Related Articles Potential benefits of dietary seaweeds as protection against COVID 19 Nutr Rev 2020 Dec 20 Authors Tamama K Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 COVID 19 pandemic in Japan is not as disastrous as it is in other Western countries possibly because of certain lifestyle factors One such factor might be the seaweed rich diet commonly consumed in Japan COVID 19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARS CoV 2 which binds to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 ACE2 on the cell surface and downregulates ACE2 likely elevating the ratio of angiotensin converting enzyme ACE to ACE2 The overreaction of the immune system combined with the cytokine storm and ACE dominance is purported to cause the condition of COVID 19 patients to deteriorate rapidly Dietary seaweeds contain numerous components including ACE inhibitory peptides soluble dietary fibers eg fucoidan porphyran omega 3 fatty acids fucoxanthin fucosterol vitamins D3 and B12 and phlorotannins These components exert antioxidant anti inflammatory and antiviral effects directly as well as indirectly through prebiotic effects It is possible that ACE inhibitory components could minimize the ACE dominance caused by SARS CoV 2 infection Thus dietary seaweeds might confer protection against COVID 19 through multiple mechanisms Overconsumption of seaweeds should be avoided however as seaweeds contain high levels of iodine PMID 33341894 PubMed as supplied by publisher