Abu Dhabi study recommends boosting vitamin D to prevent severe COVID-19 cases

Abu Dhabi study recommends boosting vitamin D to prevent severe COVID-19 cases

The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DoH) in a latest update has encouraged the community to boost their vitamin D levels as a preventive tool against COVID-19 infection and to ensure immunity.According to a report by Emirates News Agency, this update is based on findings from a local study that has demonstrated a strong association between vitamin D levels and COVID-19 severity and mortality among a sample of affected people in the UAE.

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The newly published study, conducted by Dr. Habiba Al Safar, an Emirati research scholar, and Dr. Fatme Al Anouti, Associate Professor of Clinical Biochemistry at Zayed University, has been approved by Abu Dhabi Health Research Ethics Committee - Abu Dhabi.

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Several international studies have documented the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and severity of viral infections, such as influenza.In addition to this, there is increasing evidence from studies around the world that indicates that lower vitamin D levels are commonly associated with risk of acquiring, and dying from, COVID-19 among hospitalized patients.The local study led by Dr. Al Safar and Dr. Al Anouti examined samples of 522