By Jeffrey McKinney
Dr. Leslie Ray Matthews has devoted much of his life—and spent $3.5 million of his own money—to research and uncover the benefits of Vitamin D3.
Matthews has been in the news lately talking about statistics that show 80% of people who have died from COVID-19 were Vitamin D3 deficient. The deaths included those who were vaccinated and unvaccinated.
Yet the international award-winning surgeon and retired doctor says that does not have to be the case for millions of people. Now, Matthews is on a global mission to inform how doses of Vitamin D3 can help prevent the contraction of COVID and minimize the symptoms related to the devastating sickness.
It has been reportedly proven that if you have enough Vitamin D3, your immune system will be stronger and that can help you fight off COVID-19.
So, why aren’t more people with COVID-19 related problems taking it?
“The reason more people are not taking Vitamin D3 is due to a lack of public awareness of its relevance and intensity,” Matthews says.
Based in Atlanta, Matthews retired in 2019 as a full professor of clinical surgery at the Morehouse School of Medicine. He was trauma and critical care surgeon at Grady Memorial Hospital. A medical professional for over 30 years, he is a double-board certified general trauma surgeon. He has made multiple presentations before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
He has earned many accolades, including induction as a member of the Royal Society of Medicine, joining Charles Darwin and Sigmund Freud and others in the elite global organization whose members have made extraordinary accomplishments in the medical field.
Black Enterprise connected with Matthews via email to get his expertise on Vitamin D3.
BE: It was estimated this month that 70 million eligible Americans remain unvaccinated, potentially providing more firewood for the highly transmissible Delta variant. Why does that make it more urgent for people to consider taking Vitamin D3 now?
The coronavirus pandemic will not be cured by vaccination. Vitamin D3 is necessary for a healthy immune system that can fight off any infection, whether it is viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic. Vitamin D3 deficiency is incompatible with a healthy immune system.
What makes Vitamin D3 such a vital health problem combatant?
Vitamin D3 is an anti-stress hormone. It is a necessity when the human body is under stress, such as after a heart attack, coronavirus, during childbirth, traumatic brain injury, or a gunshot wound. Within the first 24 hours of being admitted to the hospital, your vitamin D3 level declines by half. Vitamin D3 aids in the response to any kind of stress.
Is Vitamin D3 a complete cure-all for COVID and other illnesses or just a partial solution? If it is not an entire solution, what other steps should people be applying to battle those problems?
Vitamin D3 is a preventative measure. It is not a treatment. The term “cure” is frowned upon by the Federal Drug Administration. Vitamin D3 can slow or stop chronic inflammation. Also, chronic inflammation can be attenuated and reduced by vitamin D3. The development of most diseases is influenced by chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is lowered by vitamin D3. Wearing face masks, washing your hands frequently, eating a healthy diet, exercising, social distancing, and getting adequate sleep are all things that should be done.
What are the newest research findings you have discovered on Vitamin D3 the public should be aware of?
How could taking Vitamin D3 helps to reduce an individual’s overall health care costs?
Vitamin D3 deficiency reduces the chances of achieving optimal health. Vitamin D3 decreases hospital length of stay, hospital cost, and the overall mortality rate. A vitamin D3 level less than 18 nanograms/per milliliter increases your risk of death by 30%. Therefore, keeping your Vitamin D3 levels greater than 18 nanograms reduces your risk of death and overall medical cost.
When and why did you get involved in Vitamin D3 research?
In 2002, I got involved in Vitamin D3 research. I did so because it is an anti-stress hormone that controls 3,000 out of 30,000 genes, or 10% of your DNA. I understood Vitamin D3 to have many medical usages, such as positively lowering hospital costs for patients. Vitamin D3 is essential for optimal health. You cannot maintain optimal health by being vitamin D3 deficient.
BE: What is next on your agenda tied to Vitamin D3 research, and what do you hope to accomplish?
Half of the world’s 7.8 billion population is Vitamin D3 deficient. I hope to do global education on the importance of Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 deficiency is a pandemic that must be addressed before we can address the coronavirus pandemic.
