Vitamin D and Omega-3s Boost Health in Some Active Older People

Taking regular vitamin D or Omega-3 supplements supports older people's immune systems, helping them to fend off infections, including COVID-19, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal JAMA.

Both supplements are necessary for good overall health and are found in oily fish. A study found that vitamin D levels stave off Covid-19 and improve people's chances of survival if they get infected.

‘The NHS recommends taking ten micrograms of vitamin D, which is equivalent to one salmon fillet a day, to keep bones, muscles healthy in the winter. ’

Professor Heike Bischoff-Ferrari from Zurich University in Switzerland, who led the latest study, stated: 'Our findings suggest supplementation of vitamin D and omega-3s in the older population who lead an active lifestyle and have no pre-existing conditions does not provide any benefits when it comes to bone health, memory and muscle function.

'However, there is an effect on infections like COVID-19.' An analysis of 2,157 healthy men and women aged 70 and older found omega-3 users were 11 percent less likely to suffer infections.

The study took place between 2012 and 2014, long before the COVID-19 pandemic exploded in November 2019.

While the findings, therefore, do not contribute direct proof, the supplements can protect the elderly against COVID-19.

Source: Medindia