The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic caused by coronavirus with mild to severe respiratory symptoms.

A new study published in Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry investigated the effect of nutrients on the immune system and their possible roles in the prevention, treatment and management of COVID-19 in adults.

This was a systematic review, designed based on the guideline of the Preferred Reporting for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA). Articles focusing on nutrition, immune system, viral infection and coronaviruses were selected by searching databases for both, published papers and accepted manuscripts from 1990-2020.

The results revealed that some nutrients are actively involved in proper functioning and strengthening of the human immune system against viral infections including – dietary protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, iron, zincand selenium. Although few studies has been conducted evaluating the effect of dietary components on prevention of COVID-19, it was noted that supplementation with these nutrients may be effective in improving the health status of patients with viral infections.

From the findings, it was inferred that followinga balanced diet and supplementation with proper nutrients may play a vital role in the prevention, treatment and management of COVID-19.

Source: Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry. 2020 Jul 9;1-10.doi:10.1080/13813455.2020.1791188.