What is long Covid and what are the known symptoms?
Various vitamins and minerals are vital when it comes to our health and wellbeing.
For this reason many people choose to take supplements if they feel they are not able to get enough of a certain nutrient through diet alone.
Vitamin D is one such important nutrient, known to keep our bones, teeth, muscles and immune systems healthy.
Without an adequate amount of vitamin D you can suffer a range of potentially debilitating symptoms including fatigue, muscle weakness and even bone pain among others.
Now research has shown a lack of vitamin D could expose you to the longer term complications of COVID-19.
A new study, published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, revealed that Covid patients with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to then suffer the effects of long Covid, or post-Covid syndrome.
The findings, which were also presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Istanbul this week, suggest that individuals should have their vitamin D levels checked after contracting Covid.
It comes as previous studies have shown that low vitamin D levels can increase the risk for both severe infection and death from Covid.
However, this is the first time its role in long COVID has been investigated.
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As part of this study, researchers from the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Milan examined 100 patients aged from 51 to 70 years, with and without long Covid.
They measured their vitamin D levels when first admitted to hospital for COVID-19 and six months after being discharged, and found lower vitamin D levels in patients with long Covid compared to those without.
This result was more evident in patients who experienced brain fog symptoms, such as confusion, forgetfulness and poor concentration, at the six-month follow-up.
The team included patients without any bone conditions and only those who went to hospital for COVID-19, without ending up in the intensive care units (ICUs).
Lead investigator Professor Andrea Giustina said: “Previous studies on the role of vitamin D in long Covid were not conclusive mainly due to many confounding factors.
“The highly-controlled nature of our study helps us better understand the role of vitamin D deficiency in long COVID, and establish that there is likely a link between vitamin D deficiency and long Covid.”
Although he acknowledged that larger studies are needed to confirm this link, he and his team are now focused on finding out whether vitamin D supplements can reduce the risk of long Covid.
He added: “Our study shows that COVID-19 patients with low vitamin D levels are more likely to develop long Covid but it is not yet known whether vitamin D supplements could improve the symptoms or reduce this risk altogether.”
Most of the vitamin D we need comes from sunlight, however, during the winter months the NHS recommends taking supplements to stay healthy.
Food sources of vitamin D include:
- Oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel
- Red meat
- Liver
- Egg yolks
- Fortified foods – such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals.
Symptoms of long Covid can include:
- Fatigue
- Feeling short of breath
- Loss of smell
- Muscle aches
- Problems with your memory and concentration (brain fog)
- Chest pain or tightness
- Insomnia
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Pins and needles
- Joint pain
- Depression and anxiety
- Tinnitus, earaches
- Feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite
- A high temperature, cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste
- Rashes.
If you have symptoms of long Covid you should speak to your GP.
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