Coronavirus 'more likely' to claim lives of people with vitamin D deficiency

People with vitamin D deficiency could be more likely to die from coronavirus, a study has suggested, Mirror.co.uk reports.

As the UK continues following strict lockdown measures – which include restrictions on time outdoors – research has shown that a vitamin usually procured from natural sunlight could help boost Covid-19 survival rates.

In the study, scientists from Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation Trust and the University of East Anglia write: “We believe, that we can advise Vitamin D supplementation to protect against SARS-CoV2 infection.”

The paper, published on Research Square, states that vitamin D levels are found to be severely low in the ageing population, especially in Spain, Italy and Switzerland.

This is also the group most vulnerable for Covid-19.

It reads: "Severe deficiency is defined as a serum 25(OH)D lower than 30nmol/L. In Switzerland, mean vitamin D levels are 23(nmol/L) in nursing homes and in Italy 76% of women over 70 years of age have been found to have circulating levels below 30nmol/L.

"These are countries with high number of cases of COVID–19 and the aging people is the group with the highest risk for morbidity and mortality with SARS-Cov2.

"The research has not yet been peer-reviewed by other scientists and only offers up tentative evidence at this point."

The authors of the paper also acknowledge: “The number of cases/country is affected by the number of tests performed.”

Currently the NHS website recommends people consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day.

It adds: “This is because you may not be getting enough vitamin D from sunlight if you’re indoors most of the day.”