Up to 120 researchers sign a letter on evidence that “reduces infections, hospitalizations, and deaths”
A group of 120 experts in the area of health, science, and medicine has written an open letter sent to the governments of the world. It is a letter that refers to the global health crisis, caused by Covid-19.
The health professionals who have participated in the initiative come from the United Kingdom, the United States, and the countries of the European Union. These experts emphasize that there is clear scientific evidence that “vitamin D reduces infections, hospitalizations, and deaths from Coronavirus.”
Increase your intake of vitamin D
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In the letter, the scientists call for an urgent and immediate increase in vitamin D levels in patients, and the general population. This increase should reach 4,000 International Units (IU) per day in the case of healthy adults, or in the worst case at least 2,000 IU, according to the professionals mentioned in the letter sent to governments around the world.
This comes just days after the UK government health bodies, SACN and NICE, denied that there is enough evidence.to support increased vitamin D intake to prevent or help fight Covid-19. The scientists involved state that the global patterns and risk factors for pandemic and vitamin D deficiency coincide due to the impact on immune function.
Specifically, experts point out that, according to research, “low levels of vitamin D significantly increase the likelihood of Covid-19 infections.”
Backed by research
These experts say that the new mechanisms specific to SARS-Cov-2 are very well understood today. Different studies and investigations have been carried out in recent months that agree that vitamin D directly influences the results of Covid-19.
More than 70 studies show that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with lower rates of infection and lower risk of hospitalization, ICU, or death. This is confirmed, according to the scientists participating in the open letter, several recently published randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and quasi-experimental studies.
Experts and medical professionals
The main organizers of the campaign are Karl Pfleger (USA) and Gareth Davies (UK), both have backgrounds in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science as well as Medicine. The letter has a growing list of 120 signatories, more than a hundred of them are physicians and/or doctors, while approximately 60 of the experts practice teaching in the field of medicine. They include two British MPs, David Davis and Rupa Huq, who also signed the letter.
It is worth highlighting the participation of Martin Hewison, professor of molecular endocrinology at the University of Birmingham. It is one of the world’s leading authorities on vitamin D.Hewison signed the letter after harshly criticizing SACN and NICE, calling their reports disappointing.
The British professor was highly critical of the latest NICE report, stating: “NICE, SACN, and PHE continue to promote the idea of vitamin D ‘toxicity’, even though there is no evidence of this in trials where they were used. up to 4,000 IU per day. Many vitamin D researchers have fought tirelessly over the season to accommodate a structure in which vitamin D supplementation could be incorporated into the general strategies used to defeat Covid-19. “
Other health professionals and nutrition experts consulted agree on this assessment, such as Mikel García Iturrioz, technical director ofMisohi Nutrition, which points out “there is an indisputable relationship between vitamin D and the immune system. Likewise, the evidence supporting a protective effect of vitamin D against the severity of Covid-19 is highly suggestive. Vitamin D supplementation can provide certain protection with a low economic cost and high security ”.
Low cost and risk
Rep. David Davis, one of the signatories to the letter, has been a strong supporter of vitamin D throughout the pandemic. “Evidence from several dozen studies shows that the deficiency or insufficiency of this nutrient is implicated in compromising the body’s immune response to respiratory diseases in general and Covid-19 in particular,” the politician said.
Davis has gone on to say that “the likely effect of correcting this deficiency is to decrease susceptibility to infection and reduce morbidity and mortality. among those infected by the virus ”. He also wanted to emphasize that “in the unlikely event that all this evidence is an artifact, the costs and health risks would be minimal.”
On the other hand, according to Davis, if the sources are correct about the role of vitamin D in treating Covid-19, “it would be irresponsible not to administer it to all groups that are at risk of the disease. It will save lives, improve the immunity of the population and help reduce the medical and economic impact while we wait for the universal launch of vaccines ”, he added.
The right dose of vitamin D
On the other hand, the British deputy has also spoken about the indicated dose. “It should be enough to correct the existing deficiency, which is up to ten times the recommended daily intake in the UK,” Davis said.
Finally, signatory David S Grimes, a retired gastroenterologist, has campaigned for vitamin D to be taken more seriously for years to come. “NICE and SACN have ignored past and current research, have denied the use of calcifediol, a fast-acting form of vitamin D, in the treatment of Covid-19 pneumonia, even though a clinical trial showed that it has an efficiency of 96% ”.
Grimes goes further than his peers, recalling that there have been 25,000 deaths from Covid-19 in the United Kingdom since that study was published. However, the expert comments that “NICE continues to state that ‘there is not enough evidence’. They have a lot to answer for. They are a national disgrace ”, he has sentenced.
