Supplements Won’t Protect You From COVID-19
Elderberry syrup? Vitamin C? If you need extra protection against coronavirus, put them back on the shelf at the pharmacy, go home and wash your hands. Yes, even if Dr. Oz just told you to buy them.
“It has never been proven that supplements beat the coronavirus,” Dr. Oz rightly said on the Today Show . And then he inexplicably encouraged viewers to take supplements, including vitamins and elderberry syrup.
There is also a chain letter advising you to take zinc lozenges to protect yourself from the coronavirus. Various influencers, some with medical records and some without, tweeted and Facebook gave advice on vitamins, supplements, or even specific diets, as if they were protecting against the virus.
But the truth is, the evidence that each of these supplements treats or prevents any condition, weak or nonexistent. Even vitamin C does not help prevent colds , despite its reputation as a magical immune booster.
When it comes to COVID-19, evidence for effectiveness ranges from questionable to completely absent. This virus was discovered just three months ago; no one has conducted any tests that could determine whether the supplement would prevent this from happening. (Trials of antiviral drugs are currently underway , but this is a very different situation.)
The time, energy and money you spend buying nutritional supplements is a waste . Focus on what really works, like washing your hands and caring for others in your area .