Will Vitamin C Help Fight COVID-19

Scientists all over the world are striving to find effective treatments for COVID-19 as soon as possible, but so far there are no drugs or vaccines against the disease. In parallel, “medical recommendations” on how to deal with coronavirus quickly spread on social networks. In recent days, “the use of high doses of vitamin C” has become very popular. Is it worth it to believe?

The board has been posted and launched on Facebook by users seeking remedies and preventative measures against a rapidly spreading pandemic. However, there is no evidence that the research referred to on social networks is real. There is no scientific evidence of any beneficial effect of vitamin C in the current situation.

Neither the official medical structures of the world, nor the World Health Organization (WHO) confirm that taking large doses of vitamin C can help prevent or cure COVID-19.

All of them claim that the only way to minimize the chances of getting a virus is to take preventative measures against the infection. It is about “social distance”, constant washing of hands and cleaning frequently used surfaces. This minimizes the likelihood of illness.

What do scientists say

“There is some reason to believe that vitamins and supplements can reduce the risk and severity of COVID-19 because of the benefits seen with other viral or respiratory diseases,” said Dr. Walter Willett, professor at Harvard School of Public Health.

However, as the expert noted, quitting smoking, eating healthy foods, playing sports and maintaining a low level of stress can bring the same benefits. All of these are important and reliable ways to strengthen the immune system during a pandemic.

“It is worth emphasizing that the way to prevent COVID-19 should be social distance, washing hands and refusing to touch the face and mucous membranes with dirty hands,” added Willett.

Vitamin C helps reduce the severity of colds and flu, some studies have claimed. But this conclusion is still widely discussed by experts. The effect of taking vitamin C is much less than many expect.

A group of Chinese scientists from Zhongnan Hospital in Wuhan on February 14 began a study on the treatment of COVID-19 with vitamin C. It is expected that work will be completed in late September. The results have not yet been published.

“The only effect that vitamins and nutritional supplements can have with any cold or flu is to reduce the severity of the disease,” said Dr. Caroline Apovyan, professor at Boston University School of Medicine.

She added that good food and sleep will also help the immune system, and stress, anxiety and lack of sleep depresses her.

“Although vitamin C has little effect on the common cold, taking a large amount is unlikely to cure COVID-19 or even have any effect,” said Peter McCaffery, professor of biochemistry at the University of Aberdeen.

In addition, some experts believe that taking large doses of vitamin C can be harmful, since even such important nutrients can cause side effects when taken orally in extreme doses.

From this it should be concluded that the “recommendations” on the benefits of using vitamin C during a coronavirus pandemic can so far be considered useless. Not everything that is written on social networks is worth believing.

Meanwhile, the United States began treating patients with COVID-19 with anti-malaria drugs. This method was previously praised by President Donald Trump.