<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0017_s_006">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has strongly affected global healthcare systems. Prior epidemiological studies on different infectious diseases have shown a strong correlation between serum vitamin D levels and the incidence of certain infectious diseases. Vitamin D has an important immunomodulatory effect on innate immunity and exhibits several other mechanisms in the pathogenesis of the cytokine storm, which is one of the main contributing factors to fatality in COVID-19 patients.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0017_s_007">
<h3>Methods</h3>
<p>A keyword search was conducted in the PubMed and Google Scholar research databases. The abstracts and/or full texts of selected papers were further evaluated. Articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0017_s_008">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>The 28 studies summarized in this review provide observational findings that vitamin D levels are related to the incidence, severity, and mortality rate of COVID-19 infection. The literature does not suggest that COVID-19 could be eliminated with supplementation of vitamin D, but there are implications that vitamin D deficiency might increase the risk for COVID-19 infection and severity of the disease progression.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0017_s_009">
<h3>Discussion</h3>
<p>Current literature and several guidelines support the supplementation of vitamin D as a reasonable strategy for correcting and preventing vitamin D deficiency. The recommended dose for maintaining normal 25(OH)D levels by consensus is 1000 to 2000 IU vitamin D daily for at-risk teens and adults.</p>
</sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2022-0017_s_010">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Vitamin D supplementation might play an important role in protecting from acute respiratory infections like the SARS CoV2, and in high-risk individuals with COVID 19 from progressing to critical clinical condition and reducing mortality.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has strongly affected global healthcare systems. Prior epidemiological studies on different infectious diseases have shown a strong correlation between serum vitamin D levels and the incidence of certain infectious diseases. Vitamin D has an important immunomodulatory effect on innate immunity and exhibits several other mechanisms in the pathogenesis of the cytokine storm, which is one of the main contributing factors to fatality in COVID-19 patients.


Methods
A keyword search was conducted in the PubMed and Google Scholar research databases. The abstracts and/or full texts of selected papers were further evaluated. Articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review.


Results
The 28 studies summarized in this review provide observational findings that vitamin D levels are related to the incidence, severity, and mortality rate of COVID-19 infection. The literature does not suggest that COVID-19 could be eliminated with supplementation of vitamin D, but there are implications that vitamin D deficiency might increase the risk for COVID-19 infection and severity of the disease progression.


Discussion
Current literature and several guidelines support the supplementation of vitamin D as a reasonable strategy for correcting and preventing vitamin D deficiency. The recommended dose for maintaining normal 25(OH)D levels by consensus is 1000 to 2000 IU vitamin D daily for at-risk teens and adults.


Conclusion
Vitamin D supplementation might play an important role in protecting from acute respiratory infections like the SARS CoV2, and in high-risk individuals with COVID 19 from progressing to critical clinical condition and reducing mortality.

COVID-19 and vitamin D– a systematic review

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

COVID-19 in vitamin D– sistematični pregledni članek

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has strongly affected global healthcare systems. Prior epidemiological studies on different infectious diseases have shown a...

COVID-19 and vitamin D– a systematic review

Article Category: Review

Online veröffentlicht: 21. März 2022

Seitenbereich: 124 - 132

Eingereicht: 20. Aug. 2021

Akzeptiert: 22. Feb. 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2022-0017

Schlüsselwörter
COVID-19, vitamin D, systematic reviews

© 2022 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

COVID-19 and vitamin D– a systematic review

Article Category: Review

Online veröffentlicht: 21. März 2022

Seitenbereich: 124 - 132

Eingereicht: 20. Aug. 2021

Akzeptiert: 22. Feb. 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2022-0017

SchlüsselwörterCOVID-19, vitamin D, systematic reviews

© 2022 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Schlüsselwörter
COVID-19, vitamin D, systematic reviews