Sat, Feb-06-21, 06:13
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Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: UK
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Quote:
UK keeping research on link between vitamin D and Covid under review
Matt Hancock asks PHE and Nice to keep reviewing emerging evidence as authorities encourage use of supplements
The link between vitamin D and Covid is being kept under review by the UK health secretary as more studies suggest that having low levels of the “sunshine hormone” raises the risk of death.
Matt Hancock has asked the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), which sets NHS England clinical guidelines, and Public Health England (PHE) to keep researching emerging evidence, after the authorities began “encouraging” people to take vitamin D supplements rather than merely “advising” it.
Nice has twice said there was not sufficient causal evidence to support the use of vitamin D in high doses in hospitals to treat or prevent the respiratory illness.
However, recent pilot and observational studies have suggested positive effects. A Queen Mary University of London study recently found that vitamin D supplementation significantly protects against respiratory illness.
But experts do not believe sufficient evidence has emerged since the last review to make Nice recommend its use in clinical settings, given the parameters it requires, and called for the government to urgently fund high-quality research amid an apparent global reluctance.
Prof Jon Rhodes, an emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Liverpool, said: “It is clearly established that vitamin D deficiency is common in the UK, particularly at this time of year, and it is associated with immune dysfunction that can be corrected by supplementation that is cheap and safe.
“Even if evidence suggesting that vitamin D deficiency increases risk of severe Covid-19 is largely indirect, to ignore it is taking a foolish and unnecessary risk.”
The Lancet said in an editorial on vitamin D last month: “In an ideal world, all health decisions would be made based on overwhelming evidence, but a time of crisis may call for a slightly different set of rules.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Evidence of the link of vitamin D to Covid-19 is still being researched and we keep all strong evidence on treatments under review.”
Hancock has said previously that “a number of studies indicate vitamin D might have a positive impact in protecting against Covid-19”, while PHE for the first time last month said it may reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...min-d-and-covid |