Int J Mol Med . Potential immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D in the prevention of severe coronavirus disease 2019: An ally for Latin America (Review)

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Int J Mol Med


. 2021 Apr;47(4):32.
doi: 10.3892/ijmm.2021.4865. Epub 2021 Feb 4.
Potential immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D in the prevention of severe coronavirus disease 2019: An ally for Latin America (Review)


Francisco Javier Turrubiates-Hern?ndez ¹ , Gabriela Athziri S?nchez-Zuno ¹ , Guillermo Gonz?lez-Estevez ¹ , Jorge Hern?ndez-Bello ¹ , Gabriela Macedo-Ojeda ¹ , Jos? Francisco Mu?oz-Valle ¹



Affiliations

• PMID: 33537824
• DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2021.4865

Abstract

Currently, the world is under a pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2), responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19). This disease is characterized by a respiratory syndrome that can progress to an acute respiratory distress syndrome. To date, limited effective therapies are available for the prevention or treatment of COVID‑19; therefore, it is necessary to propose novel treatment options with immunomodulatory effects. Vitamin D serves functions in bone health and has been recently reported to exert protective effects against respiratory infections. Observational studies have demonstrated an association between vitamin D deficiency and a poor prognosis of COVID‑19; this is alarming as vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem. In Latin America, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is unknown, and currently, this region is in the top 10 according to the number of confirmed COVID‑19 cases. Supplementation with vitamin D may be a useful adjunctive treatment for the prevention of COVID‑19 complications. The present review provides an overview of the current knowledge of the potential immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D in the prevention of COVID‑19 and sets out vitamin D recommendations for the Latin American population.