Scientists have found that vitamin D functions to reduce inflammation caused by immune cells that might be relevant to the responses during severe COVID-19.

These are important cells of the immune system and implicated as part of the immune response to the infection causing COVID-19.

The team led by Purdue University studied and analysed individual lung cells from eight people with COVID.

Finding that viruses can trigger a biochemical pathway, known as the immune complement system, the researchers started looking for ways to disrupt that pathway and ameliorate the subsequent inflammation.

"In normal infections, Th1 cells, a subset of T cells, go through a pro-inflammatory phase," said Majid Kazemian, assistant professor in the departments of Computer Science and Biochemistry at Purdue University.

In patients with COVID-19, the pro-inflammatory phase of the Th1 cells seems not switched off, possibly because the patients didn't have enough vitamin D in their system or because something about the cell's response to vitamin D was abnormal.

In that case, the researchers posit, adding vitamin D to existing treatments in the form of a prescribed highly concentrated intravenous metabolite may further help people recover from COVID infections, though they have not tested this theory.

"We do not recommend the use of normal vitamin D off the shelf at the pharmacy. No one should be taking more than the recommended doses of vitamin D in an attempt to prevent or combat COVID infections."

Further research, especially clinical trials, and testing in patients, are necessary before this can be adopted as a treatment option, Kazemian said.

(This story was published from a syndicated feed. Only the headline and picture has been edited by FIT)