Introduction

With Covid-19, a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, individuals must prevent themselves from having the disease yet to have specific vaccines and medicines. The best ways to prevent yourself is to observe social distancing, frequently wash your hands, cover your face, and avoid contact with infected persons.

A functioning Immune system can help in fighting against COVID-19. Generally, when you keep your immune system healthy, you’re less prone to infections and diseases. How a healthy immune system depends on your lifestyle choices.

Studies have shown that consuming nutritious foods and sufficient supplements rich in vitamins can help bolster the immune system. In this article, we examine the various vitamins that may help prevent you from COVID-19.

The Role of Vitamins in The Immune System

Your immune system is a complex collection of cells and chemicals. These cells and chemicals are driven by processes that help the body to defend against invasion. They help the body to fight toxins, viruses, bacteria, and several other pathogens.

Micronutrients have recently been discovered to show essential effects on the body’s immune response. Vitamins, especially, are essential constituents with a significant influence on the immune system. Vitamins play important roles in the regulation of a wide array of immune processes.

Scientists have examined their roles in processes such as:

And many more!

Therefore, including vitamins in your diet should be considered an important way to prevent yourself from COVID-19.

Vitamins That Can Prevent COVID-19

Patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have shown cold and flu-like symptoms(https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html). Therefore, vitamins C, D, and B complex help boost the immune system and fight against the disease. They defend your immune system just like they do against cold or flu. Let’s check them out.

·        Vitamin C

Vitamin C, when taken prior to getting a cold, generally helps you to get over your cold symptoms easily. One of the symptoms of COVID-19 is lung inflammation, which results in respiratory distress. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps your body to destroy free radicals. By doing this, vitamin C prevents or reduces inflammation. It prevents any damage caused by oxidative stress that may occur due to the accumulation of free radicals.

Taking vitamin C supplements plays an important role in the immune system to protect it against the coronavirus. This vitamin is crucial in helping various cells in the immune system to function. It enhances the ability of these cells to protect your body against viral infections. Vitamin C also helps you keep a healthy immune system by destroying old cells and replacing them with new, healthy ones.

Studies have also shown that vitamin C supplements reduce the severity of respiratory tract infections. Evidence also shows that regular intake of vitamin C reduces the occurrence of respiratory infections in individuals under physical stress. Not only that, but intravenous vitamin C treatments have been demonstrated to improve symptoms in patients with infections such as sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by viruses.

Results from many studies confirm the significant effects of vitamin C on the immune system. Therefore, it is important to include vitamin C in diets to be on the safer side against COVID-19.

·        Vitamin D

A fat-soluble vitamin that is also crucial to the healthy functioning of the immune system. Vitamin D performs a major role in helping the body maintain the required blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. You can get vitamin D through exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun. You can also get it from the foods you eat or through supplements. Focusing on COVID-19, vitamin D can decrease your chances of being affected by respiratory infections.

Vitamin D increases the pathogen-fighting effects of your white blood cells. This is very important in decreasing inflammation and promoting immune responses. According to a report, people who are deficient in vitamin D are usually prone to upper respiratory tract infections such as influenza and allergic asthma. Recent research also shows that taking significant amounts of vitamin D can protect you against respiratory tract infections.

Several other studies show that vitamin D supplements have positive effects on people who are taking antiviral treatments. That is, it helps to improve their response to those treatments. Since COVID-19 is a viral infection, it only makes sense that vitamin D could prevent it.

·        B Complex Vitamins

Vitamin B6 also shows positive effects on the immune system, keeping it in healthy conditions. It plays a crucial role in the production of circulating antibodies to a variety of antigens. Getting vitamin B complex supplements as part of your daily diet will prove useful in preventing COVID-19. You can get it in your regular cereal diet or multivitamins.

Conclusion

Vitamins C, D, and B Complex are just some of the micronutrients researched to have immune-enhancing properties. Other supplements may offer benefits to the immune system. Notify your doctor before you begin to use any supplement and remember to observe the COVID-19 preventive measures and live a healthy life.