Vitamine D: De motorolie voor ons afweersysteem - Bert Hubert's writings
a day ago
- Vitamin D is essential for the immune system, likened to motor oil for a car, but it is not a cure-all; a deficiency can impair immune function.
- Observational studies found that low vitamin D levels are linked to many diseases (cancer, heart disease, COVID-19), but early large-scale trials with vitamin D pills showed weak results because they included people without deficiencies.
- Newer, smarter trials targeting individuals with suspected low vitamin D found that supplementation reduces respiratory infections (including COVID-19) by 50-75%, and hospital COVID-19 patients given fast-acting vitamin D had 26 times fewer ICU admissions.
- Vitamin D status is influenced by sun exposure, diet, skin color, weight, age, and lifestyle; those with risk factors (overweight, dark skin, indoor lifestyle, winter) likely have a deficiency and benefit most from supplements.
- The recommended supplement is vitamin D3, with daily doses of at least 1000 IU (25 mcg) for most, and up to 3000 IU (75 mcg) for those with higher risk, taken with breakfast.