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Condition

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a lung infection, caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi, that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. Vitamin D and vitamin C are the best-studied supplements for it, but a trial of 653 people found no clear difference in pneumonia symptoms with vitamin D, and vitamin C showed none in deaths from any cause. Each finding comes from one study, so the evidence is very limited.

Sources: PMID 21992858; PMID 38783029

Supplements studied
5
Graded outcomes
2
Trials
11
People studied
30,122

Evidence by supplement

  • Strong
  • Moderate
  • Limited
  • Very limited

5 supplements

Vitamin C

Vitamin C: outcomes studied for Pneumonia
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
All-Cause Mortality

No effect

NoneNo effect1 study366 people

Studies that measured all-cause mortality

Length of hospitalizationImproves (the measure goes down)366 people
Need for mechanical ventilationChanges; see studies366 people

Vitamin D

Vitamin D: outcomes studied for Pneumonia
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Pneumonia Symptoms

No effect

NoneNo effect1 study653 people

Studies that measured pneumonia symptoms

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection RiskChanges; see studies13 studies453 people

Studies that measured upper respiratory tract infection risk

and 10 more on the Vitamin D page

Upper Respiratory Tract Infection SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)13 studies453 people

Studies that measured upper respiratory tract infection symptoms

and 10 more on the Vitamin D page

Zinc

  • Pneumonia Symptoms: improves
Zinc: outcomes studied for Pneumonia
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Pneumonia SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)8 studies7,082 people

Studies that measured pneumonia symptoms

and 5 more on the Zinc page

Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

  • Gastric Emptying Rate: improves
Ginger (Zingiber officinale): outcomes studied for Pneumonia
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Gastric Emptying RateImproves (the measure goes up)4 studies32 people

Studies that measured gastric emptying rate

and 1 more on the Ginger (Zingiber officinale) page

Vitamin A

  • Pneumonia Symptoms: improves
  • Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Risk
Vitamin A: outcomes studied for Pneumonia
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Pneumonia SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)1 study1,713 people

Studies that measured pneumonia symptoms

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia RiskSmall effect554 people

Key findings

  • All-Cause MortalityVitamin C
  • Pneumonia SymptomsVitamin D

The Pneumonia Recovery Support protocol

2 primary supplements · 7 supporting supplements

  • Vitamin C1,000–2,000 mg daily during illness (higher in severe cases under medical supervision)
  • Vitamin D2,000–4,000 IU daily (higher if deficient)

See the full protocol

Studies cited

41 studies from PubMed

  1. A randomized controlled trial of zinc as adjuvant therapy for severe pneumonia in young childrenPediatrics · PMID 22392179
  2. A randomized controlled trial of the effect of zinc as adjuvant therapy in children 2-35 mo of age with severe or nonsevere pneumonia in Bhaktapur, NepalAm J Clin Nutr · PMID 20375190
  3. Zinc adjunct therapy reduces case fatality in severe childhood pneumonia: a randomized double blind placebo-controlled trialBMC Med · PMID 22316073
  4. A randomized controlled trial of oral zinc in acute pneumonia in children aged between 2 months to 5 yearsIndian J Pediatr · PMID 21660397
  5. Role of zinc in severe pneumonia: a randomized double bind placebo controlled studyItal J Pediatr · PMID 22856593
  6. Two weeks of zinc administration to Nepalese children with pneumonia does not reduce the incidence of pneumonia or diarrhea during the next six monthsJ Nutr · PMID 20631326
  7. Efficacy of zinc given as an adjunct in the treatment of severe and very severe pneumonia in hospitalized children 2-24 mo of age: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialAm J Clin Nutr · PMID 23636236
  8. The efficacy of zinc supplementation on outcome of children with severe pneumonia. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trialIndian J Pediatr · PMID 21660402
  9. Effect of vitamin D status and vitamin D supplementation on immune function and prevention of acute respiratory tract infections in dark-skinned individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Public Health Nutr · PMID 39465641
  10. Therapeutic effect of vitamin D in acute lower respiratory infection: A randomized controlled trialClin Nutr ESPEN · PMID 29072165
  11. Preventive Effects of Vitamin D on Seasonal Influenza A in Infants: A Multicenter, Randomized, Open, Controlled Clinical TrialPediatr Infect Dis J · PMID 29315160
  12. Vitamin D supplementation for severe pneumonia--a randomized controlled trialIndian Pediatr · PMID 21992858
  13. Effects of vitamin D supplementation to children diagnosed with pneumonia in Kabul: a randomised controlled trialTrop Med Int Health · PMID 20723187
  14. Double-blind randomised controlled trial of vitamin D3 supplementation for the prevention of acute respiratory infection in older adults and their carers (ViDiFlu)Thorax · PMID 26063508
  15. Winter cholecalciferol supplementation at 55°N has little effect on markers of innate immune defense in healthy children aged 4-8 years: a secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trialEur J Nutr · PMID 29572676
  16. Effect of Vitamin D supplementation to reduce respiratory infections in children and adolescents in Vietnam: A randomized controlled trialInfluenza Other Respir Viruses · PMID 30328294
  17. Vitamin D3 supplementation in patients with frequent respiratory tract infections: a randomised and double-blind intervention studyBMJ Open · PMID 23242238
  18. Effect of monthly high-dose vitamin D supplementation on acute respiratory infections in older adults: A randomized controlled trialClin Infect Dis · PMID 31420647
  19. Vitamin D3 supplementation and upper respiratory tract infections in a randomized, controlled trialClin Infect Dis · PMID 24014734
  20. Vitamin D supplementation to prevent infections: a sub-study of a randomised placebo-controlled trial in older people (RECORD trial, ISRCTN 51647438)Age Ageing · PMID 17702768
  21. Effect of High-Dose vs Standard-Dose Wintertime Vitamin D Supplementation on Viral Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Young Healthy ChildrenJAMA · PMID 28719693
  22. Vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of acute respiratory tract infection: a randomized, double-blinded trial among young Finnish menJ Infect Dis · PMID 20632889
  23. A randomized controlled trial of vitamin D3 supplementation for the prevention of symptomatic upper respiratory tract infectionsEpidemiol Infect · PMID 19296870
  24. Vitamin D₃ Supplementation Reduces the Symptoms of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection during Winter Training in Vitamin D-Insufficient Taekwondo Athletes: A Randomized Controlled TrialInt J Environ Res Public Health · PMID 30223447
  25. Intake of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 Reduces Duration and Severity of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Group Comparison StudyJ Nutr Health Aging · PMID 29582888
  26. Vitamin D3 and gargling for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections: a randomized controlled trialBMC Infect Dis · PMID 24885201
  27. Effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on upper respiratory tract infections in healthy adults: the VIDARIS randomized controlled trialJAMA · PMID 23032549
  28. Vitamin D supplementation and upper respiratory tract infections in adolescent swimmers: a randomized controlled trialPediatr Exerc Sci · PMID 25050610
  29. Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: individual participant data meta-analysisHealth Technol Assess · PMID 30675873
  30. Reduced primary care respiratory infection visits following pregnancy and infancy vitamin D supplementation: a randomised controlled trialActa Paediatr · PMID 25283480
  31. Randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation and risk of acute respiratory infection in MongoliaPediatrics · PMID 22908115
  32. High-Dose Monthly Vitamin D for Prevention of Acute Respiratory Infection in Older Long-Term Care Residents: A Randomized Clinical TrialJ Am Geriatr Soc · PMID 27861708
  33. The effects of prenatal vitamin D supplementation on respiratory and allergy-related outcomes in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.World Allergy Organ J · PMID 40535465
  34. Vitamin D Supplementation and the Risk of Colds in Patients with AsthmaAm J Respir Crit Care Med · PMID 26540136
  35. Double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of bolus-dose vitamin D3 supplementation in adults with asthma (ViDiAs)Thorax · PMID 25724847
  36. Efficacy and safety of vitamin C supplementation in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.Sci Rep · PMID 38783029
  37. The Relationship of Vitamin A and Neonatal Respiratory Diseases: A Meta-Analysis.Clin Respir J · PMID 39434208
  38. Ginger extract reduces delayed gastric emptying and nosocomial pneumonia in adult respiratory distress syndrome patients hospitalized in an intensive care unitJ Crit Care · PMID 20149584
  39. Effect of ginger on gastric motility and symptoms of functional dyspepsiaWorld J Gastroenterol · PMID 21218090
  40. Effects of ginger on gastric emptying and motility in healthy humansEur J Gastroenterol Hepatol · PMID 18403946
  41. Effects of ginger on motion sickness susceptibility and gastric functionPharmacology · PMID 2062873

Supplement stack for Pneumonia