Can Vitamin C and Zinc Help You Fight Covid-19?
No, not even in high doses, according to the first randomized clinical trial to test two vitamins under medical supervision.
Despite the popular use of vitamin C and zinc to fight or reduce the severity of viral colds and flu, the new study, published Friday in the JAMA Network Open, found that the two vitamins had no benefit for people who are infected with Covid.
"Unfortunately, these 2 vitamins failed to fulfill their effect," wrote Dr. Erin Michos.
Clinical trials yielded high doses of each supplement alone and in combination in 214 adults being cured at home. A fourth group received standard care, such as rest, hydration, and fever-reducing medications, but without vitamins.
High doses, however, caused some unpleasant side effects for patients taking supplements.
"More side effects (nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps) were reported in the vitamin-receiving groups than in the regular care group," wrote Michos, an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Cainzos-Achirica, an assistant professor of preventive cardiology at Houston Methodist.
Vitamin C is a known antioxidant and plays an essential role in supporting the immune system. Although not proven to prevent the disease, other studies have found that vitamin C can reduce colds by 8% in adults and 14% in children.
Using vitamin C after the onset of cold symptoms does not appear to be beneficial, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Zinc may help a cell's ability to fight infection, the study said, "while there is evidence that zinc deficiency increases pro-inflammatory cytokines and decreases antibody production."
But what does this mean in real life? If taken within 24 hours of the first signs of a cold, zinc can reduce the length of a cold by just one day, a review of 13 studies found.
Marrja e mbi 2,000 miligramë të vitaminës C në ditë mund të shkaktojë urth, ngërçe në stomak, të përziera, të vjella, diarre dhe dhimbje koke. Sasia mesatare ditore e rekomanduar e vitaminës C është 75 miligramë për gratë e rritura dhe 90 miligramë për burrat.
Mbi 40 miligramë zink çdo ditë mund të shkaktojë tharje të gojës, të përziera, humbje të oreksit dhe diarre, plus që mund të ketë një shije të keqe metalike.
Përdoruesit afatgjatë mund të kenë "nivele të ulëta bakri, imunitet më të ulët dhe nivele të ulëta të kolesterolit HDL (kolesteroli" i mirë "), sipas NIH. Në vitin 2009, FDA paralajmëroi publikun kundër përdorimit të sprejve për hundë të zinkut sepse ato ishin të lidhura me më shumë se 100 raste të humbjes së nuhatjes.
Hulumtimi vazhdon
Scientists are continuing to explore the use of vitamins and supplements in the treatment of Covid-19.
Random trials are currently underway to see if vitamin D supplements can help - in addition to supporting healthy bone growth, vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties.
