Does Vitamin D play a role in the management of Covid-19 in Brazil?

• Main Authors: Helena Ribeiro, Keila Valente de Souza de Santana, Sofia Lizarralde Oliver, Patricia Helen de Carvalho Rondó, Marcela Moraes Mendes, Karen Charlton, Susan Lanham-New
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo
• Series: Revista de Saúde Pública
• Subjects: coronavirus infections; prevention & control; vitamin d; review
• Online Access: http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102020000100605&lng=en&tlng=en
• ISSN: 0034-8910; 1518-8787

ABSTRACT The study discusses the possible role of adequate vitamin D status in plasma or serum for preventing acute respiratory infections during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our arguments respond to an article, published in Italy, that describes the high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in older Italian women and raises the possible preventive and therapeutic role of optimal vitamin D levels. Based on literature review, we highlight the findings regarding the protective role of vitamin D for infectious diseases of the respiratory system. However, randomized controlled trials are currently lacking. Adequate vitamin D status is obtained from sun exposure and foods rich in vitamin D. Studies in Brazil have shown that hypovitaminosis D is quite common in spite of high insolation. Authors recommend ecological, epidemiological and randomized controlled trials studies to verify this hypothesis.