CC BY
9Central Asian Journal of Medical Hypotheses and Ethics
2021; Vol 2 (2)
© 2021 by the author. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eISSN: 2708-9800 https://doi.org/10.47316/cajmhe.2021.2.2.10
CARTOON EDITORIAL
IS VITAMIN D CAPABLE OF HELPING US RECOVER FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC?
Received: June 15, 2021 Accepted: June 16, 2021
Ilke Coskun Benlidayi1* http://orcid.org/0000-0001 -6517-5969
1 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
Corresponding author: Ilke Coskun Benlidayi, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana 01330, Turkey. E-mail: icbenlidayi@hotmail.com
Keywords: COVID-19, Pandemics, Vitamin D
How to cite: Benlidayi IC. Is vitamin D capable of helping us recover from the COVID-19 pandemic? Cent Asian J Med Hypotheses Ethics 2021:2(2):121-123. https://doi.org/10.47316/cajmhe.2021.2.2.10
Adequate nutrition is an integral part of well-being in humans. Malnutrition and lack of certain nutrients impair immune system functions. A recent systematic review revealed that malnutrition was related to negative outcomes including transfer to intensive care units and deaths in older individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) [1].
Vitamin D is one of the essential nutrients with numerous functions in the human body [2]. Acting as a hormone, vitamin D interacts with its receptors in almost all tissues [3]. Therefore, its functions are not limited to bone metabolism/musculoskeletal system. Vitamin D play a role in several non-skeletal conditions such as infections, malignancies, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases [4]. Over the past year, researchers have focused on examining its potential impact on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with several questions in mind: Does hypovitaminosis D increase the risk of COVID-19? Does vitamin D have an impact on disease course/prognosis?
Research findings on this topic are mixed and there are ongoing studies [5]. Although a potential direct
link/cause-effect association between vitamin D status and COVID-19 is a matter for debate and still being studied, there are multiple observations with regard to an indirect link between these two entities [6]. Vitamin D is a determinant of the patients' comorbidity status [6] and has several extra-skeletal effects which might include the modulation of immune response to pathogens [7].
Overall, regardless of the controversy whether vitamin D protects against COVID-19, keeping an adequate level of vitamin D important for bone health [5]. Implementing nutritional evaluation and nutritional care management into treatment plans of patients with COVID-19 would be of value [8].
FUNDING
None
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The author declares no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.
REFERENCES
1. Damayanthi HDWT, Prabani KIP. Nutritional determinants and COVID-19 outcomes of older patients with COVID-19: a systematic review [published online ahead of print, 2021 Mar 31]. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2021 ;95:104411.
2. Stöcklin E, Eggersdorfer M. Vitamin D, an essential nutrient with versatile functions in nearly all organs. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 2013;83(2):92-100.
3. Coskun Benlidayi, I. Is vitamin D a panacea? Rheumatol Int 2020;40:821 -822.
4. Grant W. Comparing vitamin D status in Central Asia and Northern Europe. Cent Asian J Med Hypotheses Ethics 2020;1(1):33-42.
5. Rubin R. Sorting out whether vitamin D deficiency raises COVID-19 risk. JAMA 2021 ;325(4):329-330.
6. Ulivieri FM, Banfi G, Camozzi V, Colao A, Formenti AM, Frara S et al. Vitamin D in the COViD-19 era: a review with recommendations from a G.I.O.S.E.G. expert panel [published online ahead of print, 2021 May 17]. Endocrine 2021;1-7.
7. Kumar R, Rathi H, Haq A, Wimalawansa SJ, Sharma A. Putative roles of vitamin D in modulating immune response and immunopathology associated with COVID-19. Virus Res 2021 ;292:198235.
8. Thibault R, Coeffier M, Joly F, Bohe J, Schneider SM, Dechelotte P. How the COViD-19 epidemic is challenging our practice in clinical nutrition-feedback from the field. Eur J Clin Nutr 2021 ;75(3):407-416.
COVID-19 КЕЙ1Н ЦАЛПЫНА КЕЛТ1РУ YШIН D ДЭРУМЕН1 ТИ1МД1 МЕ? ТYйiндi сездер: СОУГО-19, пандемия, Э дэруменi
Дэйексвз Yшiн: Бенлайда И.К. СОУГО-19 кейiн цалпына келтiру Yшiн Э дэруменi тиiмдi ме? Медициналык; гипотеза мен этиканын Орта Азиялык; журналы. 2021;2(2):121-123. https://doi.Org/10.47316/caimhe.2021.2.2.10
ЭФФЕКТИВЕН ЛИ ВИТАМИН D ДЛЯ ВОССТАНОВЛЕНИЯ ПОСЛЕ COVID-19? Ключевые слова: СОУГО-19, пандемия, витамин Э
Для цитирования: Бенлайда И.К. Эффективен ли витамин Э для восстановления после СОУГО-19? Центральноазиатский журнал медицинских гипотез и этики. 2021;2(2):121-123. https://doi.Org/10.47316/caimhe.2021.2.2.10
