
[4/ https://elifesciences.org/articles/59177 ">https://elifesciences.org/articles/...
That paper suggests some ways to treat the disease. One of them is Icatibant, which has some support to show it works.
89% of those treated with icatibant reduced oxygen supplementation, but only 17% for those without icatibant
[5/ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2769237">https://jamanetwork.com/journals/...
89% of those treated with icatibant reduced oxygen supplementation, but only 17% for those without icatibant
[5/ https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2769237">https://jamanetwork.com/journals/...
The Braykinin hypothesis also points at other potential drugs that already exist: danazol, stanozolol, ecallantide, hymecromone, timbetasin (none tested)
They also propose Vitamin D, but unlike these other drugs, it has some evidence to support it.
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They also propose Vitamin D, but unlike these other drugs, it has some evidence to support it.
[6/
There has been some evidence that Vitamin D reduces mortality rates since at least May. The more Vit D, the less C-Reactive Protein, and the lower the mortality.
[7/16]
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20058578v4.full.pdf">https://www.medrxiv.org/content/1...
[7/16]
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20058578v4.full.pdf">https://www.medrxiv.org/content/1...
A few days ago, another paper showed that ppl who likely had higher Vit D (as measured the year before) were also 45% less likely to test positive for COVID.
[8/16] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2770157">https://jamanetwork.com/journals/...
[8/16] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2770157">https://jamanetwork.com/journals/...
The same day, another paper came out with a double blind randomized controlled trial. 50% of the patients who went to the hospital and didn& #39;t get Vit D ended up in the ICU, but only 2% of those with Vit D injections. Small sample, not peer reviewed.
[9/ #bib0100">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076020302764?via%3Dihub #bib0100">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a...
[9/ #bib0100">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076020302764?via%3Dihub #bib0100">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a...
This could also be one of the reasons why summertime reduces the size of outbreaks (along with more outdoors interactions, higher temp, higher humidity...)
[10/16]
[10/16]
So it looks like we understand how Vit D can help against the coronavirus, and we have some evidence that it does in some circumstances.
We also know that adult populations have a deficiency of Vit D
#ref1">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3356951/ #ref1
In">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic... the US, it& #39;s ~40%
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6075634/
[11/16]">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic...
We also know that adult populations have a deficiency of Vit D
#ref1">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3356951/ #ref1
In">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic... the US, it& #39;s ~40%
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6075634/
[11/16]">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic...
And it does look like taking Vit D in supplements does help increase it in the metabolism
https://www.yalemedicine.org/stories/vitamin-d-myths-debunked/
(Don& #39;t">https://www.yalemedicine.org/stories/v... take too much though)
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https://www.yalemedicine.org/stories/vitamin-d-myths-debunked/
(Don& #39;t">https://www.yalemedicine.org/stories/v... take too much though)
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And a pretty low cost
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![And a pretty low cost[13/16]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhTLEinVoAECniY.jpg "And a pretty low cost[13/16]")
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This might be especially useful now that so many ppl are staying indoors so much longer.
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So:
- There& #39;s evidence having more Vit D can help protect from the virus (prevent & treat)
- We have a hypothesis on how it works
- We might have a deficit anyways
- It& #39;s cheap to get supplementation and it works
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- There& #39;s evidence having more Vit D can help protect from the virus (prevent & treat)
- We have a hypothesis on how it works
- We might have a deficit anyways
- It& #39;s cheap to get supplementation and it works
[15/16]
It sounds like a positive cost-benefit relationship.
So to be consistent, I started supplementation today.
Have I missed key science about Vit D?
Should I reach different conclusions?
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So to be consistent, I started supplementation today.
Have I missed key science about Vit D?
Should I reach different conclusions?
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