Natural Supplements for COVID19-Background, Rationale, and Clinical Trials

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Nutritional Science
• Infectious Disease Research

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic spurred research into natural supplements for prevention and treatment.
• Current recommendations often lack robust evidence, relying on anecdotal data and expert opinions.
• Numerous clinical trials are underway to investigate supplement efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the scientific evidence and rationale for using natural supplements in COVID-19.
• To identify supplements with potential benefits and those posing potential harms.
• To inform clinicians for patient discussions regarding supplement use.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of peer-reviewed journals, preprint servers, and expert guidelines.
• Inclusion of data from ongoing and future trials registered on clinicaltrials.gov.
• Critical evaluation and synthesis of available biomedical literature.

Main Results:

• Review covers probiotics, dietary patterns, micronutrients, antioxidants, polyphenols, melatonin, and cannabinoids.
• Assessment considers both supportive evidence and potential risks associated with supplements.
• Highlights the controversy and limited scientific evidence surrounding many natural supplements.

Conclusions:

• Clinicians need comprehensive information on supplement evidence and risks for informed patient counseling.
• Further rigorous research is essential to establish the role of natural supplements in COVID-19 management.
• Promoting evidence-based discussions is crucial given patient interest in dietary supplements.