Medical Supplements Consumption during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia
Author(s): Meshari Awadh Almutairi, Hadi Rajeh Alfahadi, Saidan Mesfer Al Rezgy, Ali Mesfer Mohammed Alrizqi, Saleh Hadi Mohammed Alyami, Adi Naif Radi Alshammari, Saeed Ali I Alzahrani
Abstract
Background: In December 2019, pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus spread in Wuhan, Hubei Province and
quickly spread across China. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic emerging from SARS-CoV-2, the search for prevention and
anti-viral treatment strategies is of particular and urgent importance. Supplements have been used to prevent or
help in the treatment protocol of COVID-19 as zinc, vitamin D and vitamin C are known for their antioxidant properties
and protecting the body's cells and tissues from oxidative stress and dysfunction.
Aim: This study aimed to explore the supplements usage rate during the pandemic and identify their perception for
preventing COVID-19 infection by using an online questionnaire.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by using a self- administered online questionnaire
distributed to volunteering participants after IRB approval. The survey instrument includes socio-demographic
characteristics, history of chronic diseases and the pattern of medical supplements usage.
Results: Data was obtained from 212 participants, males were 64.4% and females were 35.4%; females depend mainly on
social media as a source of information while males depend on medical personnel (p=0.005). Males prefer vitamin C and D
as medical supplements while females vitamin C and folic acid. However, males had taken it for better immunity and
appetite (p=0.0001) and males had felt improvement in their immunity (p=0.0001) and mood. In contrast, females had
taken supplements to enhance their immunity and felt improvement in their immunity only (p=0.002).
Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic period, males took vitamin C and D as the leading medical supplements to boost
their immunity, however females took them to improve immunity and appetite and males felt an improvement in their
immunity and mood, while the females felt better in their immunity only. This study should expand our understanding of
supplemental usage during the pandemic crises of COVID-19.