Do we need to take vitamin on a daily basis during pandemic Covid-19?

This pandemic has reached Indonesia in Mid of March 2020. At the very early stage, little was known about this new disease or the virus which caused it. However, the impact was real. Covid-19 pandemic has significantly influenced all aspects of live globally. This pandemic is the real revolution which we have talked about in the past 5 years. This pandemic has changed the way people interact, and behave within the global level. The changes are within social, economic, education and health. For instance, most traditional ceremonies involving lots of people mass gathering is prohibited during this pandemic. This was a social impact. In economic perspective, there are lots of online platform for daily needs delivery service as well as mbanking. This was the result of stay at home campaign from the government. Real changes in education have been experienced from early education to university level. Although lots of challenges found both by school managements, teachers, as well as students. The most significant changes happened in health sector. In this pandemic, people who suffered from diseases may reluctant to visit hospital/primary healthcare or clinic to minimize exposure. Meanwhile, healthy people aims to stay healthy.

Corona virus as the cause of Covid-19 is a new virus and research has shown that this virus mutating easily, thus it has led to hardship to find the cure. Thus, at this stage, prevention is the utmost importance in this pandemic such as wash hands properly, keep distance within 1-2 meters in public places, and put masks on. Other prevention methods which was frequently mentioned as preventive medicine in social media such as the used of food supplements, vitamin or herbals/traditional medicines. However, the community may wonder, do we need to take vitamin on a daily basis to improve immunity?

In general, some vitamins and supplements have role to improve our immune system such as Vitamin A, C, D, E, B6, Zinc, Folic Acid, Selenium and Ferrous. However, our body requires very little amount of this vitamins. Up to date, there is no research has provided sufficient evidence that one vitamin or supplement which is superior in their role to improve immune system. It needs to be highlighted that vitamin and supplement is required for certain people which has been diagnosed by physician/nutritionist that they required the respective vitamins. Taking to much of vitamin can be dangerous for your health. If we take lipid soluble vitamin like Vitamin A, D and E, it will be deposited in the fat and a study from JAMA stated that high vitamin A and E will increase mortality. Similarly, evidence on Vitamin D to improve immune system is not also sufficient. Meanwhile, taking too much water soluble vitamin like Vitamin B and C, it will be excreted in the urine. This means we take unnecessary medicine. Besides, taking too much vitamin will make our renal work harder to excrete the vitamin.

It need also taken into consideration that taking vitamin and supplement will increase the risk of drug interaction, in particular those who take regular medication. For instance, woman who takes oral contraceptive in addition to Vitamin C, it will increase the contraceptive concentration in the blood which increase its concentration as well as its toxicities. Other example, Vitamin D and antacid drug will increase aluminium toxicities (as a component of antacid). Thus, taking vitamin and supplement on daily basis should be reconsider.

Thus, to answer whether we need to take vitamin everyday during pandemic, it may not be necessary, because up to this stage, there is not enough evidence to support that one vitamin or supplement is superior towards others. Thus, in order to provide sufficient vitamin in our body, taking balance diet from vegetables and fruits should be sufficient. In addition, healthy living with sufficient physical activities as well as maintaining mental and spiritual health is also important.

Hoping this information is informative and stay healthy and happy. Hope we could get through this pandemic well.