Vitamin deficiency as risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection: correlation with susceptibility and prognosis

A. Allegra, A. Tonacci, G. Pioggia, C. Musolino, S. Gangemi

Division of Hematology, Department of Human Pathology in Adulthood and Childhood “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. aallegra@unime.it

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• Infectious Diseases

OBJECTIVE: In 2019, an infection provoked by SARS-CoV-2 virus arose in Wuhan, China. Currently, there is still no definite and efficacious therapy for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, our understanding of the physiopathology of the infection, and risk elements for severity and mortality, is incomplete.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: One largely neglected element that could affect prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is the vitamin status of population. The purpose of this review is to evaluate whether a vitamin insufficiency could provoke an augmented risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or the appearance of major complications. In particular, we evaluated the presence of studies related to the state and effects of vitamin D, C, B, and A in subjects with SARS-CoV-2 disease.

RESULTS: Although, actually, the interest in a possible use for vitamin supplementation in SARS-CoV-2 patients is essentially based on indirect data, we tried to examine the evidence about a favorable effect of vitamin supplementation in the therapy of the infection and its complications.

CONCLUSIONS: Supplements with vitamin A, B, C, D, and E could represent an inexpensive and sufficiently safe approach, and a useful therapeutic complement. However, solid clinical research data are expected to support such claim.

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