A literature review on beneficial role of vitamins and trace elements: Evidence from published clinical studies

Sima Taheri; Shahla Asadi; Mehrbakhsh Nilashi; Rabab Ali Abumalloh; Nawaf M A Ghabban; Salma Yasmin Mohd Yusuf; Eko Supriyanto; Sarminah Samad

doi:10.1016/j.jtemb.2021.126789

A literature review on beneficial role of vitamins and trace elements: Evidence from published clinical studies

J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2021 Sep:67:126789. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2021.126789. Epub 2021 May 15.

Authors

Sima Taheri¹, Shahla Asadi², Mehrbakhsh Nilashi³, Rabab Ali Abumalloh⁴, Nawaf M A Ghabban⁵, Salma Yasmin Mohd Yusuf⁶, Eko Supriyanto⁷, Sarminah Samad⁸

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia.
² Centre of Software Technology and Management, Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia.
³ School of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, 81310, Malaysia. Electronic address: nilashidotnet@hotmail.com.
⁴ Computer Department, Community College, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box. 1982, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ King Salman bin Abdulaziz Medical City, Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Primary Care Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, 47000, Malaysia.
⁷ School of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, 81310, Malaysia.
⁸ Department of Business Administration, College of Business and Administration, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

COVID-19 is a kind of SARS-CoV-2 viral infectious pneumonia. This research aims to perform a bibliometric analysis of the published studies of vitamins and trace elements in the Scopus database with a special focus on COVID-19 disease. To achieve the goal of the study, network and density visualizations were used to introduce an overall picture of the published literature. Following the bibliometric analysis, we discuss the potential benefits of vitamins and trace elements on immune system function and COVID-19, supporting the discussion with evidence from published clinical studies. The previous studies show that D and A vitamins demonstrated a higher potential benefit, while Selenium, Copper, and Zinc were found to have favorable effects on immune modulation in viral respiratory infections among trace elements. The principles of nutrition from the findings of this research could be useful in preventing and treating COVID-19.

Keywords: Bibliometric analysis; COVID-19; Immune system; Trace elements; Vitamins.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Bibliometrics
COVID-19 / epidemiology
Clinical Trials as Topic*
Humans
Immune System / drug effects
Trace Elements / pharmacology*
Vitamins / pharmacology*

Substances

Trace Elements
Vitamins