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Demand for vitamins, zinc supplements soars in second wave. Do they help prevent Covid-19?

 


There has been a spurt in panic buying of these supplements in the second wave. Multivitamins do act as antioxidants and build immunity. Here is what experts say

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New Delhi
May 21, 2021
UPDATED: May 21, 2021 12:47 IST
Several minerals and vitamins have antioxidant, immunomodulatory and antimicrobial properties (Representational/Getty images)

Vitamin C, D and zinc supplements have been flying off the shelves of pharmacies as a raging second wave of Covid-19 has led to a spike in demand for immunity boosters. So much so that there are reports of several cities witnessing a shortage of the over-the-counter supplements that are taken for general well-being.

Experts IndiaToday.in spoke to said multivitamins do act as antioxidants and build immunity but there is no substantial evidence to prove that they help prevent Covid-19. The spurt in panic buying of these supplements is also sometimes driven by unproven social media messages that they boost immunity against Covid-19.

(Infographic : India Today/Rahul Gupta)

Demand for Vitamin C, zinc tablets doubles

Sankha Roy Choudhury, president of the Bengal Chemists and Druggists Association, said in recent months the demand for certain products such as vitamin C, zinc tablets and B complex capsules has suddenly shot up.

"The demand has more than doubled right now. If the demand was 1-2 lakh strips in January, now it has risen to 5-6 lakh strips. Besides, we are now facing a shortage of vitamin products of main or bigger brands," Choudhury, former joint secretary of AlI India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists, told IndiaToday.in.

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READ | Five post-Covid nutrition tips

According to a report quoting the research wing of AlI India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), over 185 crore pills of vitamin C supplements were sold last year, a growth of over 100 per cent when compared to 2019. Besides, sales of the popular zinc supplement, Zincovit, spiked by 93 per cent in 2020.

A pharmacist in Kolkata said sales of vitamins A, B complex with folic acid, C, D3 and zinc supplements had seen a 375 per cent rise from April 15. "People have become panic-stricken and are procuring such medicines even if not essentially required. There is a scarcity of multivitamins and supply has been erratic. I urge the manufacturers not to increase the price of such medicines at this critical period," said the owner of GNG Medical.

What suggests vitamins, zinc may work against any virus?

Several minerals and vitamins have antioxidant, immunomodulatory and antimicrobial properties that can be helpful for immune response against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

"In the absence of a widely available treatment for Covid-19, supplementation of micronutrients emerges as an important measure to improve the immune system and to prevent the development of severe symptoms. However, one should not take more than the recommended dose," said Dr Vineet Malhotra of Diyos Hospital, New Delhi.

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Some studies have shown that Covid-19 patients were found to be deficient in Vitamin D. "There is some data showing that the presence of appropriate levels of vitamin D is responsible for preventing acute respiratory distress in patients. Thus, it can be surmised that perhaps vitamin D supplementation may have kept some from getting infected and/or developing serious Covid-19 complications," Dr Jennifer Prabhu, Internal Medicine specialist, told IndiaToday.in.

In the case of zinc, Dr Prabhu said it has been shown to stop RNA viruses responsible for common cold from replicating, especially in the nose and in the lower respiratory tract, thereby preventing lung injury. SARS-CoV-2 is also an RNA virus and is known to affect the respiratory tract.

ALSO READ | Best practices for treating Covid-19 at home

What studies have found

A study, published in the journal JAMA Open Network earlier this year, found that people taking zinc or vitamin C supplements, whether individually or combined, had no improvement in Covid-19 symptoms or faster recovery when compared with similar patients receiving neither of such supplements.

The COVIDAtoZ clinical trial, conducted by researchers at Cleveland Clinic in the US, enrolled 214 adult Covid-19 patients. "At 50% reduction in symptoms, the study showed no significant difference between the usual care, vitamin C, zinc gluconate or the group receiving both vitamin C and zinc gluconate," the study found.

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"However, few early phase clinical trials have demonstrated benefit in preventing severity of Covid-19 disease in patients receiving vitamin C and zinc supplementation," said Dr Ganesh Divekar, vice-president clinical operations, SIRO Clinpharm.

(Infographic : India Today/Rahul Gupta)

Benefits of vitamins C, D and zinc; how to get them naturally

Vitamin C

- An antioxidant, it helps to protect our cells from damage
- Boosts our cellular and antibody defence mechanism in fighting against any infection
- Found in fruits and vegetables such as oranges, strawberries, kiwi, bell peppers, broccoli, spinach
- Recommended intake: 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men (per day)

Vitamin D

- Monitors immune system, including immuno reactions to viral infection
- Vitamin D deficiency predisposes one to infections of respiratory tract and mycobacterial infections
- In-vitro cell culture studies have demonstrated Vitamin D plays a role against enveloped viruses (Covid-19 is enveloped virus)
- Important for normal growth and development of bones and teeth
- Found in sunlight, salmon, sardines, egg yolk, shrimp, milk (fortified)

(Infographic : India Today/Rahul Gupta)

Zinc supplements

- Zinc possesses a variety of direct and indirect antiviral properties
- Necessary for activity of several enzymes that aid in metabolism, digestion, nerve function
- Accelerates wound healing, reduces inflammation
- Found in oysters, crab, lobster, meat, sardines, salmon, chickpeas, lentils, black beans, cashew, oats, quinoa, mushroom

On top of everything, experts were unanimous that it is necessary to realise that the most important factors in preventing Covid-19 are mask usage, good hand hygiene and social distancing.

Click here for IndiaToday.in’s complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

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पेड़ से फल पकने के बाद स्वत : ही गिर जाता है डाल से अलग हो जाता है एक मनुष्य ही है जो पकी उम्र के बाद भी बच्चों के बच्चों से चिपका रहता है। इसे ही मोह कहते हैं। माया के कुनबे में लिपटा रहता है मनुष्य -मेरा बेटा मेरा पोता मेरे नाती आदि आदि से आबद्ध रहता है।  ऐसे में आध्यात्मिक विकास के लिए अवकाश ही कहाँ रहता है लिहाज़ा : पुनरपि जन्मम पुनरपि मरणम , पुनरपि जननी जठरे शयनम।  अनेकों जन्म बीत गए ट्रेफिक ब्रेक हुआ ही नहीं।    क्या इसीलिए ये मनुष्य तन का चोला पहना था। आखिर तुम्हारा निज स्वरूप क्या है। ये सब नाते नाती रिश्ते तुम्हारे देह के संबंधी हैं  तुम्हारे निज स्वरूप से इनका कोई लेना देना नहीं है। शरीर नहीं शरीर के मालिक  शरीरी हो तुम। पहचानों अपने निज सच्चिदानंद स्वरूप को।  अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि  कबीर माया के इसी कुनबे पर कटाक्ष करते हुए कहते हैं :मनुष्य जब यह शरीर छोड़ देता है स्थूल तत्वों का संग्रह जब सूक्ष्म रूप पांच में तब्दील हो जाता है तब माँ जीवन भर संतान के लिए विलाप करती है उस संतान के लिए जो उसके जीते जी शरीर छोड़ जाए। बहना दस माह तक और स्त्री तेरह दिन तक। उसके
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उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं   नात्मानमवसादयेत |  आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव  रिपुरात्मन :  ||  अपने द्वारा अपना उद्धार करें , अपना पतन न करें क्योंकि आप ही अपना मित्र हैं  और आप ही अपना शत्रु हैं ।  व्याख्या :गुरु बनना या बनाना गीता का सिद्धांत नहीं है। वास्तव में मनुष्य आप ही अपना गुरु है। इसलिए अपने को ही उपदेश दे अर्थात  दूसरे में कमी न देखकर अपने में ही कमी देखे और उसे मिटाने की चेष्टा करे। भगवान् भी विद्यमान हैं ,तत्व ज्ञान भी विद्यमान है और हम भी विद्यमान हैं ,फिर उद्धार में देरी क्यों ? नाशवान व्यक्ति ,पदार्थ और क्रिया में आसक्ति के कारण ही उद्धार में देरी हो रही है। इसे मिटाने की जिम्मेवारी हम पर ही  है ; क्योंकि हमने ही  आसक्ति की है।  पूर्वपक्ष: गुरु ,संत और  भगवान् भी तो मनुष्य का उद्धार करते हैं ,ऐसा लोक में देखा जाता है ? उत्तरपक्ष : गुरु ,संत और भगवान् भी मनुष्य का तभी उद्धार करते हैं ,जब वह (मनुष्य )स्वयं उन्हें स्वीकार करता है अर्थात उनपर श्रद्धा -विश्वास करता है ,उनके सम्मुख होता है ,उनकी शरण लेता है ,उनकी आज्ञा का पालन करता है। गुरु ,संत और भगवान् का कभी अभाव नह
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