Does vitamin C help post-viral fatigue?

Vitamin C is a key antioxidant vitamin that we need to keep our bodies healthy. It helps our immune system attack pathogens, protects cells from oxidative damage, and is involved in healing processes. It may also help fight inflammation. Vitamin C is found in fruit and vegetables, especially citrus fruit, tomatoes and peppers.  

Vitamin C levels tend to decline when a person is unwell, even though the immune system’s need for this vitamin increases. Some doctors believe that vitamin C supplements can help prevent this depletion, thereby supporting the immune system. For a long time there has been much debate whether vitamin C protects against the common cold, another coronavirus.  Current research suggests that taking vitamin C for a cold is not effective, however, there is stronger evidence that taking vitamin C, together with zinc, as a supplement does shorten the length of recovery from a cold.

If vitamin C had a therapeutic role in the severity or duration of symptoms of COVID-19, such as fatigue for example, it could potentially be an extremely useful, easy, and cheap treatment. However, COVID-19 is a new illness, and, as yet, there is no research proving that vitamin C supplementation helps. At the time of writing there are several trials around the world examining the effect of vitamin C supplementation as a treatment for COVID-19, whether orally, or intravenously (by infusions). These are yet to complete.

The bottom line is that there is no proof that vitamin C supplements help reduce post-viral symptoms. However, it is important to have a good daily intake to help the body’s immune system and recovery. A lower dose vitamin C supplementation, up to 250mg, has little risk of harm and may be beneficial, given the key roles of vitamin C.  Whether or not a supplement is taken, it is important to eat a good range and quantity (5 a day) of vegetables and fruits (fresh, juiced, or frozen).

 Written by Sue Luscombe, Specialist Dietician