Mineral supplements in the Coronavirus disease

ABSTRACT

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which emerged in December 2019 and quickly became a worldwide pandemic, has become an important public health problem. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a novel virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. There is a mutual relationship between infectious diseases and the effect of nutrition on the immune system. Malnutrition can reduce the defenses of the immune system, increase the risk of contracting infectious diseases, and increase the severity of symptoms of these diseases. Minerals are necessary for the healthy functioning of the immune system. They are effective in both innate and acquired immunity. It is thought that the need for minerals in nutrition may increase in COVID-19. In the light of all these factors, it may be necessary to use some mineral supplements in COVID- 19 cases to deal with the increasing demand . Currently, there are no guidelines on mineral supplements for the treatment of the disease due to its very new nature. This study highlights problems in the immune system caused by deficiency of copper, zinc, iron and selenium minerals and discusses whether the supplements of these minerals can be effective in the treatment of COVID-19.