A Study on the Role of Vitamins and Minerals Supplementation in the Treatment of Tuberculosis

Micronutrient deficiencies are thought to be the most common cause of secondary immunodeficiency and may reduce resistance to infection. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of vitamin A with Zinc and vitamin D with Calcium supplementation on sputum conversion and blood profile during the initial two months of therapy. The study was carried out in forty sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients out of whom only thirty seven cases completed the study. The patients were divided into Group I (n=13) received antitubercular drugs only while group II (n=11) and group III (n=13) received vitamin D with Calcium and vitamin A with zinc respectively along with anti tubercular therapy. After two months of therapy all patients of group III become sputum negative (100%) while in group II and group I, the sputum conversion rate was 90.90% and 84.61% respectively. The two month supplementation of vitamin-A with Zinc and vitamin-D with Calcium in sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients taking anti tubercular therapy complemented the recovery of patients with active tuberculosis and blood profile of these patients was also improved significantly.