Vitamin A nasal spray could give Covid sufferers their smell back

VITAMIN A could one day cure long-term loss of smell caused by coronavirus, scientists hope.

Some people report that the persistent symptom can last for months, while others claim it has completely destroyed their lives.

Carrots are a source of vitamin A

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Carrots are a source of vitamin A

The Apollo trial will see if vitamin A – abundant in carrots, oranges mangos, eggs and cheese – can help that.

The University of East Anglia (UEA), in a statement, stated that the nasal drops containing vitamin A will be administered to the participants for 12 weeks.

The university said research from Germany had shown the potential benefit of the vitamin, and its team “will explore how this treatment works to help repair tissues in the nose damaged by viruses”.

Vitamin A is most commonly known for keeping eyesight in prime condition – hence why you are told to eat carrots to “see in the dark”.

But it’s also vital for the body’s immune system to work properly, as well as keep skin and the lining of some parts of the body, such as the nose, healthy.

The researchers hope the study “could one day help improve the lives of millions around the world who suffer from smell loss, by returning their fifth sense”.

One in ten people can experience anosmia from the coronavirus or other colds.

Sometimes this won’t go away, or long Covid patients can end up with parosmia – when the smell of things get confused in the brain, for example coffee ends up smelling like car fumes.

People who are suffering and keen to participate in the new trial are asked to seek a referral from their GP to the Smell and Taste Clinic at the James Paget Hospital in Norfolk’s Great Yarmouth.

The National Institute for Health Research will fund the study and begin recruiting participants in December.

Typically “smell training” is recommended, which involves smelling different jars of essential oils and thinking hard about the plant they are obtained from.

The NHS states that treating the root cause may sometimes be helpful, such as nasal sprays or drops to treat sinusitis or nasal polyps.

A study by an international team of smell experts has shown that steroids are not the best treatment for smell loss. They recommend instead using smell training.

One of the researchers, Prof Carl Philpott of UEA, said there was “very little evidence” steroids will help with smell loss.

They have “potential side effects including fluid retention, high blood pressure, and problems with mood swings and behaviour”, he said.

Instead, scientists advised that those suffering from smell loss to sniff at least four different scents twice daily for several months.

Prof Philpott said the method “aims to help recovery based on neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to reorganise itself to compensate for a change or injury”.

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