The Impact of Vitamin D Level on Covid-19: Systematic Review Meta-Analysis
The association between Vitamin D deficiency (VDD as referred to in this article) and increased risk of respiratory infections is well-known. Mild to moderate Vitamin D supplementation, especially during winter or in those with subpar dietary habits, is a good idea.However, I've noticed that Vitamin D has been garnered an almost cult-like following on parts of the internet in recent years. Some of the health claims around Vitamin D are getting out of control, and the recommendations for Vitamin D supplementation are far too high in certain circles.I have to admit that I fell for this to some degree. I started supplementing 5000 IU/day after reading all of the writings about Vitamin D deficiency, the health benefits of Vitamin D, and the arguments that current Vitamin D supplementation recommendations were far too low.But that 5000 IU/day put me near overdose territory when I got my serum levels checked. Even my doctor, who is very pro-Vitamin D supplementation, warned me to significantly cut my supplementation.The scary part is that I see recommendations for significantly higher Vitamin D dosing all over Twitter and health forums lately. There's a growing idea that more is better, amplified by health influencers trying to stand out from the crowd and the growing cult-like status of Vitamin D as a wonder vitamin.I think encouraging mild vitamin d supplementation (or improved dietary patterns with more Vitamin D) is a good step in the right direction, but I'm also worried to see how much of this is being exaggerated and taken to unhealthy extremes.When in doubt, get a blood test.