Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences

| Peer-Reviewed |

Beneficial Effects of Oral Administration of a Nutritional Supplement in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients

Received: 22 February 2021    Accepted: 09 March 2021    Published: 17 March 2021
Views:       Downloads:

Share This Article

Abstract

As the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic rages, there is an urgent need to identify clinical and laboratory predictors for progression to severe and fatal forms of this disease. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the potential ability of a nutritional supplement to normalize certain hematological, biochemical and immunological biomarkers in patients with and without symptoms of COVID-19. Micronutrients, such as nutritionally essential vitamins and minerals, influence and support every step of the immune response. This investigation was performed by administering a dietary supplement rich in calciferol (vitamin D3), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), folic acid (vitamin B9) and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) to the enrolled patients for 120 days. All essential elements for a complete physiological enzymatic process. The reported results appear promising from the point of view of the experimental approach adopted. In particular, the scheduled administration of the nutritional supplement rich in micronutrients to asymptomatic and mild to moderate COVID-19 patients has led, in general, to the normalization of the values of some critical biochemical and immunological parameters found to be altered. This nutritional approach, although it does not resolve the disease and therefore does not represent a cure, can improve the quality of life of COVID-19 patients.

DOI 10.11648/j.jfns.20210902.12
Published in Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences (Volume 9, Issue 2, March 2021)
Page(s) 41-47
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

COVID-19, Nutritional Supplement, Vitamin D3, Vitamin C, Folic Acid

References
[1] Bonafè M., Prattichizzo F., Giuliani A., et al. Inflamm-aging: Why older men are the most susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 complicated outcomes. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2020; 53: 33–37.
[2] Alschuler L, Chiasson AM, Horwitz R, et al. Integrative medicine considerations for convalescence from mild-to-moderate COVID-19 disease. V. Explore (NY). 2020: S1550-8307(20)30417-1.
[3] Álvarez J, Lallena S, Bernal M. Nutrition and the COVID-19 pandemic. Medicine (Madr). 2020: 13 (23): 1311-1321.
[4] Torricelli P, Antonelli F, Ferorelli P, et al.. Oral nutritional supplement prevents weight loss and reduces side effects in patients in advanced lung cancer chemotherapy. Amino Acids. 2020; 52 (3): 445-451.
[5] Li T, Wang X, Zhuang X, et al. Baseline characteristics and changes of biomarkers in disease course predict prognosis of patients with COVID-19. Intern Emerg Med. 2021; 10: 1-8.
[6] Alamin AA, Yahia AIO. Hematological Parameters Predict Disease Severity and Progression in Patients with COVID-19: a Review Article. Clin Lab. 2021; 67 (1).
[7] Muthuvattur Pallath M, Ahirwar AK, et al. COVID-19 and nutritional deficiency: a review of existing knowledge. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig. 2021; (Online ahead of print).
[8] Pastor N, Collado MC, Manzoni P. Phytonutrient and Nutraceutical Action against COVID-19: Current Review of Characteristics and Benefits. Nutrients. 2021; 13 (2): 464, 472.
[9] Gong S, Ji X, Su J, Wang Y, et al. Yeast Fermentate Prebiotic Ameliorates Allergic Asthma, Associating with Inhibiting Inflammation and Reducing Oxidative Stress Level through Suppressing Autophagy. Mediators Inflamm. 2021; 4080935
[10] Mannucci C, Casciaro M, Sorbara EE, et al. Nutraceuticals against Oxidative Stress in Autoimmune Disorders. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021; 10 (2): 261.
[11] Brenner H. Vitamin D Supplementation to Prevent COVID-19 Infections and Deaths-Accumulating Evidence from Epidemiological and Intervention Studies Calls for Immediate Action. Nutrients. 2021; 13 (2): 411.
[12] Li Tan, Qi Wang, Duanyang Zhang, et al. Lymphopenia predicts disease severity of COVID-19: a descriptive and predictive study. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2020; 5: 33.
[13] Calder PC, Carr AC, Gombart AF, Eggersdorfer M. Optimal Nutritional Status for a Well-Functioning Immune System Is an Important Factor to Protect against Viral Infections. Nutrients. 2020; 12 (4): 1181.
[14] Sayah W, Berkane I, Guermache I, et al. Interleukin-6, procalcitonin and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio: Potential immune-inflammatory parameters to identify severe and fatal forms of COVID-19. Cytokine. 2021; 141: 155428.
[15] Gorji A, Khaleghi Ghadiri M. Potential roles of micronutrient deficiency and immune system dysfunction in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Nutrition. 2021; 82: 111047.
[16] Hakan Erdem and Serhat Ünal. New global viral threats. Saudi Med J. 2015; 36 (4): 393–398.
[17] Sharma A, Ahmad Farouk I, Lal SK. COVID-19: A Review on the Novel Coronavirus Disease Evolution, Transmission, Detection, Control and Prevention. Viruses. 2021; 13 (2): 202, 208.
[18] Bilgir O, Bilgir F, Calan M. Comparison of pre-and post-levothyroxine high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and fetuin-A levels in subclinical hypothyroidism. Clinics 2015; 70 (2): 97–101.
[19] Warusevitane A, Karunatilake D, Sim J, et al. Early diagnosis of pneumonia in severe stroke: clinical features and the diagnostic role of C-reactive protein. PloS one 2016; 11 (3): e0150269.
[20] Shi X, Qin L, Yang L, et al. Value of interleukin-6 and CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia in assessing the severity and prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019]. 2020; 32 (10): 1165-1170.
[21] Hsu PP, Sabatini DM. Cancer cell metabolism: Warburg and beyond. Cell. 2008; 134 (5): 703–707.
[22] Zhou F, Yu T, Du R, et al. Clinical course and risk factors for mortality of adult in patients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet 2020; 395: 1054-1060.
[23] Han Y, Zhang H, Mu S, et al. Lactate dehydrogenase, a risk factor of severe COVID-19 patients. Aging (Albany NY). 2020; 12 (12): 11245–11258.
[24] Shah A, Frost J, Aaron L et al. Systemic hypoferraemia and severity of hypoxaemic respiratory failure in COVID-19. Crit. Care 2020; 24 (1): 320.
[25] Xiaonan Zhang, Yun Tan, Yun Ling, et al. Viral and host factors related to the clinical outcome of COVID-19. Nature, 583, 2020, 437-441.
[26] Akbari H, Tabrizi R, Lankarani KB, et al. The role of cytokine profile and lymphocyte subsets in the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Life Sci. 2020; 258: 118167.
[27] Boulkrane MS, Ilina V, Melchakov R, Fedotova J, et al. COVID-19 Disease and Vitamin D: A Mini-Review. Front Pharmacol. 2020; 11: 604579.
[28] Calton EK, Keane KN, Newsholme P, Soares MJ. The Impact of Vitamin D Levels on Inflammatory Status: A Systematic Review of Immune Cell Studies. PLoS One. 2015; 10 (11): e0141770.
[29] Jovic TH, Ali SR, Ibrahim N, et al.. Could vitamins help in the fight against COVID-19? Nutrients. 2020; 12: 2550.
[30] Englard S, Seifter S. The biochemical functions of ascorbic acid. Annu Rev Nutr. 1986; 6: 365–406. 10.1146/annurev.nu.06.070186.002053.
[31] José João Name, Ana Carolina Remondi Souza, Andrea Rodrigues Vasconcelos, et al. Zinc, Vitamin D and Vitamin C: Perspectives for COVID-19 With a Focus on Physical Tissue Barrier Integrity. Front Nutr. 2020; 7: 606398.
[32] Hallenberger S, Bosch V, Angliker H, et al. "Inhibition of furin-mediated cleavage activation of HIV-1 glyco-protein gp160". Nature. 1992; 360 (6402): 358–361.
[33] Esko Wiltshire, Alexia Sophie Peña, Karen MacKenzie, et al. High dose folic acid is a potential treatment for pulmonary hypertension, including when associated with COVID-19 pneumonia. Med Hypotheses. 2020; 143: 110142.
[34] Kumar V. Kancharla S., Jena M. K. In silico virtual screening-based study of nutraceuticals predicts the therapeutic potentials of folic acid and its derivatives against COVID-19. Virusdisease. 2021; 1-9.
Author Information
  • Scientific Research Center, Citozeatec, Milan, Italy

  • Scientific Association (ARSS), Rome, Italy

  • Department of Pharmacology, Kabardino-Balkarian State University, Nalchik, Russia

  • Department of Psychology and Sports Science, Giessen Justus, Liebig University Gie?en, Giessen, Germany

  • Department of Health Engineering, Université Européenne de Bruxelles Jean Monnet, Schaerbeek, Belgio

  • Department of Biology, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Ferorelli Pasquale, Antonelli Francesco, Shevchenko Anna, Doepp Manfred, Lenzi Stefano, et al. (2021). Beneficial Effects of Oral Administration of a Nutritional Supplement in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients. Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 9(2), 41-47. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20210902.12

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Ferorelli Pasquale; Antonelli Francesco; Shevchenko Anna; Doepp Manfred; Lenzi Stefano, et al. Beneficial Effects of Oral Administration of a Nutritional Supplement in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients. J. Food Nutr. Sci. 2021, 9(2), 41-47. doi: 10.11648/j.jfns.20210902.12

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Ferorelli Pasquale, Antonelli Francesco, Shevchenko Anna, Doepp Manfred, Lenzi Stefano, et al. Beneficial Effects of Oral Administration of a Nutritional Supplement in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients. J Food Nutr Sci. 2021;9(2):41-47. doi: 10.11648/j.jfns.20210902.12

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.jfns.20210902.12,
      author = {Ferorelli Pasquale and Antonelli Francesco and Shevchenko Anna and Doepp Manfred and Lenzi Stefano and Beninati Simone},
      title = {Beneficial Effects of Oral Administration of a Nutritional Supplement in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients},
      journal = {Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences},
      volume = {9},
      number = {2},
      pages = {41-47},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jfns.20210902.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20210902.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jfns.20210902.12},
      abstract = {As the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic rages, there is an urgent need to identify clinical and laboratory predictors for progression to severe and fatal forms of this disease. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the potential ability of a nutritional supplement to normalize certain hematological, biochemical and immunological biomarkers in patients with and without symptoms of COVID-19. Micronutrients, such as nutritionally essential vitamins and minerals, influence and support every step of the immune response. This investigation was performed by administering a dietary supplement rich in calciferol (vitamin D3), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), folic acid (vitamin B9) and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) to the enrolled patients for 120 days. All essential elements for a complete physiological enzymatic process. The reported results appear promising from the point of view of the experimental approach adopted. In particular, the scheduled administration of the nutritional supplement rich in micronutrients to asymptomatic and mild to moderate COVID-19 patients has led, in general, to the normalization of the values of some critical biochemical and immunological parameters found to be altered. This nutritional approach, although it does not resolve the disease and therefore does not represent a cure, can improve the quality of life of COVID-19 patients.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Beneficial Effects of Oral Administration of a Nutritional Supplement in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients
    AU  - Ferorelli Pasquale
    AU  - Antonelli Francesco
    AU  - Shevchenko Anna
    AU  - Doepp Manfred
    AU  - Lenzi Stefano
    AU  - Beninati Simone
    Y1  - 2021/03/17
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20210902.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jfns.20210902.12
    T2  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
    JF  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
    JO  - Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
    SP  - 41
    EP  - 47
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-7293
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfns.20210902.12
    AB  - As the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic rages, there is an urgent need to identify clinical and laboratory predictors for progression to severe and fatal forms of this disease. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the potential ability of a nutritional supplement to normalize certain hematological, biochemical and immunological biomarkers in patients with and without symptoms of COVID-19. Micronutrients, such as nutritionally essential vitamins and minerals, influence and support every step of the immune response. This investigation was performed by administering a dietary supplement rich in calciferol (vitamin D3), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), folic acid (vitamin B9) and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) to the enrolled patients for 120 days. All essential elements for a complete physiological enzymatic process. The reported results appear promising from the point of view of the experimental approach adopted. In particular, the scheduled administration of the nutritional supplement rich in micronutrients to asymptomatic and mild to moderate COVID-19 patients has led, in general, to the normalization of the values of some critical biochemical and immunological parameters found to be altered. This nutritional approach, although it does not resolve the disease and therefore does not represent a cure, can improve the quality of life of COVID-19 patients.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

  • Sections