Specialists and six medical associations are asking to increase the use of vitamin D for the entire French population in order to "reduce infection" by the coronavirus.
The signatories are based on scientific studies.
73 specialist doctors and six medical associations called on Tuesday "to supplement the entire French population with vitamin D" in a preventive manner, believing that numerous scientific data show that this "could help reduce infection" by the coronavirus.
"A growing number of scientific studies show that vitamin D supplementation (without replacing vaccination) could help reduce Sars-CoV-2 infection as well as the risk of severe forms of Covid-19, resuscitation and death, "say the signatories, including" university professors of different medical specialties "as well as the French societies of endocrinology, pediatrics and geriatrics and gerontology.
>> LIVE
- Coronavirus: follow the evolution of the situation Tuesday, January 19
Also, they "call for the French population as a whole to be supplemented with vitamin D (and not only the elderly or at risk of severe form of Covid-19)", "before any infection with Sars-CoV-2", to through "a prescription by the attending physician".
"40 to 50% of the population" is deficient in vitamin D
"40% to 50% of the French population" has a vitamin D deficiency, "and even more in people at risk of severe forms of Covid-19", recalls the text.
And "in the event of a proven infection", they recommend "high-dose vitamin D supplementation" as soon as the diagnosis of Covid-19 is made, to "obtain a satisfactory vitamin D status as quickly as possible".
This call follows a "consensus article" by the same organizations, published on January 8 in the specialist publication
La Revue du practitioner
, which takes stock of the scientific data available on vitamin D and Covid-19.
CORONAVIRUS ESSENTIALS
> Covid-19 vaccines: what do we really know about their side effects?
> What do we know about "long Covid", these patients who are going through hell?
> These three facets of the coronavirus that you may not have heard of
> When are we in contact?
And other questions that we ask ourselves every day
> Coronavirus: the 5 mistakes not to make with your mask
Ongoing clinical trials
"Large-scale clinical trials" are also underway, including one coordinated by the Angers University Hospital, which is testing "the effect of a very high dose of vitamin D (...) on the risk of deaths from Covid-19 in frail elderly people who have contracted the infection ".
Vitamin D is a hormone that can be found in food, but which is mainly synthesized in the body under the action of sunlight.
Its natural production is "almost zero at French latitudes" during the winter period.
It is involved in the absorption of calcium by the intestines and a sufficient amount of vitamin D is necessary to ensure proper calcification of the bones.
But it also plays a role in the immune system and influences the action of many genes.
In particular, it regulates the production of an enzyme present on the membrane of cells (ACE2), which constitutes the entry point of the coronavirus into cells.
"Although it should not be considered as a weapon of the same level as vaccination or barrier gestures, vitamin D supplementation could be a useful adjuvant", especially since it does not present any risk "in doses adapted ", concludes the call.