Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
National Key Disciplines of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2024;64(7):1969-1987. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2119932. Epub 2022 Sep 12.
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and continuing emergence of viral mutants, there has been a lack of effective treatment methods. Zinc maintains immune function, with direct and indirect antiviral activities. Zinc nutritional status is a critical factor in antiviral immune responses. Importantly, COVID-19 and zinc deficiency overlap in high-risk population. Hence, the potential effect of zinc as a preventive and adjunct therapy for COVID-19 is intriguing. Here, this review summarizes the immune and antiviral function of zinc, the relationship between zinc levels, susceptibility, and severity of COVID-19, and the effect of zinc supplementation on COVID-19. Existing studies have confirmed that zinc deficiency was associated with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. Zinc supplementation plays a potentially protective role in enhancing immunity, decreasing susceptibility, shortening illness duration, and reducing the severity of COVID-19. We recommend that zinc levels should be monitored, particularly in COVID-19 patients, and zinc as a preventive and adjunct therapy for COVID-19 should be considered for groups at risk of zinc deficiency to reduce susceptibility and disease severity.
在 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行期间和持续出现病毒突变体的情况下，缺乏有效的治疗方法。锌维持免疫功能，具有直接和间接的抗病毒活性。锌的营养状况是抗病毒免疫反应的关键因素。重要的是，COVID-19 和锌缺乏在高危人群中重叠。因此，锌作为 COVID-19 的预防和辅助治疗的潜在作用令人关注。本文综述了锌的免疫和抗病毒功能、锌水平与 COVID-19 的易感性和严重程度的关系，以及锌补充对 COVID-19 的影响。现有研究证实，锌缺乏与 COVID-19 的易感性和严重程度有关。锌补充在增强免疫力、降低易感性、缩短病程和减轻 COVID-19 的严重程度方面发挥着潜在的保护作用。我们建议监测锌水平，特别是在 COVID-19 患者中，并考虑将锌作为预防和辅助治疗 COVID-19 的方法，以降低缺锌人群的易感性和疾病严重程度。
