Preprint Review Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Vitamin D Supplementation Could Prevent and Treat Influenza, Coronavirus, and Pneumonia Infections

William B. Grant
* ORCID logo ,
Henry Lahore
,
Sharon L. McDonnell
,
Carole A. Baggerly
,
Christine B. French
,
Jennifer L. Aliano
,
Harjit Pal Bhattoa
ORCID logo
Version 1 : Received: 12 March 2020 / Approved: 15 March 2020 / Online: 15 March 2020 (01:47:19 CET)
Version 2 : Received: 30 March 2020 / Approved: 30 March 2020 / Online: 30 March 2020 (05:48:43 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Grant, W.B.; Lahore, H.; McDonnell, S.L.; Baggerly, C.A.; French, C.B.; Aliano, J.L.; Bhattoa, H.P. Evidence that Vitamin D Supplementation Could Reduce Risk of Influenza and COVID-19 Infections and Deaths. Nutrients 2020, 12, 988. Grant, W.B.; Lahore, H.; McDonnell, S.L.; Baggerly, C.A.; French, C.B.; Aliano, J.L.; Bhattoa, H.P. Evidence that Vitamin D Supplementation Could Reduce Risk of Influenza and COVID-19 Infections and Deaths. Nutrients 2020, 12, 988.

Abstract

Low vitamin D status in winter permits viral epidemics. During winter, people who do not take vitamin D supplements are likely to have low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations. Vitamin D can reduce the risk of viral epidemics and pandemics in several ways. First, higher 25(OH)D concentrations reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory tract infections (RTIs), diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Patients with chronic diseases have significantly higher risk of death from RTIs than otherwise healthy people. Second, vitamin D reduces risk of RTIs through three mechanisms: maintaining tight junctions, killing enveloped viruses through induction of cathelicidin and defensins, and reducing production of proinflammatory cytokines by the innate immune system, thereby reducing the risk of a cytokine storm leading to pneumonia. Observational and supplementation trials have reported higher 25(OH)D concentrations associated with reduced risk of dengue, hepatitis, herpesvirus, hepatitis B and C viruses, human immunodeficiency virus, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus infections, and pneumonia. Results of a community field trial reported herein indicated that 25(OH)D concentrations above 50 ng/ml (125 nmol/l) vs. <20 ng/ml were associated with a 27% reduction in influenza-like illnesses. From the available evidence, we hypothesize that raising serum 25(OH)D concentrations through vitamin D supplementation could reduce the incidence, severity, and risk of death from influenza, pneumonia, and the current COVID-19 epidemic.

Keywords

ascorbic acid; cahtelicidin; coronavirus; COVID-19; cytokine storm; influenza, pneumonia; prevention; respiratory tract infection; UVB; vitamin C; Vitamn D; solar radiation; treatment; observational; trial

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Dietetics and Nutrition

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Comments (0)

Comment 1
Received: 19 April 2020
Commenter: Pankaj Patel
The commenter has declared there is no conflict of interests.
Comment: Excellent article on prevention of seasonal viral infections !
What dosage of vitamin 25 ( OH ) D would be considered safe for elders above 65 & with underlying conditions especially Diabetes ?
Thanks ?
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Comment 2
Received: 10 March 2021
Commenter: Alexander Seinfeld
The commenter has declared there is no conflict of interests.
Comment: I would recommend you look at the role of vitamin D in T-cell production and the role of T-cells in immunity.

Von Essen, Marina & Kongsbak, Martin & Schjerling, Peter & Olgaard, Klaus & Ødum, Niels & Geisler, Carsten. (2010). Vitamin D controls T cell antigen receptor signaling and activation of human T cells. Nature immunology. 11. 344-9
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marina_Von_Essen2/publication/41809154_Vitamin_D_controls_T_cell_antigen_receptor_signaling_and_activation_of_human_T_cells/links/00b7d519bbc5d15fce000000/Vitamin-D-controls-T-cell-antigen-receptor-signaling-and-activation-of-human-T-cells.pdf
Fabri M, Stenger S, Shin DM, et al. Vitamin D is required for IFN-gamma-mediated antimicrobial activity of human macrophages. Sci Transl Med. 2011;3(104):104ra102. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3269210/

Kongsbak M et al., The vitamin d receptor and T cell function. Front Immunol. 2013;4:148. 2013 Jun 18. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2013.00148

Kongsbak M, et al. (2014) Vitamin D Up-Regulates the Vitamin D Receptor by Protecting It from Proteasomal Degradation in Human CD4+ T Cells. PLOS ONE 9(5): e96695
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0096695
Charoenngam N, Holick MF. Immunologic Effects of Vitamin D on Human Health and Disease. Nutrients. 2020;12(7):2097. 2020 Jul 15. doi:10.3390/nu12072097

Martineau, AR et al., Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: individual participant data meta-analysis”, Health Technology Assessment, 23:, 1-44. doi:10.3310/hta23020.

ANNIKA C. KARLSSON et al., The known unknowns of T cell immunity to COVID-19. Science Immunology 5:53 (Nov 18, 2020)
https://immunology.sciencemag.org/content/5/53/eabe8063.full
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