British doctors are calling for the introduction of vitamin D in staple foods to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection

UK specialists are calling on authorities to supplement staple foods with a vitamin D complex to prevent infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The method is used in many countries, because in the absence of vitamin D the body is much more prone to infections.

The UK is experiencing an accelerated increase in COVID-19 cases. Since the start of the pandemic, specialists have recommended vitamin D supplements to support the immune system in the cold months.

However, most people don’t use supplements, so specialists are asking authorities to add vitamin D to the composition of staple foods, such as bread and milk.

Healthcare professionals in the UK draw attention to the vitamin D deficiency which affects nearly half of the country’s population. Due to the lack of sunshine, the body’s main supplier of vitamin D, it is recommended to take vitamin D supplements from September to March, notes The Guardian.

According to studies, vitamin D deficiency predisposes the body to infections. Last week, researchers in Spain concluded that 82% of coronavirus patients in a sample of 216 participants had a vitamin D deficiency.

The practice of introducing vitamins into the composition of staple foods is common in countries such as Finland, Sweden, Australia and Canada. In the UK, however, the Department of Public Health has rejected such initiatives for over a decade.

Some foods, such as grains and mushrooms, are already enriched with vitamin D. In the UK, flour is enriched with a vitamin B complex. A 2019 study from the University of Birmingham shows that the number of people suffering from vitamin deficiency La D could decrease by 25% if the flour were enriched with a vitamin D complex.

However, the discussion is far from over – while some research shows that low vitamin D levels can lead to a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus or suffering more severe effects of the infection, others say vitamin D supplements have a little or no effect on Covid-19, influenza and other respiratory diseases.

Two things are clear: Vitamin D deficiency lowers the body’s immunity, but excess vitamin D is also harmful: the accumulation of calcium in the blood can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness, frequent urination, excessive thirst, sore upset stomach, dizziness and confusion and in some cases can cause bone pain and kidney problems due to the formation of kidney stones.