[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 213 (Thursday, December 9, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H7560]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D

  (Mr. GROTHMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Madam Speaker, as the Congress prepares to break for 
Christmas, it is important to review one more time what we can do to 
deal with the coronavirus.
  While vaccines unquestionably have a role here, I am a little bit 
appalled at the lack of information coming from the public health 
establishment regarding vitamin D. Tests show that adequate levels of 
vitamin D can reduce the amount of COVID cases by up to 75 percent, 
which is good, including for people who have taken the vaccine.
  Right now, Madam Speaker, experts feel you should have at least 30 
nanograms per milliliter to have adequate amounts of vitamin D. Right 
now, 65 percent of our White population, 87 percent of our Hispanic 
population, and 96 percent of our Black population do not have adequate 
vitamin D levels.
  The public health establishment has to be asked: Why is this not 
publicized? Why do we not give routine vitamin D tests to people coming 
in for their annual checkups? And why, if you show up at the hospital 
with COVID, are not vitamin D tests automatic?
  I ask public health establishments to please familiarize themselves 
with the benefits of vitamin D and the role it plays.

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