Dr. Zorba Paster: The link between vitamin D, COVID-19 and Black Americans

Black Americans, especially Black women, are more likely to be infected by COVID-19 than Caucasians. This has been known for some time with questions over vitamin D levels. We’ve known for years that vitamin D levels are lower in people of color.

Researchers from Boston University’s Slone Epidemiology Center looked at a Black women’s longitudinal study started in 1995 following nearly 60,000 women ages 21 to 69. They periodically received questions about their health, weight, whether they’ve developed hypertension, heart disease or cancer and whether they got COVID-19.

Researchers discovered that Black women who had deficient levels of vitamin D had 70% greater risk of getting COVID-19. This was also strongest with those women who were overweight. This might explain why Black women seem to have more COVID-19 than others.

We know that other factors figure into getting COVID-19 such as how many people live in your household, whether you completed high school and whether you live in a lower socioeconomic community.

But this, along with other similar results for Caucasians, shows that having enough vitamin D is important to protect you from COVID-19. When you look at how vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, and with other studies showing it may reduce heart disease and cancer, the only question is why not take it.

My spin: Vitamin D, 2,000 units a day, has no downside, and may be good for your health, especially if you’re Black.

Dear Doc: Years ago, I received a prescription for Viagra. I never filled it because it cost too much. I’ve heard from the guys I golf with that it’s much cheaper now. I’d like to try it, but I don’t want to pay through the ear. How can I do that, and is it worth it? – A.J. from Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Dear A.J.: Viagra and Cialis used to be $30 a tablet, but now you can buy it for as little as 50 cents each. That’s quite a savings. Side effects include stuffy nose, upset stomach, headaches and, for some, white florescent bulbs have a blue tint.

Now taking it doesn’t mean you’ll turn back the clock to when you were in your 20s, but, with the right stimulation, this class of drugs called phosphodiesterase inhibitors increases the blood flow to the penis.

My spin: Now that Viagra is inexpensive, if you’re a man who’s had some issues getting or maintaining an erection, you should ask your doctor for a prescription.

Now while we’re on the subject of male health, let me chime in on testosterone. A study of nearly 800 men ages 65 and older published in the New England Journal of Medicine took these older men and elevated their testosterone to the level of men typically ages 19 to 40.

That increase showed there was an increase in sexual activity and desire and a slight increase in erectile function. When it came to exercise, such as walking, there was no significant increase in that or other muscle strength. And it had no benefit in making those men have more energy or less fatigue.

The downside: Some researchers speculate increasing men to this “inappropriate level’ can lead to heart attacks and stroke, similar to what we see when bodybuilders take steroids. Testosterone is a potent steroid.

My spin: Testosterone is not all it’s cracked up to be. If you’re a man who has sexual dysfunction and wants to improve it, Viagra or Cialis is the way to go, not testosterone.

Dr. Zorba Paster is a family physician and host of the public radio program “Zorba Paster on Your Health.” He can be reached at askzorba@doctorzorba.com.