Supplements not proven effective against Covid-19
THERE is no clinical proof that supplements are effective in preventing and treating Covid-19, says University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Food Science and Nutrition Faculty’s senior lecturer Dr Khor Ban Hock.
KOTA KINABALU: There is no clinical proof that supplements are effective in preventing and treating Covid19, says University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Food Science and Nutrition Faculty’s senior lecturer Dr Khor Ban Hock.
Dr Khor in a webinar titled “Supplement and Covid-19: Do you need it?” said if an individual practices a healthy lifestyle, there is no need to take supplements.
In the webinar which was organised by the UMS Food Science and Nutrition Faculty, Dr Khor pointed out that many people have started to take supplements with the belief that it can increase their body’s immune system and help to prevent as well as treat Covid19.
“But the truth of the fact is that those who practise a healthy lifestyle do not need to take supplements even during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said, adding that several supplements such as vitamin D, zinc and vitamin C have been reported to be able to reduce the symptoms of regular flu.
Although generally supplements are not dangerous, excessive consumption can cause adverse effects, he stressed.
To those who wish to take supplements, Dr Khor advises them to only purchase supplements that are registered with the Malaysia Ministry of Health to ensure the safety and quality of the products.
Meanwhile, UMS has held a webinar to dissect the issues and challenges in the development of Covid-19 vaccines, in light of the qualms on Covid-19 vaccines and claims that went viral on social media.
The webinar, entitled “Covid19 Vaccines Development: Issues and Challenges”, was presented by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Health Sciences dean Prof Dr Norazmi Mohd Noor.
Earlier, UMS vice chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Taufiq Yap Yun Hin said the webinar was timely and the best platform to listen to explanations on the vaccines from a real expert.
He said the vaccines could prevent severe illness against Covid-19 and prepare our country for the endemic phase soon.
“Upon entering endemic phase, we will be able to return to routine activities under new norms where Covid-19 will become part of our lives.
“However, our wish to return to pre-Covid-19 pandemic era will not achieve if we fail to create herd immunity through vaccination.”
Hence, Taufiq urged the participants to seize the opportunity to obtain credible information on Covid-19 vaccines from the sharing session of the webinar and to disregard unverified viral messages on social media.
“To ensure our decisions are right, we need to refer to real experts and evaluate based on facts, as opposed to suspicion, speculation, sensationalization and rumours.
“I hope the intellectual discourse on the vaccine will dispel any confusion and allow us to understand the vaccines.”
Meanwhile, Norazmi said the vaccines provided by the government have gone through phase three of clinical trial and there was a regulatory body in Malaysia that conducted assessment before the government was confident that the vaccines were safe to be administered.
“A person who are fully vaccinated can still be infected with Covid-19 but the vaccine will minimize severe symptoms. Normally, such patient will be in Category 1 or 2.
“The Covid-19 vaccines are effective and booster shots will undeniably enhance the protection against the virus.”
Nevertheless, Norazmi stressed that all eligible vaccine recipients must be fully vaccinated before moving on to the administration of booster shots.
He urged those who have not been vaccinated to do so immediately in order to achieve herd immunity.
The webinar was broadcasted live on Facebook and YouTube.