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between how high a Covid-19 patient’s vitamin D levels were and how likely they were to have a mild case of the illness. And a more recent study, ‘Association of vitamin D status and other clinical characteristics with Covid-19 test results’, by University of Chicago researchers and published in JAMA Network Open revealed higher rates of Covid-19 in people who were vitamin D deficient within the year before being tested for coronavirus. According to this study, those who had been vitamin D deficient but were treated were less likely to test positive for Covid-19. The researchers looked at the link between vitamin D and Covid-19 in a predominantly (68 per cent) non- white group. In total, vitamin D levels measured in blood draws within the year before undergoing a coronavirus test were ‘likely deficient’ in 25 per cent of the study group of nearly 500 people, according to the research. Among the group who had plenty of vitamin D, 12 per cent tested positive for coronavirus. Nineteen per cent of those who had low levels of vitamin D tested positive. Vitamin D not well understood Mr Webster says many people are unaware that vitamin D deficiencies are widespread globally, and they’re oblivious to its significance. The “main issue”, he emphasises, is that the importance of vitamin D isn’t well understood by the public, or pharmacists and their assistants, with many believing that sunlight will produce adequate levels of vitamin D in the body and that the role of vitamin D is usually associated with maintaining normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. “The truth of the matter, though,” he said, “is that it plays a much bigger role than that: it’s involved in many areas, sequences, compartments and processes that are connected to cancer, osteoporosis, hypoparathyroidism, ageing, anaemia, congestive heart failure, embolism, heart attacks, hypertension preeclampsia, colitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, deafness, diabetic nephropathy, urinary incontinence, HEALTH VITAMIN D 75 age-related macular degeneration, conjunctivitis, hair loss, short- sightedness, diabetes, Grave’s disease, obesity, backache, Alzheimer’s disease, gingivitis, tooth decay, asthma, respiratory tract infections and female infertility, to name a few. “And to really be correct, we should refer to vitamin D as a prohormone.” This is because, he points out, vitamin D is not technically a vitamin – that is, it’s not an essential dietary factor; rather, it’s a prohormone produced photochemically in the skin. “And yes, it can be synthesised by the body when exposed to adequate amounts of sunlight, but what constitutes an adequate amount and what of people with different skin types, not to mention the modus operandi of ‘slip, slop, slap’ for sun protection?” Mr Webster said. Skin types and vitamin D production It’s generally upheld that skin pigmentation influences vitamin D production. This comes up in Australian researcher Rebecca Vearing’s PhD project at the UK’s University of Surrey. Her starting point is TO PAGE 76 el in your element New therapeutic iron supplements for the prevention and treatment of medically diagnosed iron deficiency, iron deficiency anaemia and folic acid deficiency anaemia NEW Ferrous Sulfate Range Ferrous Fumarate Range PROMOTIONAL OFFER AVAILABLE NOW VIA ALL MAJOR WHOLESALERS To order or find out more, contact your Arrow or Apotex Sales Representative directly or call 1300 927 769 RETAIL PHARMACY • NOV/DEC 2020