The coronavirus pandemic that began in March 2020 provided the health community with significant learning opportunities about disease transmission, risk reduction and most importantly prevention. Mainly, we began to question what possible factors are we able to modify in order to reduce our risk of infection (contracting coronavirus), disease (getting sick from coronavirus), and severity of the infection.
Although social distancing measures provided a way to reduce transmission of the disease in a community based way to reduce the impact of infection, what are some of the ways we can give a boost to our immune system?
Vitamin D - an important player in the immune system
Over the last decade, there has been more research into vitamin D’s important role in fighting infections, particularly infections in the lung. In 2017, a meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal examined 25 randomized control trials where patients received vitamin D supplementation with the hopes of reducing seasonal viral respiratory infections. Overall, the collection of studies found that supplementing vitamin D, especially in people who were severely deficient, showed a strong reduction of respiratory infections.
It was not until the later part of 2020 that medical research showed promising evidence about using vitamin D to help prevent disease and severity of infection. One study in October 2020 looked at the vitamin D levels of patients that were hospitalized with coronavirus. What they found was patients with adequate levels of vitamin D levels (25-OH Vitamin D>30ng/mL) had reduced levels of inflammation responsible for a complication known as “cytokine storm,” reduced severity of infection, and most importantly, reduction of mortality. These findings help to show that vitamin D’s importance spans much broader than the health of bones and teeth, but also helps to strengthen the body’s immune response during this crucial time in history.
Vitamin K - an unexpected partner in immunity
First explained by Dr. Weston Price, a dentist who was fascinated by strong physical health and wellbeing of hunter/gatherer tribes of people around the world, vitamin K2 (at that time called Factor X) was an important nutrient in promoting strong dentition and jaw structures as well as promoting a healthy immune system and longevity. Vitamin K2 is found mainly in grass-fed animal meats and is an important cofactor for Vitamin D. When levels are normal, Vitamin K2 directs calcium into bones, and also reduces inflammation in blood vessels and the brain.
Vitamin K is also vitally important in keeping a balance between bleeding and clotting. If one was to cut themselves, Vitamin K is responsible for activating the factors necessary to stop the bleeding and prevent hemorrhage. Sometimes, this process can go into disarray in severe infection, as seen in severe cases of COVID infection. A recent study examined vitamin K levels in patients with COVID infections of varying severity, and found that having low levels of Vitamin K was associated with more severe outcomes, and higher levels of substances in the body that can potentially lead to severe clotting disorders that occur with COVID infections.
Overall, social distancing and overall hygiene techniques are vital in preventing infection and spread of COVID. We are also learning now that the variation in severity of disease from person to person is not as random as once thought. Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle with regular exercise and stress management is the first line of defense your immune system needs, and having enough of the right nutrients, specifically Vitamin D and Vitamin K, you can give your body the artillery it needs to fight through the pandemic.