Review of the use of vitamin C for infections and the potential benefit for COVID-19.
Hemilä et al., 18 Jan 2021, peer-reviewed, 2 authors.
Abstract: PERSPECTIVE
published: 18 January 2021
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.559811
Vitamin C and COVID-19
Harri Hemilä 1* and Angelique M. E. de Man 2
1
Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, 2 Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Amsterdam
University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, Netherlands
In numerous animal studies, vitamin C has prevented and alleviated viral and bacterial
infections. In a few dozen placebo-controlled trials with humans, vitamin C has shortened
infections caused by respiratory viruses, which indicates that the vitamin can also
influence viral infections in humans. In critically ill patients, plasma vitamin C levels are
commonly very low. Gram doses of vitamin C are needed to increase the plasma vitamin
C levels of critically ill patients to the levels of ordinary healthy people. A meta-analysis of
12 trials with 1,766 patients calculated that vitamin C reduced the length of ICU stay on
average by 8%. Another meta-analysis found that vitamin C shortened the duration of
mechanical ventilation in ICU patients. Two randomized placebo-controlled trials found
statistically significant reduction in the mortality of sepsis patients. The effects of vitamin
C on acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) frequently complicating COVID-19
pneumonia should be considered. Vitamin C is a safe and inexpensive essential nutrient.
Keywords: artificial respiration, ascorbic acid, coronavirus, critical care, pneumonia, respiratory distress
syndrome, respiratory tract infections
Edited by:
Ata Murat Kaynar,
University of Pittsburgh, United States
Reviewed by:
Yoshinori Ohta,
Hyogo College of Medicine, Japan
Anitra C. Carr,
University of Otago, New Zealand
Margreet C. M. Vissers,
University of Otago, New Zealand
*Correspondence:
Harri Hemilä
harri.hemila@helsinki.fi
Specialty section:
This article was submitted to
Intensive Care Medicine and
Anesthesiology,
a section of the journal
Frontiers in Medicine
Received: 07 May 2020
Accepted: 02 December 2020
Published: 18 January 2021
Citation:
Hemilä H and de Man AME (2021)
Vitamin C and COVID-19.
Front. Med. 7:559811.
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.559811
Frontiers in Medicine | www.frontiersin.org
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