Researchers are investigating whether increasing your intake of vitamin D can reduce the severity of any Covid-19 symptoms that sufferers have, after noticing that the sickest patients often have the lowest levels of vitamin D.
They have also spotted in data analysis that countries with higher death rates from Coronavirus are also countries with the highest rates of vitamin D deficiency.
More research is being undertaken urgently, but early thoughts are that higher rates of vitamin D could inhibit the cytokine storms, where the immune system over-reacts to the virus and attacks the body itself.
A team from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn looked at experience in 19 European countries, their average vitamin D content in the blood and their rates of Covid-19 cases and deaths.
There has also been analysis from Northwestern University, in Louisiana and Texas in the USA, in Indonesia and Ireland.
We will report more as we hear, but in the meantime, increase your vitamin D intake.