There have been a number of studies examining the linkages between vitamins and COVID-19, but little attention has been paid to whether a personalized vitamin would be superior to an off-the-shelf vitamin as a wellness measure that may help reduce the risk of infection. A personalized vitamin is carefully curated in terms of nutritional composition and dosing to reflect individual health and lifestyle needs. Frequently, an individual will take an online assessment of their health and lifestyle attributes to determine the vitamin that is matched to their needs. In some cases, the individual may also be asked to submit genetic or biologic material to augment their survey results. By comparison, an off-the-shelf vitamin is formulated for the mass market, typically based on classifications of age and gender. It is common to walk down the aisles of the retail store and see shelves full of men’s and women’s multivitamins. These generic vitamin formulas often have dosing calibrated to recommended daily allowances (RDA)-levels and standard diets. As a result, they often miss nuances in health and lifestyle that are critical to nutritional supplementation.
So, why does a personalized vitamin matter in this period of COVID-19? If you were to take a standard, off-the-shelf multivitamin, for example, you might only get 400 IU of Vitamin-D. To correct a deficiency, you commonly need a range of 800-2,000 IU of Vitamin D. A personalized vitamin, by assessing your individual needs for Vitamin D, can help put you in the acceptable range of dosing. This is important because the best emerging studies are starting to show linkages between Vitamin D and COVID-19 infection. Leading studies looking at data from European countries seem to indicate that countries with lower Vitamin D levels were hit harder with higher infection rates and severity. A recent study that took place at the University of Chicago, led by Dr. David Meltzer, found that Vitamin D deficient individual had a relative risk of nearly 2 times greater in their propensity to test positive for COVID-19. And, historical studies of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic also noted correlation between sun exposure, a main source of Vitamin D, and severity rates for the disease.
In the current pandemic, we are observing COVID-19 having a disproportionate impact on Black and Latino populations, which is not surprising given these ethnicities with darker skin tones have more difficulty absorbing Vitamin D from the sun. Melatonin in their skin effectively blocks absorption of vitamin D from sunlight and conversion of Vitamin D to its active form. Many if not most Americans have some measure of vitamin D deficiency if they are not taking a supplement but people with darker skin tend to have lower baseline levels of vitamin D and require greater doses of vitamin D supplementation to correct the deficiency.
A personalized approach to supplementation will examine these components:
- Vitamin D3 is a vitamin with demonstrated benefit for immune regulation (white blood cells which shield us from infection actually have Vitamin D receptors on them).
- Vitamin C also plays a key role in supporting overall immune health. Taking safe and appropriate doses is important.
- Zinc can be helpful in the short term for reducing respiratory symptoms. We do not recommend taking zinc all the time, but during times of illness it may help shorten the duration of symptoms.
- Listen closely to the Experts. Vitamins alone do not prevent or treat COVID-19. Follow all the national and your local level advisements re social distancing, hand washing and infection control. Likewise, when figuring out what vitamins to take listen to credible sources. As doctors, we feel strongly about listening to the medical evidence.
- B vitamins also serve a role in metabolism, nerve function and overall health. Many people may benefit from taking various doses of certain key B vitamins.
- Magnesium is an important electrolyte that can help with heart health, muscle symptoms and other concerns.
- Iron helps with oxygen transportation. If you are low in iron you may benefit from iron supplementation because it will help with this important task.
- Take a personalized approach to vitamins. We all want to be healthy but doing so has different implications for different people. You do not need the same exact vitamins as your friends or neighbors. What you personally take depends on who you are, your diet, lifestyle and specific health concerns.
- An online vitamin quiz is a great way to figure out your individual vitamin needs and get a safe and effective daily custom vitamin routine.
- Be forewarned, more is not always better. Many “health influencers” with questionable credentials are touting super high doses of vitamins. These are not medically sound and can cause harm. Yes, vitamin overdoses are a thing and can send you to the hospital. Be careful with these over-the-counter medications!
Increasingly, the media and the public are starting to recognize the importance of vitamins to respiratory infections, including COVID-19. However, running out to your nearest retail store and stocking up on standard multivitamins will not necessarily optimize your wellness efforts. Neither will going overboard on Vitamin C, Zinc, and other vitamins mentioned as immune support resources. It is critical to find the happy medium of taking a vitamin, but one customized to your individual profile inclusive of diet, fitness, demographics, health history, health status, and medications. Find a personalized vitamin company that you trust, ideally one led by credentialed physicians, and kick start your wellness journey.