Impact of supplemental vitamins and natural honey for treatment of COVID-19: A review

Abstract

The main aim of the paper is to assess whether vitamin C, vitamin D, and natural honey can be administered in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic for promising in line methods with recent evidence. Both systematic literature and clinical trial identification were conducted by searching various databases. A total 58 articles and 29 clinical trials were selected wherein 11 for vitamin C, 16 for vitamin D, and 2 for natural honey were identified for analysis. The high doses of vitamin C (i.e. '200 mg/kg body weight/day, divided into 4 doses') has been found to reduce COVID-19 lung damage, various flu infections. Additionally, the high doses of vitamin C can shorten around 7.8% stay in the intensive care unit. At the same time, vitamin D can effectively protect from lung injury and acute respiratory infections whereas vitamin D deficiency severely affects 75% of the institutionalized people (serum 25(OH) D < 25 nmol/L). Meanwhile, natural honey which contains proteins (0.1-0.4%); ash (0.2%); water (15-17%) has potential antiviral effects and the ability to improve immunity. Therefore, the administration of vitamins and honey is the promising evidence-based approach for reducing fatalities, saving lives, and bringing the COVID-19 pandemic to a rapid end. It is believed that the utilization of vitamin C, vitamin D, and natural honey with the current treatment may be effective in treating COVID-19-caused fatal complications such as pneumonia. Therefore, high-level clinical studies are required on COVID-19 to administrate the effects of vitamins and natural honey.

COVID-19 home remedy consumption and perceived effectiveness among adult population in Brunei Darussalam: a PLS-SEM approach

“…Similarly, another review suggested honey as an adjuvant in the treatment of COVID-19 infection, stating its antiviral properties related to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory attributes and urging more clinical trials in the future [ 47 ]. Supplemental vitamins C, vitamin D, and natural honey, according to a review, seem promising to alleviate symptoms and disease progression alongside conventional treatment of COVID-19, however, more extensive clinical validation is essential [ 48 ].…”

Effects of different processing methods on the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of honey: a review

“…Historically, honey has been used as an alternative medicine to treat wounds, tissue regeneration, alleviating gastrointestinal disorders, gingivitis and various other pathologies (Ilia et al ., 2021; Akaba et al ., 2023). Honey has been reported to possess antimicrobial (Carnwath et al ., 2014), antiviral (Rabby et al ., 2022), anti‐inflammatory (Yu et al ., 2023), antioxidant (Mohamed et al ., 2011; Zubi et al ., 2023), antimutagenic (Saxena et al ., 2012) and antitumor effects (Fukuda et al ., 2011). Honey also possesses protective effects on the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems (Alvarez‐Suarez et al ., 2013; Cianciosi et al ., 2018) and is licensed as a medical product for professional wound care in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and the USA (Irish et al ., 2011).…”