Vitamin C Can Help in Severe COVID-19 Says Study Led by New Zealand Researchers

Kiwi researchers have found that Vitamin C can help treat patients with severe COVID-19 but stresses that larger studies are vital to validate this. 

Otago University said in an interview with NZ Herald that Vitamin C shouldn't be treated or taken as a cure or medicine to COVID-19. 

Anitra Carr, an Associate Professor and Researcher at Otago University said that there were some promising signs that Vitamin C could be used as complimenting treatment to the main therapy COVID-19 positive patients undergo. 

ALSO READ: 5 Good Things You Can Get from Vitamin C Aside from Improved Immune Health

In the interview, Carr mentioned a recent study in the US, where it shows patients with COVID-19 in ICU had deficient vitamin C levels. She added that when an infection occurs, the body's need for vitamin heightens drastically, but the standard doses given in the ICUs are not enough to compensate. 

A study published last year assessed Vitamin C's effect on high-dose Vitamin C infusions among patients with severe infections who had acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and sepsis. After 28 days of Vitamin therapy, there was a lower mortality rate. 

According to the study led by Anita Carr, Vitamin C has pleiotropic physiological functions, many of which are relevant to COVID-19, such as immunomodulatory functions, antithrombotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory functions. The study also said a significant decrease in mortality rate when it comes to more severely ill patients who received Vitamin C intervention, and the findings from the upcoming larger randomized control trials will provide more evidence. 

Carr added in the interview that people exposed to stress might increase the risk of getting infected by coronavirus, and Vitamin C may help. However, for those who do not undergo stress, the risk may not decrease in getting the disease. 

READ ALSO: Researchers Find a Correlation Between Zinc Deficiency and Poor COVID-19 Outcomes

What is Vitamin C

According to Healthline, Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that wards off free extremists or radicals in the body and prevents cellular damage caused by these compounds. It affects immunity because its antioxidants decrease inflammation, which helps in improving immune functions. Healthline highlights Vitamin C's promotion of growth and the spreading of lymphocytes in your body. 

On COVID-19

Earlier this year, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) said that Vitamin C supplementation had been evaluated in various disease states. They added that Vitamin C's high doses and function in lessening inflammation and vascular injury is being studied because COVID-19 may cause sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, NIH said that there are still insufficient data for the use of Vitamin C as a treatment for COVID-19 critically ill patients.

According to a study published earlier this year, taking Vitamin C intravenously (IV) has a profound effect on reducing viral infections. The study furthered that taking intravenous Vitamin C is the right choice in the case of COVID-19. 

Oregon State University mentioned that IV vitamin C does not need to travel in the stomach and intestines. Instead, it is directly administered n the bloodstream, which immediately heightens the blood's vitamin C contents. 

Oregon state university stressed that there is not enough scientific evidence if IV Vitamin C works against COVID-19. On the other hand, Anita Carr also stated that there is still no evidence that Vitamin C can help prevent the infection but adequately taking it will benefit some people. 

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