Can Vitamin Supplements Treat COVID-19?

Taking immune-boosting supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc do not lessen your chance of dying from COVID-19, according to the data by researchers at The University of Toledo.

Early in the pandemic, healthcare providers tried a variety of micronutrients as potential therapies for the new illness. More recently, supplements have been promoted by some as an alternative to safe and proven vaccines.

‘Taking a lot of vitamin supplements does not translate into better outcomes in COVID-19.’

However, there has been little evidence regarding those strategies work, despite the enduring interest in them.

"A lot of people have this misconception that if you load up on zinc, vitamin D or vitamin C, it can help the clinical outcome of COVID-19," said Beran, an internal medicine resident at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences.

Researchers reviewed 26 peer-reviewed studies from around the globe that included more than 5,600 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Their analysis found no reduction in mortality for those being treated with vitamin D, vitamin C, or zinc compared to patients who did not receive one of those three supplements.

Their analysis did find that treatment with vitamin D may be associated with lower rates of intubation and shorter hospital stays, but a more rigorous study is needed to validate that finding.

Vitamin C and zinc were not associated with shorter hospital stays or lowering the chance a patient would be put on a ventilator.

Though studies predominately looked at patients who were already sick and hospitalized with COVID-19 when given the supplements, researchers did analyze a smaller subset of individuals who had been taking vitamin D before contracting the virus.

They found no significant difference in the mortality rate of that population either. The findings are published in the journal Clinical Nutrition ESPEN.

Researchers caution that the study should not be interpreted as saying vitamin and mineral supplements are bad or should be avoided, but rather make it clear that they are not effective at preventing COVID-19 deaths.

It is also possible that some COVID-19 patients who are malnourished or otherwise deficient in micronutrients may benefit from taking supplements because their bodies already lack essential nutrients.

Source: Medindia