Importance of Supplementation of Vitamin C and Vitamin D in Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19
Author(s): Chitransha Gaur, Swarupa Chakole* and Ashok Mehendale
Abstract
The globe presently has been under the torment of the Corona virus disease which was publicly announced as a health emergency in January 2020 and declared a pandemic on 11th March 2020, which now has become a subject of widespread havoc by mutating at a rapid speed and rendering it as a complete nuisance for the healthcare fraternity. Symptoms include dry cough, weakness and fatigue, fever, severe pneumonia, loss of taste or smell, severe respiratory distress syndrome and may even result in death. This virus creates immune feedback systemically, or creates a cytokine storm by producing inflating levels of chemokine’s and pro-inflammatory cytokines. With new variants being discovered such as omicron which are known to have shown resistance to the presently used vaccines, nutrition is, undoubtedly a key facet of maintaining a strong and sustainable immunity against the Corona virus ailment. Challenges are arising concerning the ways to support the immunity of infected persons, optimally, in the general population. Crucial components of diet such as vitamin C and vitamin D have confirmed and established effects which are in relation to immunomodulation, increased immunity and attenuation of heavy and unrestrained immune response activation, thus resulting in a decrease in viral yield and increase in survival rates of Corona virus infected individuals. By means of the following review, the function and purpose of vitamin C and vitamin D in relation to prevention and treatment of the infection, has been highlighted and discussed. Challenges are arising concerning the ways to support the immunity of infected persons optimally, in the general population.