Could nutritional supplements reduce the risk or severity of COVID-19?

Nutrition is intricately linked to immunity and to the risk and severity of infections. Poorly nourished individuals are at a greater risk of various bacterial, viral, and other infections.

The clinical course of COVID-19 disease tends to be more severe among older individuals and among people with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer that are partly related to nutrition.

Intakes of specific nutrients in relation to other infections:

• Zinc is a component of many enzymes and transcription factors in cells all over the body, and inadequate zinc levels limit the individual’s ability to mount an adequate immune response to infections.
• Vitamin C is a cofactor for many enzymes. It enhances the function of many enzymes all over the body by keeping their metal ions in the reduced form. It also acts as an antioxidant, limiting inflammation and tissue damage associated with immune responses.
• Vitamin D lowers the odds of developing acute respiratory tract infections (most of which are assumed to be due to viruses) by 12% to 75%.
• Older adults are most often deficient in these helpful micronutrients, and thus can derive the greatest benefit from supplementation.

Prudence suggests that inadequate intakes of essential minerals and vitamins be avoided at this time, and supplements can help fill some gaps. Some key points:

• Taking a standard (RDA) multivitamin/multimineral supplement as a nutritional safety net is reasonable.
• Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D is particularly important.
• Megadose supplements (many times the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA) do not appear justified, and these can sometimes be harmful.
• Avoid any supplements promoting wild health claims. (e.g. claiming to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure COVID-19)
• Nutritional supplements should be not be considered to be substitutes for a good diet, because no supplements contain all the benefits provided by healthy foods.