https://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/No%20evidence%20vitamin%20D%20affects%20COVID%20severity%20in%20people%20of%20European%20ancestry%20%E2%80%93%20new%20study Exit Menu * Staff intranet * Student intranet * Accessibility toolbar Brunel logo Brunel logo Toggle navigation Search * Study * Back + Foundation + Brunel in 2020/21 + Find your course + How to apply + Brunel Pathway College + Undergraduate + Brunel in 2020/21 + Find your course + Open days + Fees, funding and scholarships + How to apply + After you have applied + Information for parents + Information for Schools and Colleges + Higher and Degree Apprenticeships + Postgraduate + Brunel in 2020/21 + Find your course + Open evenings + Fees, funding and scholarships + How to apply + After you have applied + January Welcome Week + Graduate School + Higher and Degree Apprenticeships + Brunel Online + International + Brunel in 2020/21 + Fees, funding and scholarships + Your country + Visas advice and support + How to apply + After you have applied + January Welcome Week + Study abroad and exchange + Brunel Language Centre + Advisors Zone + Global Engagement * Subjects * Back + Subjects + Advanced Clinical Practice + Aerospace Engineering + Anthropology + Biomedical Sciences + Brunel Business School + Chemical Engineering + Civil Engineering + Communication and Media Studies + Computer Science + Creative Writing + Design + Digital Media + Economics and Finance + Education + Electronic and Electrical Engineering + English + Environmental Sciences + Film Studies + Flood and Coastal Engineering + Games Design + Global Challenges + History + Journalism + Law + Life Sciences + Mathematics + Mechanical and Automotive Engineering + Medicine + Music + Nursing + Occupational Therapy + Physician Associate + Physiotherapy + Politics and International Relations + Psychology + Public Health and Health Promotion + Social Work + Sociology + Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences + Theatre * Campus life * Back + Campus life + Campus tour + Accommodation + Sport + Student life: Get involved + Student Charter + Shops, restaurants and bars + Your Voice Counts + Study support + Library + Computer Centre + Academic Skills Service + Examinations + Academic English + Student Services + Advice and Representation Centre (ARC) + Disability and Mental Health Support + Faith and Religion + Medical Centre + Student Support and Welfare + Professional Development Centre + Job Shop + Careers + Placements + Modern languages + Entrepreneur hub + Brunel Buddies * Research * Back + Research + Research homepage + Research environment + Research A-Z + Research Institutes + College Research Centres + Brunel People + PhDs & Research degrees + Research Excellence Framework + Research integrity code + Research news and events + Brunel University Research Repository * Global * Back + Global Engagement + Our partners and networks + International students + Study abroad and exchange + Global alumni * Business services * Back + Business services + Business advice and support + Higher and Degree Apprenticeships + Employing our students + Research and development + Facilities and services + Procurement services + Help for SMEs + Health and safety training + Business newsletter + Support Brunel + Contact us * News and Events * Alumni * Back + Brunel Alumni + Join the alumni network + Benefits and discounts + New graduates + Meet our alumni + Giving back to Brunel + Guide our students + Make a gift to Brunel + Fundraise for Brunel + Make a gift + Contact us + FAQs + News and events + Awards, certificates and verifications + Privacy policy * About * Back + About + Finding us + Contact us + Principal Officers + Our history + Brunel 2030 + Governance + Administration + Admissions + Quality and standards + Equality and diversity + Timetabling + Education innovation + Access and Participation + Work for us + Term dates + Environment + Brunel Partners Academic Centre for Health Sciences + Civic Engagement + Public Engagement + Public Lecture Series + Coronavirus information + Colleges + College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences + College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences + College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences Search [ ] [search] More in this sectionOpen * Home * News and Events * News * No evidence vitamin D affects COVID severity in people of European ancestry - new study No evidence vitamin D affects COVID severity in people of European ancestry - new study Share this By Tim Pilgrim 18 Jan 2021 fotios vitamin d 920x540 Shutterstock | Alrandir The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has seen a wide variety of untested off-the-shelf COVID treatments suggested - from Trump's infamous disinfectants to more traditional herbal remedies, the idea of a simple protection from the deadly disease has proven an appealing one. Amongst these suggestions though, it's vitamin D that has gained the most column inches in recent weeks, with a number of prominent MPs currently campaigning for its wider use. Now however, a new study from geneticists at Brunel University London, published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health, has found there to be no evidence that a person's vitamin D levels affects how severely they suffer from contracting COVID-19. fotios vitamin IN1 Vitamin D is created naturally by the body using sunlight and is particularly important for bone health. Whilst some previous studies have suggested a link between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 mortality rates, the NHS currently stops short of recommending it as a treatment against the disease, although they do recommend that people should consider taking vitamin D supplements to make up for a lack of sunshine during lockdown "All of our work is based on the idea that correlation is not causation," said project-lead Dr Fotios Drenos, a senior lecturer in genetic epidemiology at Brunel. "There are lots of studies available at the moment, but they solely correlate between Vitamin D and COVID. "For example, there are studies that say that those that die have lower levels of vitamin D, and that's true. But those that die also tend to be older - they're kept at home and they're inside. They're not young, active people spending their day outside. That was the problem we were trying to address, what is correlation and what is causation." Using data from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative and the UK Biobank, and a process known as Mendelian Randomisation, the team set out to determine whether an individual's genetic predisposition for high or low levels of vitamin D had an effect on how badly they suffered the effects of COVID-19. Whereas the 'gold standard' test of a randomised controlled trial would split a real-world group in two and give half vitamin D and half a placebo, Mendelian Randomisation creates its split using people's inbuilt genetics. The scientists identify the genes associated with vitamin D - some people are predisposed to lower levels, whilst others naturally have higher levels - and then investigate whether those two groups are affected by COVID differently. "So, essentially you have two groups that have been randomly selected by nature, as it were, because of their genes," said Hasnat Amin, a doctoral researcher at Brunel. "We can then compare the rates of COVID-19 between those two groups, and if we find an association we can say it is causal, because there are no other differences between the two groups. "If the only difference is that one group has good vitamin D genetics and the other group has bad vitamin D genetics, and there is a difference in how severely they get COVID, you can say that there is evidence of a causal relationship, and if there isn't a difference, you can say there is no evidence of a causal relationship. We found no evidence of a causal relationship." The study only covers people of European ancestry due to the datasets that were available to the researchers, who say their results aren't necessarily applicable to other groups because of how a person's skin-colour naturally affects their levels of vitamin D. The study of genetics can be very highly skewed towards people from European ancestry as the data used is most frequently collected from Europeans or Americans of European decent. "For many things, what we see in one population is relatively similar to the other populations," said Dr Drenos. "But especially in the case of vitamin D, skin colour, cultural differences and how people are exposed to the sun makes it difficult to say if our findings apply to everyone." The team are keen to stress though that they don't seek to discourage people taking vitamin D supplements, which can have other positive health effects: "But if they do choose to take vitamin D, there is no evidence it'll protect them from COVID 19 and they should keep following existing guidance to stay safe," said Dr Drenos. For further information on Genetics at Brunel, please visit brunel.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/biomedical-sciences-genetics-bsc Reported by: Tim Pilgrim, Media Relations +44 (0)1895 268965 tim.pilgrim@brunel.ac.uk Brunel logo Brunel logo #DiscoverBrunel * Student Intranet * Staff Intranet * Freedom of Information * Press & Media * Terms & conditions * Accessibility * Privacy * Transparency information * Open Days * Order a prospectus * Computer Centre * Library * Professional Development Centre * Students' Union * Jobs Brunel University London Kingston Lane Uxbridge Middlesex UB8 3PH Tel: +44 (0)1895 274000 Fax: +44 (0)1895 232806 Security: +44 (0)1895 255786 Directions to the campus ///legend.duty.impact Brunel logo * Snapchat * Instagram * Facebook * Twitter * YouTube * Linked In * Flickr (c) Brunel University London Share Brunel.ac.uk uses cookies to make our site better for you. 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