Help yourself to better health
‘Eating a Mediterranean-style diet with plenty of variety is definitely important for a healthy immune system,’ advises Professor Wraith. ‘Not being overweight or obese is also a protective step as fat cells increase low levels of inflammation in the body, which can trigger the immune system to react. Exercise is part of controlling weight.’
There’s also a simple environmental factor that can help keep us all healthy: sunshine. ‘Getting outside each day for 15 minutes to get a little bit of sunlight on your arms and face will ensure sufficient levels of vitamin D3, which has an important role in our immune response,’ says Professor Wraith.
Vitamin D is made by the action of sunlight on the skin and, while it is best known for its role in forming strong bones, it is increasingly of interest in its role in the immune system’s response.
‘It has been shown that people with low vitamin D levels are more susceptible to viral respiratory infections, and taking regular supplements reduces the risk,’ says Professor Jon Rhodes, chair of the trustees at Guts UK (gutscharity.org.uk). The charity is supporting research which has shown that vitamin D levels tend to be low in people with chronic disorders of the gut, liver and pancreas, including inflammatory bowel disease.
According to Professor Rhodes, vitamin D suppresses the inflammatory response to viruses. Therefore, taking supplements might reduce the severity of Covid-19, where severe lung damage can result from an extreme inflammatory storm in response to the virus, although there is currently no direct evidence to support this theory.
Most adults in the UK are vitamin D deficient in winter, and Public Health England now recommends 10mcg a day all year round for everyone. However, Professor Rhodes says that evidence in relation to respiratory infections suggests a higher dose of 25mcg of vitamin D3 could be better, particularly in people who are deficient. Vitamin D deficiency is more common in people with dark skin (which reduces the effect of sunlight on vitamin D synthesis) and those who have diabetes, are obese or have high blood pressure, all of which are associated with increased risk of severe Covid-19.
Don’t be tempted to think more is better, though. Vitamin D is stored in the fat cells of the body and overdosing is harmful as it can cause excess calcium to build up, which can weaken bones and damage the kidneys and heart.
‘There’s a simple factor that can help keep us all healthy: sunshine’