Vitamin C May Be A Great Treatment For Patients With COVID-19

The novel coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, with a total of 532,788 confirmed cases as of today, Friday, March 27. 24,077 people have passed away, and 122, 672 have recovered thus far from the disease.

According to the World Health Organization, no medicine in particular has been recommended to avoid or cure COVID-19. However, it was stated in a recent article by the New York Post that some N.Y. hospitals are currently giving affected patients intravenous vitamin C with an amount that goes as high as 1,500 milligrams for treatment, re-administered to them for three to four times daily. Such dose counts for over 16 times of the suggested dietary allowance of the antioxidant by the National Institutes of Health per day—90 milligrams and 75 milligrams for adult men and women, respectively.

The approach came after various reports claimed it was of great help for those who contracted the virus in China. “The patients who received vitamin C did significantly better than those who did not get vitamin C. It helps a tremendous amount, but it is not highlighted because it’s not a sexy drug,” said pulmonologist and critical-care specialist Dr. Andrew G. Weber, sharing it’s provided alongside anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, antibiotic azithromycin, biologics, and blood thinners.

He also added that vitamin C levels undergo a huge drop in coronavirus patients when they experience sepsis, which is an inflammatory condition that takes place after the system’s extreme reaction to the infection. “It makes all the sense in the world to try and maintain this level of vitamin C,” continued Weber. It’s important to note, though, that medical guidelines may still vary, as emphasized by Northwell’s spokesman Jason Molinet.

That said, in our effort to curb the spread of coronavirus in our own communities, it could be a good idea not only to practice sanitary habits and take vitamin C supplements but also to incorporate it into our very diets. Fruits and vegetables have been proven to be its best sources, as indicated in a fact sheet provided by the National Institutes of Health. This includes citrus fruits, tomatoes and tomato juice, potatoes, red and green peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and cantaloupe. Locally, we love a good calamansi or dalandan juice any time of day!

Since ascorbic acid is soluble in water and damageable by heat, it could be lessened after prolonged storage and cooking. While steaming or microwaving it may diminish the loss, it would usually be best to eat it raw. “Consuming five varied servings of fruits and vegetables a day can provide more than 200 mg of vitamin C,” the data showed.