In the early days of the lockdown, 29-year-old marketing professional Neha Shinde decided to up her intake of nutritional supplements, hoping to boost her immunity. "I chose a multivitamin capsule designed for women aged 30 and above, and a fish oil-based supplement. In May, barely a month later, my skin became excessively oily and prone to pimples. I also noticed some dark patches," she says. Alarmed, Shinde contacted a dermatologist who chided her about the indiscriminate use of supplements and asked her to stop immediately. Shinde took up the doctor's advice to focus more on eating a balanced diet and only taking a daily vitamin C tablet and a weekly vitamin D12 supplement. "It took a month for my skin problems to subside and I had to spend a considerable amount on the dermatologist's appointments," she notes.

Shinde is among the countless concerned individuals around the world who, in the absence of any concrete cure for Covid-19, are turning their gaze inwards to their immune systems — the body's first line of defence against infections. In fact, as the pandemic continued to spread, several online forums were flooded with queries about vitamin D and zinc supplements, given their role in fortifying immunity. According to a Nielsen report, dietary supplement sales were 16.7 per cent higher than a year ago in June, having risen to as much as 51.2 per cent in March. However, experts warn that over-consumption of supplements can, in fact, do your body much more harm than good. "Overdosing on vitamins and other supplements can give rise to toxicity — while water-soluble vitamins, including vitamin C and B, aren't stored in the body, they too can contribute harmful side-effects — taking too much vitamin C can cause kidney stones, excess iron absorption, erosion of dental enamel, and vitamin B12 deficiencies, whereas overconsumption of vitamin B6 can lead to potentially irreversible nerve damage," says nutritionist and lifestyle educator, Karishma Chawla.