tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
BMJ Nutr Prev Health
. 2020 Jun 17;3(1):111-117.
doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000095. eCollection 2020.
Zinc as nutritional intervention and prevention measure for COVID-19 disease
J P Mossink[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The present spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, provoking COVID-19 disease, progresses rapidly worldwide. In current absence of a curative treatment and an effective, safe vaccine, there is a pressing need to focus on identifying and correcting deficits in immune function in order to reduce risk of severe progress of the disease and to lower the number of infections and fatalities. This paper evaluates the most recent literature on zinc status related to antiviral immunity and its possible role in COVID-19. It is concluded that zinc is a critical factor for antiviral immunity. There is ample evidence suggesting that zinc depletion, also prevalent in high-income nations, compromises immune functions. Notably, major risk groups for COVID-19, the elderly, men more than women, obese individuals and patients with diabetes are all at risk of zinc deficiency. Moreover, various widely used antihypertensive drugs and statin therapy have been reported to negatively influence zinc status. As zinc depletion impairs antiviral immunity, it is hypothesised to increase susceptibility for COVID-19. Therefore, dietary preventive measures and prompt implementation of zinc supplementation for risk groups should be considered. Large-scale studies are urgently needed to investigate the role of micronutrients and antiviral immunity, in particular drug-micronutrient immunity interaction.
Keywords: diabetes mellitus; dietary patterns; infectious disease; nutrient deficiencies; nutritional treatment.
. 2020 Jun 17;3(1):111-117.
doi: 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000095. eCollection 2020.
Zinc as nutritional intervention and prevention measure for COVID-19 disease
J P Mossink[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33235974
- PMCID: PMC7664497
- DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000095
Abstract
The present spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, provoking COVID-19 disease, progresses rapidly worldwide. In current absence of a curative treatment and an effective, safe vaccine, there is a pressing need to focus on identifying and correcting deficits in immune function in order to reduce risk of severe progress of the disease and to lower the number of infections and fatalities. This paper evaluates the most recent literature on zinc status related to antiviral immunity and its possible role in COVID-19. It is concluded that zinc is a critical factor for antiviral immunity. There is ample evidence suggesting that zinc depletion, also prevalent in high-income nations, compromises immune functions. Notably, major risk groups for COVID-19, the elderly, men more than women, obese individuals and patients with diabetes are all at risk of zinc deficiency. Moreover, various widely used antihypertensive drugs and statin therapy have been reported to negatively influence zinc status. As zinc depletion impairs antiviral immunity, it is hypothesised to increase susceptibility for COVID-19. Therefore, dietary preventive measures and prompt implementation of zinc supplementation for risk groups should be considered. Large-scale studies are urgently needed to investigate the role of micronutrients and antiviral immunity, in particular drug-micronutrient immunity interaction.
Keywords: diabetes mellitus; dietary patterns; infectious disease; nutrient deficiencies; nutritional treatment.