People With Low Vitamin D More Likely to Die From CCP Virus, Study Finds

A new study indicated that people with low vitamin D levels are more likely to die from CCP Virus.

Published: 5/4/2020, 4:25:54 PM EDT

People With Low Vitamin D More Likely to Die From CCP Virus, Study Finds — Packages containing health supplements line shelves at a drugstore in Berlin, Germany, on June 12, 2012. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

People who have a low level of vitamin D are more likely to die from the CCP virus, according to a preliminary study.

The study, which hasn't been peer-reviewed, sought to look for a correlation between vitamin D in various countries and its relationship with the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19.

"The primary aims of this study are to assess if there is any association between the mean levels of vitamin D in various countries and the mortality caused by COVID–19. The secondary aim was to identify if there is any association between the mean vitamin D levels in various countries and the number of cases of COVID–19," the study stated.

In the study, researchers at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation Trust and the University of Anglia in England compared the average level of vitamin D of people in 20 European countries, and a significant correlation was found between the average levels of vitamin D and the number of CCP virus cases, including deaths caused by the virus.

Two elderly people infected with COVID-19 hold hands while being transported by Red Cross volunteers from the Pyrenees residence to another residence where there are only infected with CCP virus in Zaragoza, Spain, on April 28, 2020. (Alvaro Calvo/Getty Images) — Two elderly people infected with COVID-19 hold hands while being transported by Red Cross volunteers from the Pyrenees residence to another residence where there are only infected with CCP virus in Zaragoza, Spain, on April 28, 2020. Alvaro Calvo/Getty Images

According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D is a nutrient that helps promote healthy bodies and strong bones, as it helps the body absorb calcium. It is commonly found in certain foods, and the body produces vitamin D when exposed to the sunlight.

The preliminary study showed that people in Spain and Italy have severe vitamin D deficiency, and similarly, people in the Nordic regions also suffer from vitamin D deficiency.

Researchers also found that in Switzerland, the average level of vitamin D of seniors living in nursing homes is severely low. It also stated that 76 percent of women over the age of 70 in Italy are deficient in vitamin D.

"These are countries with high number of cases of COVID–19 and the aging people is the group with the highest risk for morbidity and mortality with SARS-Cov2," the study stated.

A previous research study concluded that vitamin D supplements were able to protect people against overall acute respiratory tract infections, are safe for people to take, and are particularly beneficial for people who are vitamin D deficient.

"We believe, that we can advise Vitamin D supplementation to protect against COVID-19 infection," the preliminary study stated.