Does Vitamin D play a role in the management of Covid-19 in Brazil?

• Autor(a) principal: Ribeiro, Helena
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Outros Autores: Santana, Keila Valente de Souza de, Oliver, Sofia Lizarralde, Rondó, Patricia Helen de Carvalho, Mendes, Marcela Moraes, Charlton, Karen, Lanham-New, Susan
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista de Saúde Pública
• DOI: 10.11606/s1518-8787.2020054002545
• Texto Completo: https://www.revistas.usp.br/rsp/article/view/172236
• topic: Coronavirus Infections; prevention & control; Vitamin D; Review

The study discusses the possible role of adequate vitamin D status in plasma or serum for preventing acute respiratory infections during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our arguments respond to an article, published in Italy, that describes the high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in older Italian women and raises the possible preventive and therapeutic role of optimal vitamin D levels. Based on literature review, we highlight the findings regarding the protective role of vitamin D for infectious diseases of the respiratory system. However, randomized controlled trials are currently lacking. Adequate vitamin D status is obtained from sun exposure and foods rich in vitamin D. Studies in Brazil have shown that hypovitaminosis D is quite common in spite of high insolation. Authors recommend ecological, epidemiological and randomized controlled trials studies to verify this hypothesis.