Omega 3 Fatty Acids and COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

The rapid international spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed a global health emergency in 2020. It has affected over 52 million people and led to over 1.29 million deaths worldwide, as of November 13th, 2020. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 present with symptoms ranging from none to severe and include fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, anosmia, and gastrointestinal abnormalities. Severe complications are largely due to overdrive of the host immune system leading to "cytokine storm". This results in disseminated intravascular coagulation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and death. Due to its highly infectious nature and concerning mortality rate, every effort has been focused on prevention and creating new medications or repurposing old treatment options to ameliorate the suffering of COVID-19 patients including the immune dysregulation. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to be incorporated throughout the body into the bi-phospholipid layer of the cell membrane leading to the production of less pro-inflammatory mediators compared to other fatty acids that are more prevalent in the Western diet. In this article, the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, including their anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, and possible antiviral effects have been discussed.

The Role of Resilience and Basic Hope in the Adherence to Dietary Recommendations in the Polish Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…It was demonstrated that fish oil increased antiviral response and inhibited virus replication [ 44 ]. It is possible that the increased dietary omega-3 consumption or its supplementation may promote the prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19 via the reduction of the intensity of the inflammation (COVID-19) [ 45 ]. Therefore, omega-3 acids may exert a positive effect on inflammatory diseases [ 46 ].…”

Essential sufficiency of zinc, ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin D and magnesium for prevention and treatment of COVID-19, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases and cancer

“…There has been fairly extensive discussion about the contradictory actions of ACE2 in viral entry to host cells and its regulation of the RAS where modulation of RAS has a positive pathological effect. The ACE2 receptor is expressed in lung tissues, and a range of other tissues such as nose, heart, endothelium, kidney and intestine [ 131 , 132 ]. It has now been resolved that once the virus binds to ACE2, it effectively removes it from further action, promoting ACE activity which in turn leads to production of more Ang II.…”

The Role of Bioactive Lipids and Statins in COVID-19 Disease and Their Use in the Therapeutic Approach. Are These Effective?

“…Additionally, one of the major causes of death in patients infected with SARS during COVID-19 is multiorgan failure, which is a result of immune system overdrive causing cytokine storms. The Omega-3 FA is known to produce less pro-inflammatory cytokines, therefore increasing Omega-3 FA intake in the diet or supplementation could decrease viral entry, promote better immune function, and decrease severity among those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 [24].…”