Currently, an increasing amount of evidence supports the notion that vitamins C, D
and E, carotenoids, and omega-3 fatty acids may protect against the progression of
chronic respiratory diseases. Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
primarily affects the lung, it is often accompanied by extrapulmonary manifestations
such as weight loss and malnutrition, skeletal muscle dysfunction, and an excess of
harmful oxidants, which can lead to a decline in quality of life and possible death.
Recently, the role of various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in mitigating the
effects of environmental pollution and smoking has received significant attention.
Therefore, this review evaluates the most relevant and up-to-date evidence on this
topic. We conducted a literature review between 15 May 2018 and 15 May 2023, using
the electronic database PubMed. Our search keywords included COPD, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease, FEV1, supplementation: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin
C, vitamin B, omega-3, minerals, antioxidants, specific nutrient supplementations,
clinical trials, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We focused on studies that
measured the serum levels of vitamins, as these are a more objective measure than
patient self-reports. Our findings suggest that the role of appropriate dietary supplements
needs to be reconsidered for individuals who are predisposed to or at risk of these
conditions.
