I try to keep the focus here on music. But I've been posting from time to time about the coronavirus and vitamin D, since I see a baffling lack of attention from the media and politicians about it. Everybody's talking about a possible vaccine. But, in a sense, the vaccine is already here, and it's called vitamin D.
Multiple studies now show that it's effective against the vaccine. This new article I'm linking to describes research where having a sufficient level of vitamin D cuts the chance of getting the coronavirus by 54%, and then cuts the chance of dying if you get it by another 51%. A vaccine, if and when it comes, may not be much better than that. The FDA has already indicated they're willing to approve a vaccine that's only 50% effective.
https://news.sky.com/story/amp/coronavirus-vitamin-d-reduces-infection-and-impact-of-covid-19-studies-find-12081132
Furthermore, a significant percentage of people have vitamin D deficiency, especially those who don't spend a lot of time in the sun. So I don't understand why medical professionals aren't pushing taking vitamin D regularly as much as they push social distancing and wearing masks. The virus is at a relative lull now in the US and many other countries, but it's very likely to surge back in the cold winter months, so it's more important than ever to take care. Oh, and vitamin D helps against other viruses too. Seems like taking it is a no-brainer to me.
Anyway, back to the music.
Dr. Holick is not exactly the most widely respected authority; please do some more reading before you declare him to be a reliable authority. https://www.propublica.org/article/boston-hospital-reports-disciplining-of-renowned-child-abuse-skeptic
ReplyDeleteVitamin D is good in and of itself, but comparing it to a vaccine is rather a bit of wishful thinking, if not foolish.
Hi Paul, Keep up the great work on the music, and the research on the virus. Don't let skeptics and others who only trust "approved authorities" get you down. As you can see on major media sites they want to shut down and censor all who they don't approve of. How is that helpful? Vitamin D certainly can not hurt, and will definitely strength your immune system and general health so why wouldn't it be effective. Best, V&R
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThank you for your good advice on vitamin D
ReplyDeleteI now take it mornings and evenings
Thanks for the feedback. Stay well! :)
Delete"I see a baffling lack of attention from the media and politicians about it." --That's because they have access to medical experts with more knowledge about the dangers of the virus than some dude reading an article on the internet that reinforces a belief he already has. Perhaps the reason you have to Google "Vitamin C benefits against COVID-19" to find these articles is because it's not as important as you want it to be. The media and politicians are not out to get you.
ReplyDelete"Everybody's talking about a possible vaccine. But, in a sense, the vaccine is already here, and it's called vitamin D."--Except that's not a vaccine in any sense and to suggest it to be one is dangerous and shows you to be an ill-informed dude reading an article on the internet that reinforces a belief he already has.
ReplyDelete"I don't understand why medical professionals aren't pushing taking vitamin D regularly as much as they push social distancing and wearing masks."--Perhaps it is because they are medical professionals with more knowledge about the dangers of the virus than some dude reading an article on the internet that reinforces a belief he already has. Based on their medical expertise, I would believe they are also doing that because they understand that social distancing and wearing masks are the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the virus in situations in which you are around other people.
ReplyDelete"Seems like taking it is a no-brainer to me."--Seems like speaking with a medical professional about what is best for me and not taking medical advice from some dude reading an article on the internet that reinforces a belief he already has is a no-brainer to me.
ReplyDeleteThis is not just "reading an article on the Internet." Dr. Fauci says he's taking vitamin D to combat the virus. Trump, currently in the hospital, is taking vitamin D for it, among other things. Do some research yourself if you're so opinionated on this. Cite some actual facts and clinical studies.
DeleteYou got me. I can't find any studies that support my statement that people should consult a medical professional about what is best for them rather than taking medical advice from some dude reading an article on the internet that reinforces a belief he already has. But here's WebMD's disclaimer that says just that.
Deletehttps://www.webmd.com/about-webmd-policies/about-terms-and-conditions-of-use
As for the other "opinion" I expressed, here are the CDC's guidelines on protecting yourself and others that mentions social distancing and wearing masks are the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the virus in situations in which you are around other people.
Deletehttps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
The page does not mention Vitamin D or taking medical advice from some dude reading an article on the internet that reinforces a belief he already has.
You don't need to consult a medical professional to take vitamin D. Sheesh! There's literally no downside to taking a reasonable amount daily. And I never said do this INSTEAD of wearing a mask and social distancing. Good grief. Obviously, keep doing that and all other reasonable measures. This is one more thing you can do, if you're not doing it already.
DeleteYou called Vitamin D a vaccine for the coronavirus. You obviously don't understand how ludicrous a statement that is. As someone who does, I want people to know they shouldn't listen to the baseless conspiracy theories of some dude reading an article on the internet that reinforces a belief he already has.
DeleteI did NOT say that. You're arguing against a straw man. I merely said that when a vaccine comes, it may not be as effective as vitamin D. We'll see. For instance, remdesivir is highly touted, but so far studies show only limited effectiveness. Here's a quote:
Delete"The drug accelerated the recovery of hospitalized patients but had only a marginal benefit in the rate of death. That falls short of the magic bullet or cure that many were hoping for in Gilead’s drug."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/29/gilead-says-positive-results-coronavirus-drug-remdesivir-will-be-released-by-nih/
That would actually fall short of the effectiveness of vitamin D for those who are deficient.
Now, I hope and even assume one or more vaccines will come along that are more effective than that. But until they do, and are widely available, vitamin D is already here, it's cheap, and there are no bad side effects unless you use way too much. You can take it and a vaccine, and socially distance, and so forth. It's not an either/or thing at all, and I never said it was. So it's not a "baseless conspiracy theory." I don't get what you're so upset about. Vitamin D is about as non-controversial as it gets.
You absolutely did say that. "Everybody's talking about a possible vaccine. But, in a sense, the vaccine is already here, and it's called vitamin D." Re-read your post. And now you're saying Vitamin D accelerates the recovery of hospitalized patients and reduces the rate of death. It is not a vaccine in any sense and to suggest it to be one is dangerous and shows you to be an ill-informed dude reading an article on the internet that reinforces a belief he already has.
ReplyDeleteSigh. I said "in a sense." I was making a rhetorical point, something that seems to go over your head. I can remove that sentence if it bothers you so much. You seem to peg me for an anti-vaxxer or something, when I'm the opposite. I'm all in favor of a vaccine. But in the meantime, there's absolutely no downside to taking vitamin D. The two things don't conflict at all. Currently, Trump is taking vitamin D, zinc, aspirin, resdemisvir, and a bunch of other stuff.
DeleteAs for saying vitamin D helps reduce the rate of death, etc, I absolutely am saying that, based on published studies. Here's the opening paragraph from the article I cited above:
"Patients with sufficient levels of vitamin D are less likely to experience complications and die from COVID-19, according to a new study in the US, while another has found it also reduces infection rates."
And note the study that found the reduced rate of death comes for the Boston University School of Medicine, and has nothing to do with Dr. Holick. So yeah, of course it's not a vaccine, but it can help in the same way a vaccine can, by lowering the rate of death and so forth. One is not a substitute for the other, and both can help. That is what the current scientific evidence suggests. You keep calling that a "conspiracy theory" for some bizarre reason, while offering no facts of your own.
You also said "I see a baffling lack of attention from the media and politicians about it." and "I don't understand why medical professionals aren't pushing taking vitamin D regularly as much as they push social distancing and wearing masks." The media, politicians and medical professionals are not out to get you. To suggest otherwise are the baseless conspiracy theories of some dude reading an article on the internet that reinforces a belief he already has.
ReplyDeleteShessh! I never said they're out to get me, or anyone else! You keep putting words in my mouth. It is my opinion that vitamin D hasn't received enough attention compared to some other things. For instance, resdemisvir has received front page news for relatively modest effects. That's my opinion. Sometimes things that already exist don't get nearly as much attention as things that are brand new. It's not a freaking "conspiracy theory" just because it may differ from your opinion.
DeleteIn July you said, "the mainstream media remains so oddly silent on vitamin D that I feel obliged to say something yet again" and then here you said "I see a baffling lack of attention from the media and politicians about it." and "I don't understand why medical professionals aren't pushing taking vitamin D regularly as much as they push social distancing and wearing masks." Referring to the "mainstream media" is a dog whistle term for conspiracy theorists who believe they're not being told the truth about the virus. You're continuing that narrative here by saying Vitamin D is not getting the attention it deserves. These statements are catering to the people who only seek out articles on the internet or news media that reinforce beliefs they already have. Please stop posting about Vitamin D. People should not take medical advice from you or anyone else on the internet who is not a medical professional.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, conspiracy theorists don't have a monopoly on the term "mainstream media." It's been a common term for decades. And my opinion that vitamin D hasn't been getting the attention it deserves is hardly mine alone.
DeleteFor instance, check out this video I just found from just three days ago, so it hasn't influenced my posts about vitamin D at all. It's by Dr. John Campbell, who has gotten praise for his reasonable, mainstream views in educating the public about the virus.
Note that he starts by ssying, "The vitamin D story that we've been talking about since January or February on this channel is now just starting to filter into the popular press." Gee, that's exactly what I've been saying. iF you prefer "popular press" to "mainstream media" then fine, but it's the exact same thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B01ZlRfMnmU
Then he goes on to speculate why the media (and governments) haven't been giving vitamin D the attention it deserves, and cites yet more studies showing the efficacy of vitamin D.
Sure, I'm not a medical professional. But I'm passing on advice and research by medical professionals. If the evidence was muddled and controversial, that would be one thing, but the evidence is overwhelming and clear that taking vitamin D is a good thing. You've never actually said it isn't, I've noticed. So I don't understand what you're so upset about. You keep twisting my words about the way I worded a couple of things, but you've never disputed my overall point, which is that taking vitamin D can help with the virus, and has no downside.
You are not an expert and therefore should not be picking out pieces of medical advice you like to share with people. This random guy you found on YouTube is not an expert on the coronavirus. His speculation that plays into your personal beliefs does not make it OK to share medical advice. How do you not understand that you are not a person people should be looking to for medical advice during a global pandemic? Please stop posting about Vitamin D. People should not take medical advice from you or anyone else on the internet who is not a medical professional.
ReplyDeleteSorry, you're entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to mine. If you feel strongly about this, start your own blog and get people to read it.You're not going to change my mind, since you don't actually have any facts or data backing what you're saying. Besides, you never did address my main point, which is that making sure you have enough vitamin D is a good thing. In fact, that's important for your health in general, even if there wasn't a Covid-19.
DeleteAnd by the way, Dr. John Campbell isn't just a "random guy." He actually is as much of an expert on the virus as anybody these days, and he's an actual medical professional. Millions of people listen to his advice about the virus through his videos, and he's regularly interviewed on TV and radio shows in Britain. His opinions aren't considered quacky or conspiratorial in the slightest. Here's an article about him, if you don't know:
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/doctors-virus-videos-go-global
Oh, and here's a link to a New York Times article back in March 2020 recommending making sure you have enough vitamin D to be one of the basic things you can do to boost your immune system:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/well/live/can-i-boost-my-immune-system.html
So, again, I'm baffled why you or anyone else would be against making sure your body has enough vitamin D.
Oh, and if Dr. Campbell isn't good enough for you, how about Dr. Fauci? And if not him, then who?!
Deletehttps://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/26/how-to-know-if-you-have-a-vitamin-d-deficiency.html
As you pointed out, I've never said anything against taking Vitamin D. I want you to stop telling people to do it. "All that said, the only way to truly know if you are vitamin D deficient is to get a blood test through your doctor, says Thomas." You are being irresponsible. "There are concerns around consuming too much vitamin D — according the NIH, excess vitamin D can cause nausea, poor appetite, constipation and weight loss. Severe vitamin D toxicity can cause confusion, disorientation and problems with heart rhythm." Do you even read the links you post or are you just happy the headline reinforces what you want?
ReplyDeleteIn answer to Billy's rant - Prof Jon Rhodes, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Liverpool, says vitamin D has anti-inflammatory effects, and some research suggests it may dampen down the body's immune response to viruses. Doctors at DuPage Medical Group in Chicago are advising patients of a protocol that won’t prevent them from getting coronavirus, but can decrease their risk of severe COVID-19 in adults who are not pregnant or breastfeeding.“It’s based on data," said Dr. Mat Philip, a physician with DuPage Medical Group. "There's a lot of data on the benefits of aspirin and vitamin D, in terms of preventing severe COVID, and so we've started rolling it out to our patients." In December a letter to governments and public health officials from more than 200 scientists & doctors called for increased Vitamin D use to combat COVID-19. "Research shows low vitamin D levels almost certainly promote COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths."
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The test results are also very good
25 ohvd It has increased a lot
sorry I'm Japanese ... poor english