Nutrition and hydration are central to recovery from coronavirus
1. Nutrition and hydration are Central to
recovery from COVID-19
أساسيان السوائل وشرب الجيدة التغذية
فيروس كورونا مرض من للتعافي
ِ)English and Arabic languages)
Dr. Yousef Elshrek
2. • CDC (2020) reported that, COVID-19 cases in the United States that
occurred during February 12–March 16, 2020 and severity of disease
(hospitalization, admission to intensive care unit [ICU], and death) were
analyzed by age group.
• As of March 16, a total of 4,226 COVID-19 cases in the United States had
been reported to CDC, with multiple cases reported among older adults
living in long-term care facilities.
• Overall, 31% of cases, 45% of hospitalizations, 53% of ICU admissions,
and 80% of deaths associated with COVID-19 were among adults aged ≥65
years with the highest percentage of severe outcomes among persons aged
≥85 years. In contrast, no ICU admissions or deaths were reported among
persons aged ≤19 years. Like reports from other countries, this finding
suggests that the risk for serious disease and death from COVID-19 is
higher in older age groups.
• Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical
conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk
for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.
4. • People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported –
ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14
days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have
COVID-19:
1. Fever or chills
2. Cough
3. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
4. Fatigue
5. Muscle or body aches
6. Headache
7. New loss of taste or smell
8. Sore throat
9. Congestion or runny nose
10. Nausea or vomiting
11. Diarrhea
6. • Nutrition and hydration are Central to recovery
• With an infection, the body must work intensely to mount an immune
response.
• High fever is the immune system's way of revving up metabolism to "battle
the bug."
• Fever is also associated with excess loss of fluids and increased
metabolism which can lead to dehydration and increased nutritional
requirements.
• Even though you may not be thirsty or hungry, it is important that you
continue to eat and drink fluids to support your body's ability to fight the
virus and support your body's immune function.
• Protein and calories are important to protect against muscle loss while
fighting COVID-19, especially if you are bedridden or inactive.
8. • Meeting the nutritional needs of a person with COVID-19
• Nutritional requirements:
• Fluid: about 3 quarts (3 liters) of fluid per day
• Calories: 2000 - 2500 calories per day
• Protein: 75 - 100 grams per day
• Drink fluids every hour:
• At a minimum, you should drink 2-4 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes. The
optimal fluids to drink are clear liquid beverages with calories and protein,
oral rehydration solutions or sports drinks.
• Eat a high calorie, high protein diet:
• Try eating 6 times a day, every 2-3 hours. Eat even if you are not hungry.
10. • Calories are important to protect against breakdown of muscle for energy.
• Due to the increased stress from COVID-19, you need more calories than your
normal diet.
• Try to eat 75-100 grams of protein per day which is 10-14 ounces of a protein
source. Good protein sources are peanut or nut butters, milk, eggs, yogurt,
cheese, meat/fish/poultry, protein shakes.
• Due to decreased appetite, now is not the time to restrict calories. Eat nutrient-
dense foods. Drink fruit juice, milk or other calorie-containing beverages.
• Double or triple the portion sizes of added fats and oils (butter, margarine, cream
cheese, sour cream, and avocado).
• Try using liquid nutritional supplements (available in grocery stores and drug
stores) between meals to increase your nutrition intake.
• Eat small amounts frequently.
12. • The consumption of foods rich in vitamins and of functional foods can
boost the immune system to help fight off viruses.
• For instance, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is known to play a protective role,
as it supports the immune function and is necessary for the development
and repair of all body tissues.
• Also, under certain conditions, it restricts the susceptibility of the lower
respiratory tract to infection.
• Foods rich in Vitamin C include citrus fruits, kiwifruits, and broccoli.
• Other vegetables, like carrots, spinach, and sweet potato, are rich in
Vitamin A.
• This vitamin comprises a group of fat-soluble compounds (including
retinol, retinoic acid, and β-carotene) that play an essential role in the
immune function and are known to lower the susceptibility to infections.
14. • For instance, isotretinoin (a derivative of vitamin A) mediates the down-
regulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is a crucial
host cellular protein required for the entry of SARS-COV-2 in the body.
• Besides, supplementation with Vitamins D and E may boost our resistance
to COVID-19, as the decrease in cattle’s levels of Vitamins D and E could
lead to infection by a bovine coronavirus.
• Das (2020) suggested that the oral or intravenous administration of
bioactive lipids (such as arachidonic acid and other unsaturated fatty acids)
may aid in enhancing resistance and recovery from SARS-CoV-2, SARS, and
MERS infections.
• Natural polyphenols such as hesperidin and rutin have been shown to be
effective inhibitors of COVID-19 main protease (Mpro), which is considered
a potential therapeutic drug target.