How vitamin D can help D-feat COVID-19

When Cab Calloway sings the refrain "hi-dee hi-dee hi-dee hi" in the classic jazz song "Minnie the Moocher" he's not advocating that you take high doses of vitamin D supplements. But it turns out, that would be good advice - especially these days. A new study published in the journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research found a correlation between low blood levels of vitamin D and susceptibility to and death from COVID-19.

It's been previously reported that low vitamin D levels are associated with the risk of contracting a respiratory infection, because D affects how your body's white blood cells battle invading microbes. It also helps control the release of inflammation-triggering cytokines - an over-the-top cytokine storm is what tips some COVID-19 infections into the danger zone.

So, we recommend you take a 1,000 IU D3 supplement daily and make sure to eat foods that provide around another 1,000 IU a day. Some ideas:

A 3.5-ounce serving of farmed Atlantic salmon delivers around 525 IU of vitamin D; wild-caught salmon amps that up to 988 IU per serving. Canned light tuna has around 270 IU in 3.5 ounces.

Wild mushrooms such as morels and chanterelles are loaded with vitamin D. Some sources have 2,300 IU in 3.5 ounces. Farmed cremini mushrooms treated with ultraviolet light offer you a substantial part of your needed boost, too.

One cup of unsweetened soy milk can deliver 107 to 117 IU. A cup of almond milk may contain around 100 IU.

Fortified tofu and breakfast cereals also are good sources.

 

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of "The Dr. Oz Show," and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into "The Dr. Oz Show" or visit sharecare.com.

 

(c)2020 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.

 

King Features Syndicate

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