Importance Of Vitamin C & Zinc

Both Vitamin C and Zinc play important roles in immune function and the modulation of host resistance to infectious agents, reducing the risk, severity, and duration of infectious diseases.

Recent Trials

A large number of randomised controlled intervention trials with intakes of up to 1 g of Vitamin C and up to 30 mg of Zinc are available. These trials document that adequate intakes of Vitamin C and Zinc ameliorate symptoms and shorten the duration of respiratory tract infections including the common cold.

Furthermore, Vitamin C and Zinc reduce the incidence and improve the outcome of pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhoea infections, especially in children in developing countries.

Vitamin C

• Concentrations in the plasma and leukocytes rapidly decline during infections and stress.
• Supplementation was found to improve components of the human immune system such as antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, lymphocyte proliferation, chemotaxis, and delayed-type hypersensitivity.
• Contributes to maintaining the redox integrity of cells and thereby protects them against reactive oxygen species generated during the respiratory burst and in the inflammatory response.

Zinc

• Under-nutrition or deficiency was shown to impair cellular mediators of innate immunity such as phagocytosis, natural killer cell activity, and the generation of oxidative burst.

Reference:

Wintergerst, E. S.. S. Maggini, et 01. (2006). “Immune-enhancing role of vitamin C and zinc and effect on clinical conditions.” Ann Nutr Metab 50(2): 85-94.