Zinc Plus Multivitamin Cut Duration of COVID-19 Symptoms

Significant difference seen between treatment and placebo groups regarding disappearance of presenting symptoms on days 5, 10 of follow-up

TUESDAY, Feb. 6, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with COVID-19 or COVID-19-like illness presenting to the emergency department, a daily zinc multivitamin supplement and melatonin significantly reduce the duration of symptoms, according to a study published online June 20, 2023, in Explore.

Lobna Mahjoub, from Sahloul University Hospital in Tunisia, and colleagues conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind trial involving patients with no medical history consulting the emergency department for COVID-19 and COVID-19-like illness. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a zinc multivitamin supplement and melatonin or placebo.

The researchers found a significant difference between the groups on the fifth day of follow-up and on the 10th day of follow-up regarding disappearance of all initial presenting symptoms. No significant differences were seen between the groups in terms of recovery on the 15th day of follow-up. Overall, 100 percent of patients in the treatment group and 98.8 percent of patients in the placebo group fully recovered. There were no reports of severe adverse events throughout the trial.

"Daily doses of melatonin, zinc and multivitamins supplements (vitamin C and D) did significantly reduce the duration of COVID-19 and COVID-like illnesses symptoms and reduced its burden among nonhospitalized patients considered healthy," the authors write.

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