Role of antioxidant therapy in the treatment and prognosis of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
This review investigates the effectiveness of antioxidant therapy in treating COVID-19. Researchers analyzed 25 randomized controlled trials of zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, and combined antioxidant treatments of minerals and multivitamins. While most studies examined common factors such as hospitalizations and recovery time, the findings revealed mixed evidence on the efficacy and potential benefits of antioxidant therapy for COVID-19.
Studies testing Zinc showed varied results in reducing ICU admissions and hospital stays. Vitamin A improved inflammatory or infection markers and Vitamin C presented inconsistent effects on clinical improvement and hospitalization. Additionally, combination treatments suggested symptom relief and reduced cytokine storm, an overproduction of protein types commonly seen in patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms.
Notably, nearly 44% of the studies had a high risk of bias, with 24% showing some bias concerns. The varying evidence warrants the need for well-designed and large-scale randomized controlled trials to determine the role of antioxidants in COVID-19 treatment and prognosis.
