Montreal Researchers Are On A Mission To Find Out If Vitamin D Can Help Fight COVID-19

Those vitamin D pills your mom always made you take may just come in handy.
Montreal Researchers Are On A Mission To Find Out If Vitamin D Can Help Fight COVID-19
Meunierd | Dreamstime
Contributing Writer

While many Quebecers patiently wait to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Montreal researchers are currently conducting the PROTECT study, which stands for "PRevention of COVID-19 with high dose Oral Vitamin D supplemental Therapy in Essential healthCare Teams," to figure out whether vitamin D has a "potential protective effect" against the virus.

In other words, all those vitamin D boxes you've been hoarding in your bathroom may just serve more purpose than you expected.

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The study aims to evaluate protection from the inside, through the ingestion of high doses of vitamin D.

CHU Sainte-Justine

This study is being spearheaded by Dr. Francine Ducharme from CHU Sainte-Justine and Dr. Cécile Tremblay from CHUM and they're "seeking healthcare staff who have direct contact with patients or colleagues and who wish to participate in this important work."

Thus, they need your help with their study — if you're eligible.

The press release says you can participate in the study if you meet the following criteria:

"Healthcare workers who:

  • are in direct contact with individuals (patients, colleagues, etc.) at risk of COVID-19 infection;

  • work in a public health institution in Laval, Montreal, Montérégie-Centre or Montérégie-Est;

  • take little or no vitamin D supplements;

  • have not received a COVID-19 vaccine (those who receive it after they join the study are eligible)."

To be a participant, you must work in "a public healthcare institution in Laval, Montreal or Montérégie."

If you check all the necessary boxes above and feel like being a part of this unique study, you can sign up directly on CHU Sainte-Justine's website.

And if ever you're worried about what being a study participant involves, we're told that "the research protocol has been designed to be simple and done in the comfort of your own home using non-invasive tests and innovative technologies."

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  • Alanna Moore
  • Alanna Moore

    Contributing Writer

    Alanna Moore is a Contributing Writer for MTL Blog. She completed a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies & cultural studies from McGill University in 2019. With over three years experience in editing and writing, she has developed a real passion for words and the people who speak them. You can contact her at alanna@mtlblog.com.

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