It is well known that a large part of the population is undersupplied with vitamin D. Hardly anyone is outdoors without sun protection, and many people work indoors. Risk groups such as seniors and those who take certain drugs such as antiepileptics or cytostatics or suffer from diabetes, chronic gastrointestinal, liver or kidney diseases, as well as pregnant, obese and menopausal women and children. Adequate vitamin D status is not only extremely important for healthy bones and teeth, but also and above all for a well-functioning immune system. The vitamin specialist Hevert-Arzneimittel therefore offers vitamin D3 preparations with different dosages in its wide range of vitamins. This ensures that the right vitamin D3 preparation is available for the whole family.
The positive influence of the immunomodulatory effect of vitamin D on a COVID-19 disease has been discussed in the professional world for a long time. Already at the beginning of the corona pandemic, a connection between an adequate vitamin D status and an easier course of a COVID-19 infection was suspected. Because it has been observed that in patients, especially older people, infection with the virus is much more difficult if there is a vitamin D deficit. As part of a study, doctors in Barcelona then administered calcidiol, the precursor of the physiologically active vitamin D, to COVID-19 patients every day. The result: treatment with calcidiol reduced the risk of intensive care by 82%.[1] However, this release was received very cautiously due to various weaknesses. In the meantime, another study on this subject has been carried out in Israel.[2] To do this, data from 1,176 patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 between April 2020 and February 2021 were analyzed. Here, too, it could be shown that the probability of a severe course of COVID-19 was 14 times higher in people with vitamin D deficiency than in the group of those whose vitamin D status was sufficient. At the same time, the mortality rate in the vitamin D-deficient group was 25%, while it was only 2% in the vitamin D-sufficient group. The association between low vitamin D levels and severe COVID-19 progression was particularly significant in the over 50 age group. In summary, it can be said that a sufficiently high vitamin D level improves the immune system and can thus have a positive effect on the course of COVID-19 disease.
Now also vegetarian – power vitamin D for the immune system, bones and vitality
Since gelatine is a common excipient in vitamin D tablets and capsules, vegetarians in particular have a harder time finding a suitable vitamin D preparation for supplementation. Hevert has changed the formulation of its two food supplements, Vitamin D3 Hevert 2000 IU and 4000 IU, and is now offering them as vegetarian preparations. Gelatine and soybean oil, which are potential allergens, are no longer used in the new recipe. Hevert is thus launching further food supplements that are also suitable for vegetarians. Vitamin D3 Hevert 2000 IE and 4000 IE are suitable for children from the age of four and therefore for the whole family.
According to the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), a daily vitamin D intake of up to 4000 IU for adults and adolescents from the age of 11 and up to 2000 IU for children is harmless. The individually necessary dosage should be determined with the help of a blood test at the doctor’s or in the pharmacy. For the first assessment of the vitamin D status, Hevert has developed a test that is very easy to carry out at https://www.d3-aktion.hevert.de/self-test/story.html or this QR code.
Vitamin D3 K2 Hevert plus calcium and magnesium 1000 IU and 2000 IU are already available as vegetarian preparations in pharmacies. All vegetarian food supplements from the climate-neutral family business Hevert are also free of questionable colorings and preservatives, as well as sugar, lactose and gluten-free.
[1] https://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/121233/COVID-19-Vitamin-D-vermeidet-Intensivbehandlung-und-Tod-in-umstrittener-Studie
[2] Dror, A. A. et al., Pre-infection 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels and association with severity of COVID-19 illness. PLoS One (2022). Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263069
Product information
Vitamin D3 Hevert 2000 IU and Vitamin D3 Hevert 4000 IU – food supplements. Ingredients: filler microcrystalline cellulose, release agent silicon dioxide, filler cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, release agent magnesium salts of fatty acids, thickening agent sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, cholecalciferol.