Vitamin D may be helping people to survive the coronavirus, scientists believe.
Researchers from the University of Granada have revealed plans to investigate whether the vitamin could be used to help coronavirus patients to fight the disease.
The team plans to run a 10-week trial involving 200 coronavirus patients.
Their beliefs come after a study in cows found that a lack of Vitamin D was likely the main cause of bovine coronavirus infections in the past.
According to the researchers, it ‘seems plausible’ that Vitamin D ‘could be a potential intervention to fight against COVID-19.’
Best of all, the team believes the vitamin could improve your outcome, whether you have no symptoms, non-severe symptoms, or severe symptoms.
Dr Jenna Macciochi, a researcher at the University of Sussex, said: “If you are deficient in Vitamin D, you are three to four times more likely to catch a cold.
“It therefore makes sense a viral respiratory infection like Covid-19 would be worse if you were Vitamin D-deficient.”
Vitamin D is naturally produced in our bodies in response to sunlight.
The NHS explained: “From about late March/early April to the end of September, most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from sunlight.
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“The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors.
“But between October and early March we don’t get enough vitamin D from sunlight.”
The news of the new study comes amid reports that Public Health England will soon advise the public to start taking a daily dose of Vitamin D.
The report, by The Telegraph, indicates that the guidance will change amid the coronavirus lockdown, during which time many people are not receiving enough sunlight.
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