It is not uncommon for Covid-19 patients to present with what is called a “cytokine storm“or an inflammatory storm in the body, which consists of an over-reaction of the immune system. To prevent this, vitamin B6, which is found in bananas or fish, could be effective, according to Japanese researchers who publish a study on the issue in the journal. Frontiers in Nutrition.
“Vitamin B6 has a close relationship with the immune system. Its levels always drop in people with chronic inflammation such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease,” explains the researcher at the head of this study, Thanutchaporn Kumrungsee (Hiroshima University), in a press release relayed by EurekAlert.
The scientist also recalls that thrombosis (blood clotting) and the cytokine storm (hyper inflammation) could be closely linked to the severity of COVID-19. This is because cytokine storms occur when the immune system is over-activated and begins to attack healthy cells.
Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, nutrition has been explored to prevent or even reduce the symptoms of the disease. Vitamins D and C have already been praised for their anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin B6 would therefore be added to the list of natural ingredients capable of limiting the harmful effects of the coronavirus, in addition to barrier actions.
Vitamin B6 would prevent blood clots
In addition to being a good anti-inflammatory, vitamin B6 would have the advantage of being anti-thrombotic, that is to say that it makes it possible to thin the blood and prevent the formation of clots, which can damage organs (heart, lungs, liver and kidney), because they are less well irrigated, or even responsible for deaths linked to Covid-19.
In general, the researchers emphasize that vitamin B6 also prevents cardiovascular disease, diabetes (by soothing inflammation), oxidative stress, which consists of an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants, leading to a weakness of the immune system.
On the other hand, we already know thata vitamin B6 deficiency can make you more vulnerable to viral infections. While a clinical study is needed to confirm these observations, researchers believe that eating a diet rich in vitamin B6 may be beneficial in times of a Covid-19 crisis.
Sources:
- Potential Role of Vitamin B6 in Ameliorating the Severity of COVID-19 and Its Complications, Frontiers in Nutrition, October 2020.
- Vitamin B6 may help keep COVID-19’s cytokine storms at bay, Hiroshima University, February 26.
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