19 hours ago, AddyA said:

Dror told The Times of Israel. “It emphasizes the value of everyone taking a vitamin D supplement during the pandemic, which, consumed in sensible amounts in accordance with official advice, ..."

I don't think anybody discards the PLOS study.  And I think Dr. Dror's advice is sensible at all times:  if you have low sun exposure (common in Israel), and don't take vitamins or drink vitamin D fortified milk (not mandated in Israel, or Thailand either), then it's a good idea to follow the "official advice" of the Israeli government (and the WHO, US, and many others) on vitamin D supplements:  600 IU/day (800 IU if over 70).  Dr. Dror is also a strong proponent of masking and vaccination (from age 5 on up), btw.   

 

However, I suspect that most readers have very little interest in what the doctors and scientists who wrote the PLOS paper actually have to say (beyond the headlines).

 

The paper shows a correlation between very low vitamin D levels in Israel (where this is common -- 64.3% of the Israeli Arab population, which the paper focused on, have < 20ng/mL), and more severe Covid-19.   Some people then might then make a series of unsupported assumptions:

 

 - a subgroup of Israelis with low vitamin D levels have severe Covid-19,
 - people with severe Covid-19 everywhere might also have low vitamin D levels,
 - Covid-19 might be common because low vitamin D is common (up to 80% of some national populations are called "insufficient"),
 - if very low levels are bad, then high levels might very well be protective,
 - if high levels are protective, perhaps they're just as good as vaccines, which are also "just" protective against severe disease.
 - a though might occur that maybe one could take vitamin D instead of getting vaccinated,  
 - indeed, maybe if everybody took vitamin D, they'd all be protected and we wouldn't have a Covid-19 epidemic -- maybe "herd high vitamin D" levels could stop these diseases entirely. 

 

Now, my impression is that takes some effort (or disability) to have dangerously low vitamin D levels, of which the most obvious consequence is rickets (which I doubt any of us have ever encountered).  

 

It is estimated that in London (which closer to the North Pole than Calgary in Canada is, mind you), fairly white Caucasians need about 9 minutes of mid-day sun exposure (baring hands and face in winter, and arms and shins in warm weather); they estimate 25 minutes for fairly dark-skinned people.  And most daily multi-vitamins have several hundred IU (Centrum Silver has 1,000, ordinary Costco / Kirkland Daily Multi has 400 IU), and fortified milk has 400 IU or more per liter.

Meeting Vitamin D Requirements in White Caucasians at UK Latitudes
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5946282/   
https://www.bytemuse.com/post/interactive-equivalent-latitude-map/   (scroll down a bit to see it).

 

Nevertheless, the VITAL tests -- double-blind RCTs -- show that it is very easy to have levels that are called "insufficient" (up to 80% of the population!) but do not seem to have any health impact that is improved by vitamin D supplements, even when combined with calcium.  That's why the New England Journal of Medicine last month advised to stop calling the 20-30 ng/ml range "insufficient,"

 

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2205993

VITAL Findings — A Decisive Verdict on Vitamin D Supplementation

... there is no justification for measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the general population or treating to a target serum level.   ...  people should stop taking vitamin D supplements to prevent major diseases or extend life.

 

-- Retiree

2 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

Not sure where you're located, but milk in Thailand is generally not fortified with Vitamin D as it is in many Western countries. Unfortified milk is actually low in Vitamin D.

 

Not going to wade into the Covid-19 debate, but have read that high percentages of the population have a Vitamin D deficiency and there are lots of non Covid-related benefits to monitoring Vit D intake.  Have been taking cod liver oil and eating more canned fish in past 2 years after discovering dairy in Thailand was not fortified.

 

https://www.healthlie.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-milk

I have multivitamin pill.  We've all been taking them.  I'm in a very poor area of Issan and unfortunately it's really hard to find descent vegetables, fruit, etc. Also it makes me feel I'm covering the bases.  Perhaps even a placebo effect is good. 

 

Interesting enough a half hour of sun is 10,000 to 20,000 IU of vitamin D.  The recommended daily intake is 600 IU.

 

"Another study found that 30 minutes of midday summer sun exposure in Oslo, Norway was equivalent to consuming 10,000–20,000 IU of vitamin D (8Trusted Source)."

 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-from-sun#time-of-day

An unsourced post recommending various supplements and another post linking to a dubious source have been removed.

 

As many people have already mentioned and indeed even this study, there's a correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and severe Covid as well as a generally compromised immune system. What people have failed to mention is that many people actually do suffer from vitamin D deficiency. In fact, as a study on the subject concludes: "Vitamin D deficiency is the most common medical condition worldwide"

 

Source:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3126987/#:~:text=Vitamin D deficiency is the,countries (19-21).

On 9/11/2022 at 1:44 PM, Neeranam said:

Don't believe a word, I'm going out to the pool. 

And in doing so you will pick up enough vitamin D for the day in about 15 minutes.