Studies by Trinity College Dublin has revealed that nations with high incidences of Vitamin D shortage suffered the highest mortality rates from Coronavirus.
In response to this scary news, a concerned Department of Health in Ireland is persuading citizens to consider per-day doses of Vitamin D supplements to compensate for the deficit.
Vitamin D plays a critical in the wellbeing of the muscle and bone. It also strengthens the immune system preventing respiratory infections. It can be found in oily fish (like salmon), liver, eggs, and fortified foods like dairies and cereals.
In an announcement that appeared in Prime Time, the Health Depart persuaded citizens “who are self-quarantining and not able to go outside” to “consider a daily supplement of 10 micrograms of Vitamin D to maintain healthy levels of the vitamin.” This applies to all grownups and kids over 1-year-old.
The Department is recommending supplementation at a time when multiple scholarly papers have raised concerns that lack, or low levels of Vitamin D may lead to more severe incidents of Coronavirus.
“An individual’s nutritional status determines how they respond if they get infected with Coronavirus,” stresses Professor Mairead Kiely from Cork Centre for Vitamin D Research. “A capable immune system powers a patient to fight the Coronavirus.”
The Irish make their Vitamin D after sitting 10 to 15 minutes in the sunlight from March to September.
However, Prof. Kiely is skeptical about the effectiveness of that. “Between October and the close of March, sunlight hits Ireland at an angle that offers too little of what our skin requires to produce its own Vitamin D. Remember, UVB rays must reach the skin in a manner that triggers the production of the Vitamin.”
“From Mid-May to Mid-October, your skin will synthesize sufficient Vitamin D, but it won’t be able to do so throughout the year,” she clarified.
Ireland suffers high rates of Vitamin D shortage, and the Professor has recommended the implementation of a Vitamin D food fortification regulation.
“Unluckily, there is no federal policy that demands we fortify most foods with Vitamin D. Fortification would be the most innocuous and reliable way to issue these ten micrograms of the vitamin per day.” Professor Kiely added.
A similar fortification policy has worked for Finland and reduced deficiency cases among grownups.
Still, according to the Department, “the Irish government is reluctant to consider a Vitamin D food fortification policy.
Final Words
Meanwhile, Vitamin Supplement Merchant Account holders and companies in Ireland have recorded an increase in sales amid the Pandemic.
But Trinity College maintains that Vitamin D is not the magic pill for Coronavirus and that citizens must understand clearly the critical role of the Vitamin in the human body.
Author Bio: Blair Thomas has been a music producer, bouncer, screenwriter and for over a decade has been the proud Co-Founder of eMerchantBroker, the highest rated vitamin supplement merchant account provider in the country. He has climbed in the Himalayas, survived a hurricane, and lived on a gold mine in the Yukon. He currently calls Thailand his home with a lifetime collection of his favorite books.
