There is a clear connection between a deficiency of vitamin D and COVID-19 mortality and severity, according to researchers from the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine of Bar-Ilan University.
The study, published on Thursday in the journal PLOS ONE, was one of the first to study the levels of vitamin D prior to the infection of COVID. Researchers recorded information of over 1,100 people who participated in the study between April 2020 and February 2021 at the Galilee Medical Center that had positive PCR tests, adjusting for age, gender and chronic diseases.
All the participants involved were searched for vitamin D levels measured prior to infection between two weeks to two years.
Official results showed that those with vitamin D deficiency were 14 times more likely to have severe or critical cases of the COVID-19 than those who do not. The deficient vitamin D group had a mortality of 25.6% while those with sufficient levels was 2.3%.
Dr. Amiel Dror, from the Galilee Medical Center and Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, who led the study, said that the "results suggest that it is advisable to maintain normal levels of vitamin D. This will be beneficial to those who contract the virus.
"There is a clear consensus for vitamin D supplementation on a regular basis as advised by local health authorities as well as global health organizations."