Published: 4 March 2021
Public Health Wales has published a series of FAQs on vitamin D in relation to Coronavirus. The FAQs are based on recent guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which reviewed evidence from studies investigating vitamin D and Coronavirus from across the world.
An accompanying briefing document for healthcare professionals is also available. This summarises the evidence review conducted by NICE for its rapid guideline on COVID-19 and vitamin D (NG187). The review investigated the role of vitamin D in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, as well as the evidence for the association of vitamin D status with susceptibility to COVID-19, severity of COVID-19, and outcomes of COVID-19.
The guidance from NICE concludes that there is not enough evidence to recommend vitamin D with the sole purpose of preventing or treating Coronavirus.
The guidance also emphasises current government advice that vitamin D supplements should be taken through the autumn and winter months in order to promote healthy muscles and bones.
Dr Emily Clark, Speciality Registrar, Public Health Wales, said:
“Vitamin D is important for the health of our muscles and bones. Since we get most of our vitamin D from exposure to sunlight, we recommend people take supplements through the autumn and winter. This has been especially important while we’ve been spending more time indoors than usual.
“However, there is not enough evidence to recommend vitamin D for the prevention or treatment of Coronavirus. We will continue to monitor the research in this area, but for now our advice remains unchanged: the only way for us to protect ourselves and our loved ones is to follow the Coronavirus guidelines.”
While there is currently not enough evidence to prove whether vitamin D affects the body’s response to COVID-19, government advice does recommend supplements as a means of preventing vitamin D deficiency. A dose of 10 micrograms (400 units) per day is recommended between October and March. For those with darker skin and for those who spend their time indoors, supplementation is recommended year round.
Studies into the role of vitamin D in the body’s response to Coronavirus are ongoing. Public Health Wales will continue to review the research in this area and update the FAQs with any new findings.
The FAQs are available here:
The briefing document for healthcare professionals summarising the findings of the evidence review used to support the NICE Guideline NG187 is available here: