Spanish researches investigating if Vitamin D can help fight off coronavirus

The sunshine vitamin — vitamin D — is the latest target for researchers investigating treatment options for the coronavirus.

Previous research has shown that the vitamin, which mainly comes from exposure to the sun and is essential for a healthy immune system, can help protect against other respiratory infections.

Now, Spanish researchers have started a ten-week trial to see if vitamin D can also help with Covid-19, the Daily Mail reports.

The researchers at the University of Granada are carrying out a trial to investigate whether high doses of vitamin D can treat mild symptoms of Covid-19, such as headache, fever and fatigue, and prevent patients from deteriorating and needing hospital care and ventilation.

Two hundred patients aged 40 to 70 will receive either 625 mcg (micrograms) of vitamin D daily, or just their usual medication. This is far higher than the 10 mcg recommended daily dose in the UK.

If the trial suggests vitamin D does prevent the coronavirus from progressing, it could potentially be used as a treatment in the community and hospitals. However, more studies will be needed to confirm the findings and the dose required to have an effect.

Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, says: ‘There is not sufficient evidence to support recommending vitamin D for reducing the risk of Covid-19.’