According to recent findings from the COVID Symptom Study app, taking multivitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, or vitamin D supplements may help women reduce their risk of testing positive for COVID-19.
The study, published in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, found that men seemed not to benefit, vitamin C, zinc and garlic were ineffective.
First author Panayiotis Louca said:
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The researchers looked at data from 372,720 adult COVID-19 Symptom Study app users to see if those who took supplements regularly were less likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 infection.
In March 2020, the app was launched in the United Kingdom to collect self-reported data on symptoms, test results, and other health and lifestyle factors throughout the pandemic.
Probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, multivitamins, or vitamin D supplementation were associated with a reduced risk of COVID-19 infection of 14%, 13%, 13%, and 9%, respectively, even after adjusting for confounding variables such as underlying conditions and the overall quality of each person’s diet. Additionally, the team discovered that these supplements provided some protection for women of all ages and weights.
No such effects were observed in men or those supplementing with vitamin C, zinc, or garlic.
Senior author Cristina Menni said:
Professor Tim Spector said:
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