Nutritional status of micronutrients as a possible and modifiable risk factor for COVID-19: a UK perspective

Abstract

Recent scientific evidence has indicated that the elderly have increased risk of COVID-19 infections, with over-70s and 80s being hardest hit—especially residents of care homes and in clinical settings, ethnic minorities, people who work indoors and those who are overweight and obese. Other potential risk factors include lack of exposure to sunlight, darker skin pigmentation, comorbidities, poor diet, certain medications, disadvantaged social and economic status, and lifestyle factors such as smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol. A key question is to understand how and why certain groups of people are more susceptible to COVID-19, whether they have weakened immune systems, and what the roles of good nutrition and specific micronutrients are in supporting immune functions. A varied and balanced diet with an abundance of fruits and vegetables and the essential nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin A, B vitamins (folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12), vitamin C and the minerals iron, copper, selenium and zinc are all known to contribute to the normal functions of the immune system. Avoidance of deficiencies and identification of suboptimal intakes of these micronutrients in targeted groups of patients and in distinct and highly sensitive populations could help to strengthen the resilience of people to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to highlight evidence-based public health messages, to prevent false and misleading claims about the benefits of foods and food supplements, to communicate clearly that the extent of knowledge between micronutrients and COVID-19 infection is still being explored, and that no diet will prevent or cure COVID-19 infection. Frequent handwashing and social distancing will be critical to reduce transmission.

Have Lifestyle Habits and Psychological Well-Being Changed among Adolescents and Medical Students Due to COVID-19 Lockdown in Croatia?

“…Closer studies are needed to elucidate the reasons behind various observed changes, focusing on availability of foods, stress-related eating and other factors, affecting behavior such as media recommendations and science news. Following those information, particular attention has been paid to the intake of micronutrients, including vitamin C and D during COVID-19 pandemic [44,45], since increased intake of fruit and vegetables has been recommended by several authors, in order to support the immune system [46,47].…”

Mediterranean Diet for the Prevention of Gestational Diabetes in the Covid-19 Era: Implications of Il-6 In Diabesity

“…The COVID-19 pandemic generates a great interest in dietary advice, supplements, nutraceuticals, and complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) in order to improve immune function [ 170 , 230 , 231 , 232 ]. However, there is no evidence for their efficacy in COVID-19 [ 170 , 230 , 231 ] and further studies are needed before giving public messages [ 170 , 231 , 232 ] in order to avoid potential adverse effects of CAM [ 232 ]. It has been reported that Chinese migrant women with GDM were more prone to supplementation use compared with Australian-born white women [ 233 ].…”

“…It is well known that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFA), vitamins (folate, A, B6, B12, C, D, and E) and minerals (copper, iron, magnesium, selenium, and zinc), improve the immune system [ 167 , 168 , 169 , 170 , 171 , 172 , 173 ]. Although supplementations with omega-3 PUFA and/or micronutrients have been suggested to improve clinical outcomes of patients with ARDS [ 174 , 175 , 176 , 177 ] and to improve public health [ 167 , 177 ], it has been pointed out that only individuals at high-risk of specific nutrient deficiencies could benefit from supplementation, whereas the supplementation of a single nutrient is not promising in the general population [ 178 ].…”

The association of covid-19 infection with household food insecurity among Iranian population

“…Quality and dietary diversity of food insecure households are lower than food secure ones (25,26) . A healthy diet that provides the micronutrients needed by the body contributes to the better functioning of the immune system (27) . Low-quality diets cause a lack of vital micronutrients for proper body function (28) .…”