New Study Found 80 Percent of COVID-19 Patients Were Vitamin D Deficient

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism looked at 216 people with COVID-19 and found that 80 percent lacked adequate levels of vitamin D in their blood, reports Healthline . The research further found that people who had both COVID-19 and lower vitamin D levels also had a higher number of inflammatory markers such as D-dimer and ferritin, both of which have been linked to poor COVID-19 outcomes. A different survey found that COVID-19 patients who had adequate vitamin D levels had both a 51.5 percent lower risk of dying from the disease and a significant reduced risk for complications. Study co-author Dr. Jose L. Hernández of the University of Cantabria in Spain says the goal should be to "identify and treat vitamin D deficiency, especially in high-risk individuals such as seniors, patients with comorbidities, and nursing home residents who are the main target population for the COVID-19."