Vitamin D, which is primarily related to bone and mineral metabolism, has shown promising results in COVID-19 treatment, said doctors of the PGI Hospital on 5th July.

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But they warned against the use of its high doses, especially injectable preparations, to prevent the virus. Summarising the available clinical evidence, the doctors at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research have published a study in the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation entitled "Vitamin D supplementation and clinical outcomes in COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis". The study was conducted by Rimesh Pal, Mainak Banerjee, Sanjay K. Bhadada, Anirudh J. Shetty, Birgurman Singh and Abhinav Vyas.

"Pooled data from 13 studies showed that vitamin D supplemented after the diagnosis of COVID-19 leads to improved clinical outcomes in terms of reduced mortality and/or intensive care unit admission," Prof Sanjay K. Bhadada, PGI's Head of Endocrinology Department, told the media. The study lends ample support to the fact that vitamin D can be used as an effective adjuvant treatment modality in patients hospitalised with COVID-19. The anti-viral and the immunomodulatory role of vitamin D are perhaps helpful in this regard.

Nevertheless, the irrational and rampant use of vitamin D to prevent COVID-19 should not be the norm. "The use of vitamin D in high doses, especially injectable preparations, to prevent COVID-19 should be strongly discouraged. Vitamin D supplemented prior to the diagnosis of COVID-19, was not found to improve clinical outcomes in our meta-analysis. Instead, overuse can lead to vitamin D toxicity," added Bhadada and Rimesh Pal.