Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortality
Abstract Vitamin D deficiency has long been associated with reduced immune function that can lead to viral infection. Several studies have shown that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increases the risk of infection with COVID-19. However, it is unknown if treatment with Vitamin D can reduce t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24053-4 |
| _version_ | 1817970205394993152 |
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| author | Jason B. Gibbons Edward C. Norton Jeffrey S. McCullough David O. Meltzer Jill Lavigne Virginia C. Fiedler Robert D. Gibbons |
| author_facet | Jason B. Gibbons Edward C. Norton Jeffrey S. McCullough David O. Meltzer Jill Lavigne Virginia C. Fiedler Robert D. Gibbons |
| author_sort | Jason B. Gibbons |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Vitamin D deficiency has long been associated with reduced immune function that can lead to viral infection. Several studies have shown that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increases the risk of infection with COVID-19. However, it is unknown if treatment with Vitamin D can reduce the associated risk of COVID-19 infection, which is the focus of this study. In the population of US veterans, we show that Vitamin D2 and D3 fills were associated with reductions in COVID-19 infection of 28% and 20%, respectively [(D3 Hazard Ratio (HR) = 0.80, [95% CI 0.77, 0.83]), D2 HR = 0.72, [95% CI 0.65, 0.79]]. Mortality within 30-days of COVID-19 infection was similarly 33% lower with Vitamin D3 and 25% lower with D2 (D3 HR = 0.67, [95% CI 0.59, 0.75]; D2 HR = 0.75, [95% CI 0.55, 1.04]). We also find that after controlling for vitamin D blood levels, veterans receiving higher dosages of Vitamin D obtained greater benefits from supplementation than veterans receiving lower dosages. Veterans with Vitamin D blood levels between 0 and 19 ng/ml exhibited the largest decrease in COVID-19 infection following supplementation. Black veterans received greater associated COVID-19 risk reductions with supplementation than White veterans. As a safe, widely available, and affordable treatment, Vitamin D may help to reduce the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T20:32:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2aeb4d78921a490c9c4c3911f998bc06 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T20:32:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-2aeb4d78921a490c9c4c3911f998bc062022-12-22T02:31:09ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-11-0112111110.1038/s41598-022-24053-4Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortalityJason B. Gibbons0Edward C. Norton1Jeffrey S. McCullough2David O. Meltzer3Jill Lavigne4Virginia C. Fiedler5Robert D. Gibbons6Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins UniversityDepartment of Economics, University of MichiganDepartment of Health Management and Policy, University of MichiganDepartment of Medicine, University of ChicagoDepartment of Veterans Health Affairs, Center of Excellence for Suicide PreventionDepartment of Dermatology, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Medicine, University of ChicagoAbstract Vitamin D deficiency has long been associated with reduced immune function that can lead to viral infection. Several studies have shown that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increases the risk of infection with COVID-19. However, it is unknown if treatment with Vitamin D can reduce the associated risk of COVID-19 infection, which is the focus of this study. In the population of US veterans, we show that Vitamin D2 and D3 fills were associated with reductions in COVID-19 infection of 28% and 20%, respectively [(D3 Hazard Ratio (HR) = 0.80, [95% CI 0.77, 0.83]), D2 HR = 0.72, [95% CI 0.65, 0.79]]. Mortality within 30-days of COVID-19 infection was similarly 33% lower with Vitamin D3 and 25% lower with D2 (D3 HR = 0.67, [95% CI 0.59, 0.75]; D2 HR = 0.75, [95% CI 0.55, 1.04]). We also find that after controlling for vitamin D blood levels, veterans receiving higher dosages of Vitamin D obtained greater benefits from supplementation than veterans receiving lower dosages. Veterans with Vitamin D blood levels between 0 and 19 ng/ml exhibited the largest decrease in COVID-19 infection following supplementation. Black veterans received greater associated COVID-19 risk reductions with supplementation than White veterans. As a safe, widely available, and affordable treatment, Vitamin D may help to reduce the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24053-4 |
| spellingShingle | Jason B. Gibbons Edward C. Norton Jeffrey S. McCullough David O. Meltzer Jill Lavigne Virginia C. Fiedler Robert D. Gibbons Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortality Scientific Reports |
| title | Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortality |
| title_full | Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortality |
| title_fullStr | Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortality |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortality |
| title_short | Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortality |
| title_sort | association between vitamin d supplementation and covid 19 infection and mortality |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24053-4 |
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