Everyone is looking for an advantage in the fight to keep the COVID-19 at bay. However, two supplements that experts hoped could offer a little extra protection against the disease are not adequate, after all, a new study has found.
Taking zinc or vitamin C (ascorbic acid) – or a combination of the two – does not significantly decrease the severity or duration of symptoms associated with COVID-19, say the Cleveland Clinic researchers.
Their findings were recently published in the American Medical Association’s JAMA Network Open.
Previously, there was widespread speculation that vitamins and supplements like zinc and vitamin C could offer benefits for people who want to avoid or treat COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Zinc is known to benefit immune function and plays a role in the production of antibodies and white blood cells. It is also known to fight infections. Meanwhile, vitamin C is an antioxidant that reduces cell damage and boosts the immune system.
However, the Cleveland Clinic researchers found that among 214 adult patients confirmed to have COVID-19, taking 10 days of zinc gluconate (50 milligrams per day) or vitamin C (8,000 milligrams over each day) – or a combination two – it made no significant difference in how long it took for her symptoms to subside compared to patients who received standard treatment.
In fact, for this reason, the study was stopped early.
In an announcement, Dr. Milind Desai, director of clinical operations at the Heart Vascular & Thoracic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic and co-principal investigator on the study, said:
“As we watched the pandemic spread across the world, infecting and killing millions, the medical community and consumers struggled to try supplements that they believed could prevent infection or alleviate the symptoms of COVID-19, but the research is now recovering. Although vitamin C and zinc have been shown to be ineffective as a treatment when clinically compared to standard treatment, the study of other therapies continues. “
The researchers also noted that the patients in the study were receiving outpatient care instead of being treated in a hospital, as people who contracted COVID-19 but do not need hospitalization are more likely to take supplements.
Study participants also had an average age of about 45 years, and the majority (61.7%) were women.
Although taking zinc and vitamin C can be a dead end, there is a supplement that several studies have found that can help you avoid a serious coronavirus infection, as we reported in “Can this vitamin help protect you from COVID-19? “
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