Congress lauds vitamin D for COVID-19

Resolution advocates new guidance to encourage vitamin D intake, especially among vulnerable populations.

Todd Runestad, Content Director, SupplySideSJ.com

February 25, 2021

2 Min Read
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Vitamin D is seeing its moment in the sun, thanks to studies finding a correlation between deficiency levels and worse COVID-19 outcomes and elevated blood levels in which hardly anybody dies.

Congress just stepped into the act, with U.S. Rep Glenn Grothman (R-WI) introducing a House resolution (HR 116) that recognizes the potential role vitamin D may play in decreasing the severity of COVID-19.

The resolution calls on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to update existing guidance and to issue new guidance that encourages vitamin D intake during the COVID–19 pandemic, in particular for the elderly and immunocompromised individuals.

“As much of the public continues to wait for access to available vaccines,” said Rep. Grothman, “it’s critical that the House of Representatives is united in finding additional ways to limit the negative effects of the virus and provide the public with more information about how effective vitamin D can be in preventing serious COVID-19 symptoms.”

The resolution asserts “clear scientific evidence” that vitamin D reduces COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths—and that more than 40% of Americans are vitamin D deficient, including upwards of 80% among Black and Latinx populations.

Related:COVID research on vitamin D offers clues to formulators

It notes that there are currently more than 30 active clinical trials and 13 completed human clinicals of 2,700 participants investigating vitamin D’s role with COVID-19 patients. It also notes that public health agencies across the U.K. are encouraging vitamin D use, including a program to distribute vitamin D supplements to 2.5 million at-risk people like those in long-term care facilities and those with pre-existing co-morbidities such as those with obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

It is estimated that there may be 100 million such individuals in America with high-risk co-morbidities that lead to worse COVID-19 outcomes.

Some have even asserted that a vitamin D deficiency (<10 ng/dl blood levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D) counts as another COVID-19 co-morbidity.

“Vitamin D can help limit the negative effects of COVID-19,” said Julia Gustafson, vice president, government relations for trade group the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). “This essential nutrient is critical to overall health at all life stages. CRN joins Congressman Grothman in urging public health establishments to issue guidance about the benefits of vitamin D supplementation and the role it may play in reducing the risk of serious COVID-19 symptoms and complications.”

Related:Marketer of vitamin D products enjoined from making COVID-19 claims

In September 2020, CRN formed a Vitamin D Study Task Force to develop and evaluate scientific content for a forthcoming consumer education program. The initiative will feature consumer-friendly content, such as research summaries, podcast and articles to provide more education on the topic of vitamin D and COVID-19.

About the Author

Todd Runestad

Content Director, SupplySideSJ.com, SupplySide Supplement Journal

Todd Runestad has been writing on nutrition science news since 1997. He is content director for SupplySide Supplement Journal and its digital magazines. Other incarnations: content director for Natural Products Insider (now rebranded to SupplySide Supplement Journal), supplements editor for NewHope.com, Delicious Living!, and Natural Foods Merchandiser. Former editor-in-chief of Functional Ingredients magazine and still covers raw material innovations and ingredient science.

Connect with me here on LinkedIn.

Specialty

Todd writes about nutrition science news such as this story on mitochondrial nutrients, innovative ingredients such as this story about 12 trendy new ingredient launches from SupplySide West 2023, and is a judge for the NEXTY awards honoring innovation, integrity and inspiration in natural products including his specialty — dietary supplements. He extensively covered the rise and rise and rise and fall of cannabis hemp CBD. He helps produce in-person events at SupplySide West and SupplySide East trade shows and conferences, including the wildly popular Ingredient Idol game show, as well as Natural Products Expo West and Natural Products Expo East and the NBJ Summit. He was a board member for the Hemp Industries Association.

Education / Past Lives

In previous lives Todd was on the other side of nature from natural products — natural history — as managing editor at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. He's sojourned to Burning Man and Mount Everest. He graduated many moons ago from the State University of New York College at Oneonta.

Quotes

"There is not a colds-and-flu season. There is a vitamin D-deficiency season."

"There is no such thing as inclement weather. Only improper attire."

Link answers question, "When taking magnesium, should you also take vitamin D3 2,000 IU?"

"Cannabis is nature's most nearly perfect plant."

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