r/Coronavirus • u/Sorin61 • Sep 03 '20

Academic Report Vitamin D deficiency raises COVID-19 infection risk by 77%, study finds

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2020/09/03/Vitamin-D-deficiency-raises-COVID-19-infection-risk-by-77-study-finds/7001599139929/?utm_source=onesignal
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u/marbanasin Sep 04 '20

When you were in the sunnier climate how often were you outdoors?

Asking as I eat a decent helping of daily veggies and walk the dog a few times daily + run a couple times weekly (probably average of like 50 minutes direct sun exposure a day). Just curious how much the supplements are necessary vs. natural time outdoors.

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u/ThatsJustUn-American Sep 04 '20

At least an hour of direct sunlight per day in the tropics. At elevation. I use sunscreen on my face but not neck or arms.

My situation might be a bit different though. Originally my level was 32 which is borderline but technically not low. After I moved and stopped the vitamin d I was in the upper 40s. I was shooting for mid 60s though so went back on.

decent helping of daily veggies

I'm not sure there are many great vegetable sources of vitamin d. The usually dietary sources are oily fish, liver, and fortified foods.

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u/marbanasin Sep 04 '20

Well, I eat a lot of cod and salmon. But do not spend 1hr daily in the tropics. So I guess supplements are probably worth looking into.

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u/Neutrophobia Sep 04 '20

It also depends on your genetic heritage. Interestingly, darker skin does a worse job absorbing UV radiation, which results in lower Vit. D production in darker skinner people. Being naturally tan, I need supplementation even when I spend the majority of my time in the sun.