UF data study: Vitamin D deficiency tied to increased COVID-19 risk

Patients with a vitamin D deficiency were four times more likely to be COVID-19 positive than those with a sufficient amount of the crucial vitamin, a University of Florida research team has found. And African American patients with insufficient vitamin D levels were three times more likely to be infected by the coronavirus.

Insufficient vitamin D has been linked with respiratory infections, and research suggests vitamin D treatment may help lessen symptoms of COVID-19. African Americans are disproportionally affected by COVID-19 and vitamin D deficiency compared to other races for a variety of reasons including skin pigmentation, which reduces vitamin D production.

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