New research shows that if you take either zinc or vitamin C (ascorbic acid) (or a combination of the two), it doesn’t dramatically reduce the severity or the duration of symptoms associated with COVID-19, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Money Talk News’ recent article entitled “These 2 Supplements Don’t Curb COVID-19 Danger After All” reports that these findings were recently published in the American Medical Association’s journal JAMA Network Open.
In the past, there had been some thought that vitamins and supplements like zinc and vitamin C might provide some benefits to people hoping to avoid or treat COVID-19.
Zinc can help immune function, and the mineral plays a part in antibody and white blood cell production. Zinc is also known to fight infections. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that decreases the damage to cells and boosts the immune system.
However, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic found that among 214 adult patients known to have COVID-19, taking 10 days of zinc gluconate (50 milligrams per day) or vitamin C (8,000 milligrams over the course of each day), or a combination, had no impact on the amount of time it took for their symptoms to subside, compared to patients receiving standard care.
That is actually why the study was stopped early.
In an announcement, Dr. Milind Desai, director of clinical operations in Cleveland Clinic’s Heart Vascular and Thoracic Institute and co-principal investigator of the study, commented:
“As we watched the pandemic spread across the globe, infecting and killing millions, the medical community and consumers alike scrambled to try supplements that they believed could possibly prevent infection, or ease COVID-19 symptoms. However, the research is just now catching up. While vitamin C and zinc proved ineffective as a treatment when clinically compared to standard care, the study of other therapeutics continues.”
The researchers at the Cleveland Clinic also saw that the patients in the study who were getting outpatient care rather than being treated in a hospital (like those who contract COVID-19 but don’t need hospitalization) are more likely to decline supplements.
The study participants also had an average age of about 45 years, and about 62% were women.
Reference: Money Talk News (Feb. 15, 2021) “These 2 Supplements Don’t Curb COVID-19 Danger After All”
