Women who take omega-3 or vitamin D would be more protected against the coronavirus

A study by an international team of researchers found a relationship between supplement use and a lower incidence of coronavirus infections in women who take certain types of vitamins, publicly Scientific alert.

Food supplements can help maintain healthy immune system, but it’s still unclear which specific supplements may be associated with a lower risk of catching the virus SARS-CoV-2.

To make this possible link, researchers at Imperial College London turned to users of the so-called app. COVID-19 Symptom Study to see if those who took the supplements were less likely to test positive.

The study, published in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, asked participants a wide range of questions, including whether they were consuming foods rich in vitamins like probiotics, garlic, fish oils, multivitamin compounds, vitamin D, vitamin C or zinc. They also asked if they had been tested for SARS-CoV-2 and what the results were.

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“We know that a variety of micronutrients, including vitamin D, are essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. This, in turn, is key to infection prevention and recovery“, Said Sumantra Ray, Executive Director of the UK Global Center for Nutrition and Health, adds that “to date there are little evidence convince that taking nutritional supplements has some therapeutic value beyond maintaining the body’s normal immune response ”.

Conclusions

“In the UK segment, users who regularly supplemented their diet with multivitamins had a lower risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 13%, while those who took vitamin D had a lower risk 9%; those who ingested probiotics had a lower risk in a 14% and with omega-3 fatty acids, patients had a lower risk 12%The researchers wrote. “There were no significant associations in those who took supplements of zinc, vitamin C or garlic ”, indicates the study instead.

For this work, the scientists analyzed the information provided by 372,720 users of the app in the United Kingdom on the regular use of dietary supplements in May, June and July 2020 (first wave of the pandemic), as well as the results of ‘possible tests. coronavirus.

Between May and July, 175,652 users in the UK took dietary supplements regularly; 197,068 did not. About two-thirds (67%) were women. A total of 23,521 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and 349,199 tested negative between May and July.

Once the team divided the results by gender, for men there were no supplement-related differences, while for women the results were present. for all ages and all BMI groups (body mass index).

“This study was not primarily designed to answer questions about the role of nutritional supplements in COVID-19. It is always a emerging area of ​​research that warrants more rigorous study before firm conclusions can be drawn on the question of whether specific nutritional supplements could reduce the risk of coronavirus infection ”, specify the authors of the work.