Vitamin D supplements 'could keep Covid-19 patients out of intensive care' as study finds hospital patients given 100micrograms per week had 'significantly reduced' need for life support

 Treating coronavirus patients with high doses of vitamin D supplements could help keep them out of intensive care, a study has suggested. 

Researchers gave high doses of calcifediol – a type of vitamin D supplement – to 50 patients hospitalised with Covid-19 in Spain.

They were given 100 micrograms of the supplement over the course of a week, with 55mcg on the first day and then two booster doses of 27mcg on days three and seven. The dose was higher than the 70mcg weekly limit recommended by the NHS.