Published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, a new study led by University of Arkansas Medical Sciences researchers suggest that the population surveyed took a proactive approach by increasing their use of supplements due to their perceived therapeutic benefits.
The study included over 27,000 adults, 38% of whom were symptomatic. COVID-19 positivity was higher for dietary supplement users compared to non-users.
“The observed patterns in dietary supplement use suggest a complex interplay between perceived symptoms, COVID-19 status and individual health-seeking behaviors,” the researchers wrote.
“Public health initiatives should consider these nuances when developing targeted interventions and educational campaigns to ensure accurate information dissemination, combat misinformation and promote evidence-based approaches to dietary supplement use during the ongoing pandemic.”
Supplements for immune health
The researchers studied previous other health crises such as epidemics, during which time the use of ‘natural remedies’ also increased significantly. This was particularly the case during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, before effective medical therapeutic treatments had been developed. Though there was no available evidence for the effectiveness of any drug or natural product to treat the virus at that time, sales grew exponentially for dietary supplements that addressed immune health.
Some experimental evidence and clinical observations did show potential benefits of some natural products, minerals and vitamins to prevent the disease, the researchers cited.
“For instance, vitamin D deficiency in the plasma of hospitalized COVID-19 patients was associated with higher mortality,” they noted. “Some studies reported associations between higher intake of vitamin D supplements and lower risks of COVID-19 infection, while other studies found equivocal results and did not demonstrate measurable benefits.”
The ethanolic extract of A. paniculata was studied during the pandemic because it was used in Thailand to treat COVID-19. Though there was no reduction in COVID-19 symptoms with its use, the extract minimized the duration of olfactory loss symptoms over a five-day stretch.
Study details
Study participants were tested for COVID-19 and then took two follow-up interviews at seven and 14 days and were asked questions about demographics, medication use, symptom history, vitamin/supplement use and whether participants suffered from mental health stressors. The researchers were interested in specific COVID-19 symptoms experienced by those surveyed, such as cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, chills, muscle pain, headache and loss of taste/smell.
The investigators also wanted to document exposure to dietary supplements such as vitamin A, selenium, astragalus, Andrographis, propolis, multivitamins, vitamin C, zinc, echinacea, vitamin E, vitamin B/B-complex/B12/B6, garlic, elderberry, curcumin/turmeric, Umckaloaba, medicinal mushrooms, cannabidiol (CBD) oil, iron, magnesium, omega 3 and vitamin D. They also documented the use of less common dietary supplements including herbal teas and home remedies.
Among both asymptomatic and symptomatic participants, 7.8% of respondents said they used dietary supplements. Supplements such as vitamin C and zinc were also connected to a higher probability of supplement use.
There were also differences in reported symptoms among supplement and non-supplement consumers, though the distinction was small: 25% of supplement users reported three symptoms compared to 21% of non-users.
“Across all symptom categories, supplement users and non-users showed largely comparable symptom distributions, although supplement users tended to report slightly more symptoms in both the positive and negative COVID-19 test groups,” the researchers noted.
Individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 but were asymptomatic still showed increased odds of consuming several dietary supplements, including vitamin C, zinc, vitamin B/B-complex/B12/B6 and vitamin D, “suggesting a proactive approach to supplement consumption among asymptomatic carriers,” the researchers explained.
In contrast, participants with symptoms were more likely to use specific dietary supplements such as zinc, vitamin C and elderberry, seeking perceived therapeutic benefits.
“The findings emphasize the importance of targeted public health interventions and education to address disparities in dietary supplement usage and promote evidence‑based approaches to dietary supplementation,” the researchers wrote. “Further research is warranted to understand better the motivations and implications of dietary supplement usage in the context of the pandemic.”
Source: Journal of Dietary Supplements
doi: 10.1080/19390211.2025.2450457
“The Association Between Dietary Supplement Use and COVID-19 Symptoms”
Author: J. Patel, et al.
