This post was written by Paige Grube, PharmD, PGY1 Pharmacy Resident, Parkview Regional Medical Center.

Over the past two years, the information surrounding coronavirus has changed and developed quickly and frequently. With guidance and research ever-evolving, we wanted to offer an update on what vitamins, minerals and supplements you should be using to treat and/or prevent COVID-19.  

Supplements

There are a number of different vitamins and minerals available over the counter, and they all help with different aspects of our lives. For example, vitamin A helps with eye health, vitamin K plays a role in bleeding/clotting, and minerals like iron impact oxygen flow in the blood. Similarly, we have vitamins and minerals that influence our immune system, namely vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc. Let’s dive into each one individually.

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid (or vitamin C) has anti-inflammatory properties. In times of stress, our body requires more vitamin C, and infections like COVID put more stress on the body. Theoretically, supplementing vitamin C would be beneficial in times of sickness, but the studies and research have shown that that there is not a visible benefit to adding vitamin C supplements in patients who are not critically ill with COVID-19. Overall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that there is not enough evidence to support using or not using vitamin C supplementation to treat or prevent COVID at this time.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a vitamin critical for bone and mineral metabolism. Additionally, vitamin D impacts a number of immune cells and helps our immune system. In trials, it has not been found to have any beneficial impact on COVID outcomes in the general population, but may be essential in specific populations.

In America, there is a large group of people who have low supply of vitamin D. This is determined by a blood test. Those who have known reduced vitamin D levels may benefit from supplementation. Otherwise, the CDC states that there is not enough evidence to support using or not using vitamin D supplementation to treat or prevent COVID. Additionally, there are some known side effects to taking too much  vitamin D  like vomiting, weakness and high calcium levels.  

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral found naturally in foods like milk, liver, beets and peanuts, but can also be supplemented through over-the-counter pills. When at increased levels, zinc stops the growth of viruses (like COVID). Similarly to vitamin D, it is thought that supplementation is most helpful in people with low levels. Unfortunately, zinc levels are not as easily determined  through a simple blood draw as is the case  with vitamin D.

There are also a number of known side effects to taking too much zinc. This mainly includes changes in our blood leading to anemia (reduced oxygen flow), and neurologic issues like prickling sensations, impaired balance or coordination, and muscle tightness/spasticity. Some of these side effects may be irreversible. Because zinc has not been found to be helpful and may actually be harmful, the CDC  recommends against using zinc supplementation to prevent COVID. There is insufficient evidence to support using or not using zinc supplementation to treat COVID.  

Conclusion

The research and findings regarding COVID prevention and treatment are evolving almost daily. While the vitamins and minerals mentioned here may be beneficial in some populations, overall, the CDC recommends not using them for prevention at this time. Rather, patients should get the COVID vaccine for prevention and protection, get booster shots to help protect against serious illness, and defer to their care team for treatment.