TY - JOUR
AU - Bousquet, Jean
AU - Antó, Josep M.
AU - Czarlewski, Wienczyslawa
AU - Haahtela, Tari
AU - Fonseca, Susana
AU - Iaccarino, Guido
AU - Blain, Hubert
AU - Vidal, Alain
AU - Sheikh, Aziz
AU - Akdis, Cezmi A.
AU - Zuberbier, Torsten
AU - ARIA Group
PY - 2020
DA - August
TI - Cabbage and fermented vegetables: from death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID‐19
JO - Allergy
EP - 750
VL - 76
DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/all.14549
AB - Large differences in COVID‐19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage were associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS‐CoV‐2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS‐Cov‐2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistanceas well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID‐19. The nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived 2)‐like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block the AT1R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are given: Kimchi in Korea, westernized foods and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof‐of‐concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2‐associated antioxidant effects helpful in mitigating COVID‐19 severity.
PB - Wiley
UR - https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/cabbage-and-fermented-vegetables-from-death-rate-heterogeneity-in
KW - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
ER