Vitamin D supplement doesn’t reduce Covid risk: Study

The findings are based on two large clinical trials that showed boosting Vitamin D levels in adults during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was not associated with protection against respiratory tract infections or Covid-19.

Published on: Sep 8, 2022, 02:20:54 IST

By Rhythma Kaul, New Delhi

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Vitamin D supplements do not reduce risk of Covid-19 or other acute respiratory infections, according to a new study published in medical journal ‘The BMJ’, suggesting that prescribing these supplements to Covid patients may not serve much purpose.

The findings are based on two large clinical trials that showed boosting Vitamin D levels in adults during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was not associated with protection against respiratory tract infections or Covid-19.

“Vaccination is still the most effective way to protect people from Covid-19...” said Peter Bergman, professor, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, in an editorial.

“Advice should only be that ‘prescribe only when there is deficiency’,” said Dr GC Khilnani, former head, pulmonology department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rhythma Kaul
Rhythma Kaul is the national health editor of the Hindustan Times. She has been reporting on public health, medicine, and medical research, with a particular focus on how government decisions and health system reforms shape people’s lives. Rhythma has over 25 years of journalistic experience. She joined Hindustan Times in 2008, and has since covered everything from pandemics and infectious diseases to cutting‑edge medical research and climate‑related health challenges. Her stories routinely track the work of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, department of pharmaceuticals, and key national health programmes, making complex medical science and policy accessible to a wide audience. One of her prominent news breaks has been the 2012 Baby Falak case: A two-year-old brutally battered baby girl was admitted to AIIMS-Delhi with severe head injuries, multiple fractures, human bite marks, and burns. The police investigation revealed this to be a case of multi-state human-trafficking racket. She was profiled by The Wall Street Journal for breaking this story. Rhythma holds a Master’s degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Prior to Hindustan Times, she worked with the India Today Group. Rhythma can be contacted at rhythma.kaul@hindustantimes.com. Her X handle is @RamblingBrook.Read More

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