Gut health boost: Functional foods and herbs show promise in tackling SARS-CoV-2 variants guthealth functionalfoods herbs immunesupport antiviral SARSCoV2 variants gutmicrobiota healthylifestyle Nutrients_MDPI
By Dr. Chinta SidharthanJun 8 2023Reviewed by Benedette Cuffari, M.Sc. In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers review the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on the gut microbiota and microbiome-related immunity, as well as the use of nutritional interventions, including pre- and probiotics in reducing the susceptibility to COVID-19.
Vitamins C and D are known to improve the immune response against viruses and reduce cellular stress and levels of reactive oxygen species. Likewise, minerals such as zinc also contribute to the anti-viral response by enhancing the efficacy of anti-viral drugs and exerting their immune-protective effects.
COVID-19 and the gut microbiome The presence of SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid in stool samples indicates that the virus can infect the GI tract and spread through the fecal-oral route. Moreover, imaging techniques have revealed mesenteric thickening, hyperemia and bowel wall thickening, fluid-filled large intestine, and pneumatosis in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections.
The age-related decrease in gut microbial diversity has also been implicated in the increased severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in elderly patients. Obesity, which also has significant associations with gut microbiome dysbiosis, is also correlated with severe COVID-19 outcomes. GI symptoms of COVID-19 can also be alleviated by prebiotic intake, which helps restore the gut microbiome balance. The use of prebiotics, which consist of fibers that increase gut fermentation and beneficial gut bacterial growth, has been popular in various traditional medicine forms and addressing GI problems such as diarrhea and constipation.
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