Scientists from the University of Otago found that if you are carrying a few extra kilos in weight, an extra apple or two per day might make a difference in boosting your immune system and helping ward off COVID-19 and winter illnesses.
They have found for the first time, exactly how much extra vitamin C humans need to ingest, relative to their body weight, to maximize their immune health.
The research is published in Nutrients and was conducted by Anitra Carr et al.
Previous studies have already linked higher body weight with lower vitamin C levels.
In this study, the team found that for every 10 kilograms of excess weight a person carries, their body needs an extra 10 milligrams of Vitamin C daily, which will help to optimize their immune health.
The novel findings have important implications for public health internationally, particularly in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Vitamin C is an important immune-support nutrient and vital in helping the body protect itself from severe viral illnesses.
Although no studies have been carried out as yet specific to dietary intake for COVID-19, The team suggests these findings could potentially help heavier people better protect themselves from such illnesses.
Obesity is a risk factor for getting COVID-19 and that obese patients are more likely to struggle to fight it off once infected.
Vitamin C is essential for good immune function and works by helping white blood cells fight infection.
The results from this study therefore suggest that increasing your vitamin C intake if overweight might be a sensible response.
The study determined how much vitamin C is required for people of higher body weight compared to a starting base weight of a 60-kilogram person consuming the average New Zealand dietary vitamin C intake of 110 milligrams per day, which most people achieve from a balanced diet.
In other words, someone weighing 90 kilograms would need to take an extra 30 milligrams of vitamin C to achieve the optimal goal of 140mg/day; while someone weighing 120 kilograms would need at least an extra 40 milligrams of vitamin C daily to achieve the optimal 150mg/day.
If you care about supplements, please read studies about vitamin D that could help reduce inflammation, and vitamin K that could lower your heart disease risk by a third.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about vitamin D can be cheap treatments for COVID-19, and results showing that vitamins and minerals aren’t risk-free. Here are 6 ways they can cause harm.
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