Dietary Supplements and COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 virus, which emerged in China and spread worldwide, caused the disease called COVID-19, and as a result, it was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. SARS-CoV-2, a new virus for humans, has caused an increase in morbidity and mortality rates. Despite developments in vaccines and drugs, unfavorable effects of COVID-19 keep going. After the emergence of COVID-19, a disease that poses a great threat of morbidity and mortality, solutions have been searched to avoid from the virus and to overcome the disease after getting sick. As the importance of a strong immune system in the fight against infections is known, ways to strengthen immunity have been sought in addition to masks, distance and hygiene measures. For this reason, popularity of dietary supplements, which are thought to be effective on the immune system, has increased. Based on the positive studies on immunity and other viral infections in the literature, it is thought that dietary supplements can be useful against COVID-19. About dietary supplements on COVID-19, there are only a few randomized controlled studies, observational studies have been published mostly. In this review, the effects of dietary supplements on immunity, other viral infections and COVID-19 were examined.