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The Potential of Dietary Bioactive Compounds against SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction
1School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
Insights
COVID-19 is an endothelial disease where comorbidities like obesity and diabetes worsen outcomes. Dietary interventions targeting endothelial dysfunction may prevent severe outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- COVID-19 is increasingly recognized as an endothelial disease.
- Major comorbidities associated with severe COVID-19, including old age, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, are linked to endothelial dysfunction.
- Genetics and environmental factors contribute to endothelial dysfunction, increasing susceptibility to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19 severity.
- To identify dietary risk factors for endothelial dysfunction.
- To explore dietary bioactives that may prevent endothelial dysfunction and mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection severity.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on COVID-19, endothelial function, comorbidities, and nutrition.
- Analysis of existing research on dietary interventions and their impact on endothelial health.
- Identification of specific dietary compounds with potential therapeutic benefits.
Main Results:
- Endothelial dysfunction is a common factor across major COVID-19 risk comorbidities.
- Modifiable risk factors for endothelial dysfunction include diet, obesity, and hypertension.
- Several dietary bioactives show efficacy against dysfunctional endothelial cells and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Conclusions:
- Endothelial dysfunction is central to severe COVID-19 outcomes.
- Dietary strategies targeting endothelial health represent a promising avenue for preventing severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Further research into dietary bioactives is crucial for developing effective nutritional interventions against COVID-19 variants.
Abstract:
COVID-19 is an endothelial disease. All the major comorbidities that increase the risk for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 including old age, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, respiratory disease, compromised immune system, coronary artery disease or heart failure are associated with dysfunctional endothelium. Genetics and environmental factors (epigenetics) are major risk factors for endothelial dysfunction. Individuals with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and poor COVID-19 outcomes and higher risk of mortality. Old age is a non-modifiable risk factor. All other risk factors are modifiable. This review also identifies dietary risk factors for endothelial dysfunction. Potential dietary preventions that address endothelial dysfunction and its sequelae may have an important role in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection severity and are key factors for future research to address. This review presents some dietary bioactives with demonstrated efficacy against dysfunctional endothelial cells. This review also covers dietary bioactives with efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Dietary bioactive compounds that prevent endothelial dysfunction and its sequelae, especially in the gastrointestinal tract, will result in more effective prevention of SARS-CoV-2 variant infection severity and are key factors for future food research to address.
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