Vitamin D nemesis of COVID-19

Abstract

The surge in the spread of the corona virus disease (COVID-19) pandemic alerted us to opt for the preventive medicine, as prevention is always better than cure. Apart from wearing mask, frequent hand washing and social distancing, strengthening our immune response plays a pivotal role in preventing infections. Vitamin D not only aids in calcium and phosphate homeostasis but also acts as an immunomodulator; the deficiency of which is linked with various respiratory and systemic infections. Hence we took up this review to study the effect of vitamin D in corona illness. Vitamin D exerts the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, hinders zinc metabolism, lowers Interleukin 6 levels and thereby inhibits cytokine storm in covid patients. Studies have proved that the covid patients have vitamin D deficiency and its supplementation improves the disease severity as well as the length of hospital stay. To conclude, Vitamin D supplementation can protect as well as halt the progression of corona virus disease. Further trials are needed to set the therapeutic levels in various stages of corona illness.