How Are People Coping With Coronavirus?

How are people coping with Coronavirus?

Coronavirus news is everywhere. For most of us, it is impacting our normal every day lives while we wait for the virus to run its course. As people are making new hobbies of running, cycling and gardening, a lot of the public are concerned more for their overall health and keeping a good immune system to ensure that if they come into contact with the virus, it wont be as bad as they fear it could be.

People are now looking to food supplements to help keep their concerns at bay. If experts predictions are to be believed, around 80% of some populations will catch coronavirus as opposed to those with elevated white blood cells and other immune system “soldiers” that are prepared to fight off the virus should you get it. People are seeking food supplements so much, that Holland and Barret have to ration immunity supplements last week to ensure people weren’t panic buying them. Food supplements such as vitamin c, elderberry and echinacea are now only allowed to be purchased in packs of two per person.

When looking at google trends, the search phrase “immune system boosters” has shot through the roof in the past three months. Searches for immune boosting and how to improve your immune system have increased by more than 86% since March in the UK, with reputable sites cashing in on record clicks, encouraging consumers not to panic and to discover comforting advice instead. Often these sites will focus on which foods will be vitamin rich and how to maintain a healthy diet in order to stay fit.

Vitamin c for immunity

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplementation has a long history of bodily immune system boosting, being one of the first nutrients identified and linked to it. Modern supplements offer high doses (more than 1000mg) that often far exceed RDAs, and much research backs this over lower dosages where results have been more marginal like a 2013 multiple study review that reduced cold duration in adults by 14% in adults and 8% in children. A high-dose study is underway in Wuhan, China, with participants receiving a massive 2x12g of vitamin C a day.

Strangely, for a nutrient that can play such a vital role in such a vital function, the body does not store it very well. It is probably this fact though that explains why most human bodies respond better to vitamin C supplementation over other nutrients, even other antioxidants. Vitamin C has a role to play too in free radical removal and enzyme function that can bolster immunity.