COVID-19 Risk Increases with Vit-D Deficiency|Study

Last updated on May 1st, 2025 at 08:21 am

A deficiency of vitamin D in our body increases the risk of getting infected by the novel coronavirus, finds a recent study. In a recent research published online in a popular journal, JAMA Network, the researchers have found that the deficiency of vitamin D increases the chances of COVID-19 infection¹.

Vitamin D is also termed the sunshine vitamin since exposure to the sun’s rays on our body is the only natural source of vitamin D. This vitamin is very important for the strength of our bones. But what made scientists conclude this? Let’s try to find out in this article.

Vitamin-D and COVID-19

Doctors have identified using Vitamin D treatment as a potential strategy to prevent or treat COVID-19. Also, Vitamin D treatment has been found to decrease other viral respiratory infections, especially in persons with vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency is common in a population who get less exposure to sunlight.

In US coronavirus is more prevalent among persons with darker skin or reduced sun exposure due to geographical location or their nature of work. These population has low level of vitamin-D level that made researchers curious weather deficiency of this vitamin is linked to increased risk of coronavirus infection.

A different study also finds that Mental Stress Increases Risk of Post-COVID Symptoms likeweakness, tiredness.

Participants of the research

Doctors selected 489 patient who was tested positive for COVID-19 at University of Chicago Medicine from March 3 to April 10, 2020. They also collected all health data within 1 year before the date of when they first underwent COVID-19 test. They gathered the information for:

• Demographies
• comorbidity, l
• Laboratory, and medication.

Also Read: COVID affects Heart Cell can have lasting damage|Study

What the result say

A total of 489 patients had participitated with mean age, 49.2 years, out of which 366 were women; and 331 race other than White. Vitamin D status before COVID-19 testing was categorized as

1. Likely deficient for 124 participants (25%),
2. Likely sufficient for 287 (59%), and
3. Uncertain for 78 (16%).

Overall, 71 participants (15%) tested positive for COVID-19. Testing positive for COVID-19 was associated with

1. Increasing age up to age 50 years;
2. Non-White race , and
3. Likely deficient vitamin D status compared with likely sufficient vitamin D status.

This clearly indicates that deficient vitamin D status was associated with increased COVID-19 risk, a finding that suggests that randomized trials may be needed to determine whether vitamin D affects COVID-19 risk.

What can be done

Exposing to sunlight is the only way we can tackle Vit-D deficiency in our body, so, take out time for outdoor activity.

Keep reading: COVID-19 Increases Risk of Brain stroke, Early Signs you must watch for

Journal references:

Meltzer DO, Best TJ, Zhang H, Vokes T, Arora V, Solway J. Association of Vitamin D Status and Other Clinical Characteristics With COVID-19 Test Results. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(9):e2019722. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.19722