Vitamin D Linked to Low Virus Death Rate Says New Study

A new study has found an association between low levels of vitamin D and high numbers of COVID-19 cases and mortality rates across 20 European countries. The research, led by Dr. Lee Smith of Anglia Ruskin University, was published in the Aging Clinical and Experimental Research journal.

Previous research has indicated vitamin D plays a role in modulating acute respiratory infections by preventing white blood cells from over reacting to the infection by releasing too many inflammatory cytokines.

Now, scientists have found people in countries that have the highest mortality rates from COVID-19 like Italy and Spain, also had the lowest levels of vitamin D. Conversely, the highest levels of vitamin D were found in northern European countries, like Scandinavia, which was among the countries with the lowest mortality rates, according to Science Daily.

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