Mass General Brigham study finds that vitamin D can reduce the risk of long-term COVID
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Vitamin D supplements may give researchers new clues about the symptoms of COVID-19 that persist after infection, according to a new study.
Investigators at Mass General Brigham examined whether high doses of vitamin D could affect the outcomes of COVID-19, including the risk of prolonged COVID-19, a condition in which symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and brain fog persist for weeks or months after the initial infection.
The findings are published in the Journal of Nutrition.
THE MOST AVAILABLE DRUG WITHOUT MEDICATION WHICH IS SPREADING FAST IN THE SOUTHERN COUNTRY
The randomized clinical trial included 1,747 adults newly diagnosed with COVID-19, and 277 of their family members. Participants were assigned to receive vitamin D3 supplements or a placebo for four weeks.
A new study suggests that vitamin D may help researchers better understand and prevent prolonged COVID. (Stock)
Dr. JoAnn Manson, the study’s senior author and a Brigham Mass. General physician, told Fox News Digital that the results point to a potential benefit related to long-term symptoms.
“The important takeaway is that vitamin D supplementation appears to be promising in reducing the risk of prolonged COVID but does not appear to affect the severity of the virus,” Manson said.
COMBINATION NASAL SPRAY CAN PROTECT AGAINST COVID, FLU AND PNEUMONIA
The researchers found that vitamin D supplementation did not significantly change short-term outcomes such as symptom severity, hospital visits or emergency care.
This study also showed that there was no difference between the vitamin D and placebo groups in the risk of infection.
Chronic COVID is a condition in which symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and brain fog persist for weeks or months after initial infection. (Stock)
However, when researchers analyzed participants who closely followed the supplement regimen, they saw potential differences in persistent symptoms.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LIFE NEWSLETTER
About 21% of participants who took vitamin D reported at least one persistent symptom eight weeks after infection, compared to 25% of those who received a placebo.
“There has been a lot of interest in whether vitamin D supplements can benefit COVID, and this is one of the largest and most robust randomized trials on the subject,” Manson said in a statement.
“While we did not find that high-dose vitamin D reduced the severity of COVID or hospitalizations, we observed a promising signal for prolonged COVID-19 that deserves further research,” he added.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS
Manson said vitamin D may contribute to long-term problems because the nutrient plays a role in controlling inflammation in the body.
Researchers say vitamin D can affect inflammation in the body, which can play a role in the long-term symptoms of COVID. (Stock)
Study limitations
The researchers noted several limitations to the study. The study had to be conducted remotely during the pandemic, and participants started taking vitamin D a few days after being diagnosed with COVID.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Ideally, Manson said, support would begin before infection or soon after diagnosis.
He added that larger studies would be needed to confirm whether vitamin D could reduce the risk or severity of long-term symptoms of COVID.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
Researchers are planning further trials to test whether vitamin D supplementation can help treat people who already have chronic COVID.
