Vitamins
A study demonstrates that 13-cis-retinoic acid, a form of Vitamin A, can significantly help COVID-19 patients. We explain the biological mechanisms and why optimal Vitamin A status is essential for a strong immune system.
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Readers of the edubily blog and newsletter are well aware of the importance of Vitamin A, especially when it comes to fighting infections. Not long ago, we published an extensive two-part newsletter series on this very topic. Which is why it was all the more remarkable when, just over a week ago, [source no longer available] was published, titled:
13-cis-retinoic acid improves outcomes in COVID-19 patients. A randomized clinical trial
This naturally captures attention. Here's why: 13-cis-retinoic acid is, as the name suggests, a retinoic acid. In the body, Vitamin A is converted into this very retinoic acid, which then acts as a hormone. Typically, the body contains several different retinoic acids, with all-trans-retinoic acid likely being the most important, followed by 13-cis- and 9-cis-retinoic acid. So what do Vitamin A and retinoic acids have to do with COVID?
So, the study design involved administering 13-cis-retinoic acid to 20 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, while 20 received placebo. The results could not be more impressive:
Additionally, further parameters were documented showing how powerfully the retinoic acid could reduce inflammatory markers (CRP from 100 to 8!) and what a positive effect the treatment had on lymphocyte counts.
So... one starts to wonder, doesn't one? Can all of this really be true? No offense, but with studies from Egypt and such, one must always be a bit cautious—remember that this is a preprint (a study not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal).
But theoretically, it stands to reason: of course, one's own Vitamin A status also influences the amount of 13-cis-retinoic acid in the body. Why does one person's nasal viral load clear after 2 weeks while another drags it around for 3, 4 weeks and „just won't test negative"? Could it be due to poor Vitamin A levels? In any case, the results are extremely interesting and align with the picture outlined in [source no longer available]:
We hypothesize that retinol deficiency and the resulting impaired retinoid signaling play a central role in COVID-19 pathogenesis, characterized by an impaired immune system, a defect in Type I interferon synthesis, a severe inflammatory process, and a destructive systemic multi-organ involvement.
Wow. „Destructive systemic multi-organ involvement" caused by Vitamin A deficiency? This is something we'll rarely read in our media or hear from prominent health experts.
In any case, these impressive results give us something to learn from. Fortunately, we now have Omikron instead of Delta. And fortunately... many of us are already triple vaccinated ;-) (and unfortunately still catch COVID anyway). Sarcasm aside, the results show us once again why it's important to eat liver regularly or at least pay attention to daily retinol intake (Vitamin A capsules or drops, cod liver oil, liver sausage, or whatever works for you). This gives us robust Vitamin A status, a powerful immune system, and sufficiently high retinoic acid levels ([source no longer available]).
