Myths :
There are lots and lots of myth regarding the use of vitamins and minerals in Covid 19 on
a. What all vitamins and minerals should be taken?
b. What are the common sources of these vitamins and minerals ?
c. How much do we need to take them daily?
d. Can these vitamins and minerals cause toxicity?
e. What are the toxicities of these vitamins and minerals?
Let’s find out the fact.
3 Vitamins; Vitamin C, Vitamin D,Vitamin E and 3 minerals; Zinc, Magnesium,Selenium
studied so far in Covid 19. All these vitamins and minerals except Vitamin D are antioxidant in nature; they boost our immunity.
A. Vitamin C
Most important vitamin studied so far in Covid 19.
Q1.What are the common sources of vitamin C?
Answer: Green leaf vegetables like broccoli,cabbage,spinach,
and tamato; citrus foods like lemon,orange etc.
Q2.What is the daily requirement of vitamin C in our body?
Answer: Adult male :90mg/day
Adult female:75mg/day
Lactating mother and smoker:120mg/day
Q3.Is vitamin C recommended in prevention and treatment of Covid19?
Answer: Vitamin C fasten the recovery of Covid 19 infection.Though no study available so far on oral vitamin C supplementation therapy at recommended daily dose, Vitamin C can be recommended because of it’s water-soluble property and lower toxicity profile.
Q4.What is the daily oral recommended dose of Vitamin C?
Answer: 500-1000 mg
Q5. Can Vitamin C cause toxicity in our body?
Answer:Though Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin,get washed out through our urine can cause toxicity if it is taken in a larger dose for a longer period.
Q 6.What is the maximum dose of Vitamin C can be taken in a day?
Answer: 2000 mg
Q7 What are the toxicities of Vitamin C in our body?
Answer: Vitamin C toxicity may cause
a. Abdominal symptoms like nausea,vomiting and pain abdomen
b. Kidney stone in patients especially who have preexisting kidney disease.
B. Vitamin D
One of most exclusively studied vitamins so far in Covid 19.
Q1.What are the common sources of vitamin D?
Answer: Animal source: Fish liver oil, flesh fatty fish,milk
Plant source : Mushroom
Q2.What is the daily requirement of vitamin D in our body?
Answer: Adult male and female:600IU/day
Children less than 1year:400 IU/day
Elderly more than 75 years:800IU/day
Q3.Is vitamin D recommended in prevention and treatment of Covid19?
Answer: Vitamin D reduces risk of Covid 19 infection and fastens it’s recovery.Though no universal recommendation available till now ,vitamin D can be recommended especially in high risk population of Vitamin D deficiency like elderly and smaller children because of it’s low toxicity versus benefit ratio.
Q4.What is the daily recommended dose of Vitamin D?
Answer: 600-1000 IU
Q5. Can Vitamin D cause toxicity in our body?
Answer:Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, can get deposited in our body fat and can cause toxicity if it is taken in a larger dose for a longer period.
Q 6.What is the maximum dose of Vitamin D can be taken in a day?
Answer: 20000 IU
Q7 What are the toxicities of Vitamin D in our body?
Answer: Vitamin D toxicity may cause
a. Symptoms of raised calcium in our body like pain abdomen, bone pain
b. Headache
c. Hypertension
d. Blurring of vision
C. Vitamin E
Q1.What are the common sources of Vitamin E?
Answer: Plant source : Whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil,nuts
Animal source: Fish
Q2.What is the daily requirement of Vitamin E in our body?
Answer: Adult male and female:15mg/day
Lactating mother:19 mg/day
Q3.Is vitamin E recommended in prevention and treatment of Covid19?
Answer: Vitamin E fastens recovery of Covid 19.Though no universal recommendation available so far Vitamin E can be recommended.
Q4.What is the daily recommended dose of Vitamin E ?
Answer: 100-400 mg
Q5. Can Vitamin E cause toxicity in our body?
Answer: Like other fat soluble vitamins Vitamin E can cause toxicity if it is taken in a larger dose for a longer period.
Q 6.What is the maximum dose of Vitamin E can be taken in a day?
Answer: 1000 mg
Q7. What are the toxicities of Vitamin E in our body?
Answer: Vitamin E toxicity may cause
a. Abdominal symptoms like vomiting, pain abdomen
b. Bleeding from our body
D. Minerals (Zinc,magnesium and selenium)
Q1.What are the sources of these minerals ?
Answer: Plant source : Whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil,nuts
Animal source: Fish
Banana is rich source of both magnesium and selenium
Mushroom is good source of magnesium
Q2.What is the daily requirement of these minerals ?
Answer: Zinc:
Adult male :10-20 mg/day
Adult female:10-15mg/day
Magnesium :
Adult male :400-420 mg/day
Adult female:300-310mg/day
Selenium :
Adult male and female :75-300 ug/day
Q3.Are these minerals recommended in prevention and treatment of Covid19?
Answer: Zinc can be recommended especially in elderly people.
