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It is now proven in the medical community that vitamin D is not just a vitamin that prevents rickets, as we initially believed, but a hormone with multiple extraskeletal actions that we are constantly discovering.

It exerts its action through binding to intranuclear receptors, interfering with the expression of our genetic material with a strong and catalytic effect mainly on our immune system.

Scientific data indicate that levels of 25OHD3 vitamin D > 50 ng/ml shield the immune system from viral and microbial infections, even preventing the connection of viruses and microbes with human cells, but also protecting against autoimmune diseases.

Regarding the pandemic from the new coronavirus, from the data so far, it is quite likely that the cataclysmic pneumonia to which the COVID-19 disease leads is mainly due to an uncontrolled overreaction of our immune system.

It also appears that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for both infection by the virus and the occurrence of serious pulmonary disease. It is therefore crucial to shield the population with vitamin D in view of the pandemic.

It is a fact that modern lifestyles have led to an almost universal deficiency of vitamin D.

It is known that only 10-20% of the required vitamin D needs can be met from dietary sources and the remaining 80-90% is naturally produced in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet B solar radiation.

In the modern world, children and adults play, work and exercise mainly indoors, while high-index sunscreens are widely used to prevent melanoma.

In lock-down conditions, such as today’s, the production of vitamin D in our skin has virtually been reduced to zero. In addition, our diet today is poor in fresh open-sea fish, fresh eggs and fresh milk from free-range animals (x 10 richer in vitamin D). Also, even sunny countries, such as Greece, have a high rate of vitamin D deficiency, as the angle of incidence of the sun’s rays from autumn to summer does not lead to sufficient production of vitamin D with normal sun exposure.

Based on the above, WE ENCOURAGE ALL ADULTS, ADOLESCENTS AND CHILDREN such as:

Unless they are already taking vitamin D under our instructions or under the instructions of a specialist endocrinologist, or if for a specific reason another specific medical instruction has been given (e.g. in the very rare case of hypersensitivity to vitamin D).

They will start immediately and blindly (without laboratory measurement) an initial loading dose and then maintenance with:

• Adolescents and adults: 8000-10000 IU of cholecalciferol daily for 2 months and then 4000-5000/day continuously
• Children over 4 years old: 6000 IU for 2 months and then 3000/day continuously
• Children 1-4 years old: 5000 IU for 2 months and then 2500/day continuously
• Infants 6-12 months old: a) if exclusively breastfed 3000 IU for 2 months and then 1500/day continuously – b) if on breast milk substitute: 2000 IU for 2 months and then 1000/day continuously
• Infants < 6 months: 2000 IU for 2 months and then 1000/day continuously

Loading doses are necessary if someone is not already taking a supplement to rapidly increase vitamin D levels and protect against the pandemic, while the maintenance doses we recommend ARE SAFE AND DO NOT NEED MEDICAL MONITORING, and are necessary throughout the year except for summer holidays with daily sun exposure:

“More importantly, according to the Endocrine Society’s clinical practice guidelines, doses up to 1000 IU/d for infants up to 6 months, 1500 IU/d for infants from 6 months to 1 year, 2500 IU/d for children aged 1-3 years, 3000 IU/d for children aged 4-8 years, and 4000 IU/d for everyone over 8 years can be given safely without medical supervision just to prevent vitamin D deficiency, while higher doses may be needed to correct hypovitaminosis D.”

Attached is the link to our relevant article in a major public health journal:

“The big Vitamin D mistake”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5541280/pdf/jpmph-50-4-278.pdf