How anti-inflammatory and antioxidant dietary supplements are effective in undermining COVID-19 pathogenesis: the role of vitamin C and D


YÖNDEN Z., Shabestari A. M., Ghayourvahdat A., Azimizonuzi H., Hosseini S. T., Daemi A.

MEDICINA BALEAR, vol.37, no.5, pp.158-164, 2022 (ESCI) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Review
  • Volume: 37 Issue: 5
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.3306/ajhs.2022.37.05.158
  • Journal Name: MEDICINA BALEAR
  • Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), DIALNET
  • Page Numbers: pp.158-164
  • Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, vitamin D, vitamin C, inflammation, treatment, supplementation, HIGHER HOSPITALIZATION RISK, D DEFICIENCY
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Due to lack of effective treatment for novel pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona-virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the prevention strategies are the best choices to significantly control increasing number of patients. Numerous studies suggest an association between vitamin D and C and the outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, supplementation of vitamins such as D and C has been recommended prevention and treatment of the COVID-19. Vitamin D as an immunomodulator hormone could affect various respiratory infections by maintaining the immune system and blocking hyper-inflammatory responses like cytokine storm through decreasing viral replication and regulating the levels of proinflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines. There are also some evidences that vitamin D could alter severity of COVID-19. The effectiveness of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of coronavirus has also been undertaken by several studies. Due to the important role of vitamin C in the immune system, a deficiency of this vitamin may increase the incidence, severity and the risk of death of COVID-19 disease. This could explain by this fact that vitamin C deficiency increases the risk of infections, decreases the immune system response and increases the risk of pneumonia. People with chronic diseases as high-risk COVID-19 patients also showed deficiency of these vitamins which could explain the severity and the high rate of mortality among them. Thus, it seems that sufficient vitamin D and C level in serum may have positive impact on decreasing risk of COVID-19 infection. Considering all aspects, we try to overviewed on the potential role of supplementation of vitamin D and C in COVID-19 disease. We summarized suggested impacts of these vitamins on SARS-CoV-2 and its pathogenesis. We also discussed mechanisms in which these two vitamins involved that could alter the COVID-19 infection.