What is vitamin C?
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient involved in the repair of tissue and the enzymatic production of certain neurotransmitters. It is required for the functioning of several enzymes and is important for an immune system function. It also functions as an antioxidant and can neutralize unstable components in your body called radicals.
There is some evidence that regular use of supplements may reduce the duration of the common cold, but it does not appear to prevent infection.Vitamin C gets distributed into immune cells, has antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, It also promotes lymphocyte proliferation, and is consumed quickly during infections, therefore it plays a prominent role in the immune system regulation.
Therefore, clearly, Vitamin C is something that helps your immune system and makes it strong to fight infections and not directly treats or prevents the infection.
What effects does it show on COVID-19 patients?
The Shanghai Medical Association endorsed the use of high dose vitamin C as a treatment for hospitalized people with COVID-19. According to them, usage of high dosage of Vitamin C is recommended to treat people infected with COVID-19, the vitamin C dose helps in improving lung function, which might assist a person to get treated without life support or ventilation.
A study also found that by giving high doses both oral and IV of Vitamin C reduces the time spent in an ICU or with life support by 8% and 18.2% respectively.
However, vitamin C is not declared as a treatment for COVID-19 as no evidence as such is present to support vitamin C as a supplement for COVID-19. Vitamin C may help shorten the duration and severity of colds caused by other viruses, but this is no guarantee that it will have the same effect on the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Can we defeat COVID-19 by Vitamin C?
You can’t prevent COVID-19 by consuming Vitamin C, however, vitamin C boosts your immunity and thus can help you get cured faster and most probably with least symptoms. As there is no evidence that shows vitamin C can treat COVID-19, we suggest you to take all the necessary precautions even if you take vitamin C supplements.
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