Dietary Approach for Post-COVID Treatment of Olfactory Loss

Abstract

The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus [SARS-CoV-2] has consequently led to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Many patients, whether hospitalized or not, have reported a variety of complications that persist after recovery. The admission for COVID-19 has been associated with anosmia and hyposmia, the inability or decreased ability to smell. Deficiencies in the ability to smell tend to recover within weeks. However, a significant number of cases have been reported in which smell distortions last for several months. Experimental research has identified inflammation as a factor disrupting olfactory neurons. Precisely, local inflammation through cytokine release in sustentacular and horizontal basal cells interferes with the function of olfactory neurons. Further studies have reported that these local inflammatory events are not responsive to common corticoid treatments. Therefore, in order to mediate the recovery of olfaction in COVID-19 patients after viral recovery, this study evaluates vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to develop a prospective dietary approach with anti-inflammatory properties to reduce the local inflammation of sustentacular and horizontal basal cells.