For age-old conditions such as the common cold and new diseases which are known to have no cure, the call for safe and natural treatments using supplements comes into the picture. So, people tend to have a lot of interest in supplements for COVID-19, whether as a prevention or treatment.
Supplements like zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D, and few others have been commonly prescribed from the earliest days of the pandemic. But there is still a debate about whether they work.
How Supplements Might Prevent Covid-19?
Few reasons state the supplements might work against the virus.
- Vitamin C which is an antioxidant acts as a key player in healthy immune function.
- Zinc has an antiviral activity that improves immune cell function that counters viral infections by reducing the ability of viruses to multiply.
- Few studies suggest that combining vitamin C and zinc may limit the duration and severity of the symptoms.
- Studies suggest that vitamin D may have positive effects on immune function, but their specific antiviral effect remains unproven.
Is There Any Evidence To Say Supplements Are Helpful For Covid-19?
COVID-19 is a new infection that is spread worldwide. Few clinical trials have been tried to explore the possibility that supplements may be effective. Unfortunately, most of the evidence is unconvincing.
From trials performed, it was found that people receiving individual or combined supplements showed no faster recovery rates and any improvement in symptoms when compared with others who didn’t receive supplements.
Advantages Of Taking Supplements Without Evidence
People with nutritional deficiencies are given supplements to improve their health. Zinc or vitamin D deficiencies might contribute to poor immune function. So, even without proper evidence linking supplement use with improvement among people with COVID-19, these supplements may be suitable for people who have a deficiency or are suspected to have a deficiency.
