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Drink supplements to boost the immune systemas the C vitaminthe vitamin D and the zincdoes not decrease the probability of becoming infected with Covid-19 serious or die from this disease. This is confirmed by a new review of coronavirus hospitalization data carried out by researchers from the University of Toledo (USA) and published in “Clinical Nutrition ESPEN”.
Early in the pandemic, in the absence of data on the most effective treatment for the new disease, doctors tested a variety of micronutrients as potential therapies. However, Dr. Azizullah Beran, lead author of this review of studies, points out that there is little evidence that these strategies work, despite the fact that taking supplements to strengthen the immune system has become popular among the population.
“A lot of people have the misconception that if you load it up with zinc, vitamin D or vitamin C, it can help the clinical outcome of Covid-19. That has not been shown to be true, ”says Beran, an internal medicine resident at the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences of the University of Toledo.
This new article significantly strengthens the emerging medical consensus that micronutrient supplementation is not an effective treatment for Covid-19.
Beran and colleagues evaluated 26 peer-reviewed studies from around the world that included more than 5,600 hospitalized Covid-19 patients. your analysis found no reduction in mortality in those treated with vitamin D, vitamin C, or zinc compared to patients who did not take one of those three supplements.
Their analysis found that vitamin D treatment may be associated with lower rates of intubation and shorter hospital stays, but the researchers say a more rigorous study is needed to validate that finding. However, vitamin C and zinc were not associated with shorter hospital stays or a reduced chance that the patient would need to use a ventilator.
Although the study predominantly looked at patients who were already sick and hospitalized with Covid-19 when they received the supplements, the researchers evaluated a smaller subset of people who had been taking vitamin D before contracting the virus. They also found no significant differences in the mortality rate of this population.
“It is important that people understand that taking too many of these supplements does not translate into better results», says Dr. Ragheb Assaly, professor of medicine at UToledo and co-author of the article. “The other important message is that the answer to this disease is the vaccine. Micronutrient supplements will not compensate for lack of vaccination nor will they make you not need the vaccine, “he concludes.
The researchers caution that the study should not be interpreted to mean that vitamin and mineral supplements are bad or should be avoided, but instead clarify that are not effective in preventing deaths from Covid-19. In this regard, Beran and Assaly clarify that it is possible that some patients with the infection, who are malnourished or micronutrient deficient, may benefit from taking supplements, but that is because their bodies already lack essential nutrients, not because the vitamin D or vitamin C are effective against the virus.
“What we’re saying is this: If you don’t medically need these supplements, don’t take them thinking they protect against Covid-19. They will not prevent you from getting infected and they will not prevent you from dying», Beran concludes.