The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature
Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic people are facing risks of adverse health effects due to the restrictions implemented such as quarantine measures, reduced social contact, and self-isolation. In this qualitative review, we collected data on potential preventive and therapeutic health benefit...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-12-01
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Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2020.587749/full |
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doaj-2e772c8ea9bc404f8a6612d38a291154 |
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record_format |
Article |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Georg Seifert Georg Seifert Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Rainer Stange Rainer Stange Andreas Michalsen Andreas Michalsen Holger Cramer Holger Cramer Benno Brinkhaus Tobias Esch Annette Kerckhoff Anna Paul Michael Teut Pirus Ghadjar Jost Langhorst Thomas Häupl Vijay Murthy Christian S. Kessler Christian S. Kessler |
spellingShingle |
Georg Seifert Georg Seifert Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Rainer Stange Rainer Stange Andreas Michalsen Andreas Michalsen Holger Cramer Holger Cramer Benno Brinkhaus Tobias Esch Annette Kerckhoff Anna Paul Michael Teut Pirus Ghadjar Jost Langhorst Thomas Häupl Vijay Murthy Christian S. Kessler Christian S. Kessler The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature Frontiers in Medicine COVID-19 integrative medicine complementary medicine SARS-CoV-2 traditional medicine systems phytomedicine |
author_facet |
Georg Seifert Georg Seifert Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Rainer Stange Rainer Stange Andreas Michalsen Andreas Michalsen Holger Cramer Holger Cramer Benno Brinkhaus Tobias Esch Annette Kerckhoff Anna Paul Michael Teut Pirus Ghadjar Jost Langhorst Thomas Häupl Vijay Murthy Christian S. Kessler Christian S. Kessler |
author_sort |
Georg Seifert |
title |
The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature |
title_short |
The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature |
title_full |
The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature |
title_fullStr |
The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the Literature |
title_sort |
relevance of complementary and integrative medicine in the covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative review of the literature |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Medicine |
issn |
2296-858X |
publishDate |
2020-12-01 |
description |
Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic people are facing risks of adverse health effects due to the restrictions implemented such as quarantine measures, reduced social contact, and self-isolation. In this qualitative review, we collected data on potential preventive and therapeutic health benefits of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) that might be useful during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have reviewed the scientific literature to summarize CIM practices that could be beneficial for improving physical and mental health and well-being of the population under the current pandemic circumstances. It must be noted that this review is not SARS-CoV-2 specific and we explicitly do not intend to make any SARS-CoV-2 specific health claims in this article.Methods and Findings: A qualitative, non-systematic literature review was conducted in Medline to identify literature describing preventive and therapeutic CIM approaches for strengthening mental and physical health. For a variety of CIM approaches clinical evidence was identified, indicating beneficial effects. CIM approaches include specific dietary measures and selected micronutrients, physical activity, techniques from Mind-Body Medicine, single botanicals or botanical compounds, and spending time in nature among others. The effects of CIM measures on conditions like obesity and hypertension are of special relevance here, as these conditions are considered as risk factors for a severe course of COVID-19. Moreover, a possibly direct effect of CIM approaches on immune functions and clinical parameters in respiratory tract infections, such as influenza, were identified. The findings of this review could be helpful for clinicians, patients, and the general population during the current pandemic when discussing and/or considering CIM options.Conclusions: CIM offers a variety of preventive and therapeutic options for strengthening physical and mental resilience, which could also be useful in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The evidence of CIM approaches with a potential benefit in the COVID-19 pandemic in different areas is worth to be analyzed. While this qualitative review has several obvious limitations, it might serve as useful starting point for further research on this topic. |
topic |
COVID-19 integrative medicine complementary medicine SARS-CoV-2 traditional medicine systems phytomedicine |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2020.587749/full |
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doaj-2e772c8ea9bc404f8a6612d38a2911542020-12-11T16:02:38ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2020-12-01710.3389/fmed.2020.587749587749The Relevance of Complementary and Integrative Medicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Review of the LiteratureGeorg Seifert0Georg Seifert1Michael Jeitler2Michael Jeitler3Rainer Stange4Rainer Stange5Andreas Michalsen6Andreas Michalsen7Holger Cramer8Holger Cramer9Benno Brinkhaus10Tobias Esch11Annette Kerckhoff12Anna Paul13Michael Teut14Pirus Ghadjar15Jost Langhorst16Thomas Häupl17Vijay Murthy18Christian S. Kessler19Christian S. Kessler20Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Otto-Heubner Centre for Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine (OHC), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilDepartment of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Evang. Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, GermanyNational Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, AustraliaInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyInstitute for Integrative Health Care and Health Promotion, University Clinic for Integrative Health Care, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, GermanyInstitute for Integrative Health Care and Health Promotion, University Clinic for Integrative Health Care, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, GermanyDepartment of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Evang. Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Klinikum Bamberg, Chair for Integrative Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bamberg, Germany0Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany1Faculty of Medicine, Primary Care and Population Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United KingdomDepartment of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyBackground: During the COVID-19 pandemic people are facing risks of adverse health effects due to the restrictions implemented such as quarantine measures, reduced social contact, and self-isolation. In this qualitative review, we collected data on potential preventive and therapeutic health benefits of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) that might be useful during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have reviewed the scientific literature to summarize CIM practices that could be beneficial for improving physical and mental health and well-being of the population under the current pandemic circumstances. It must be noted that this review is not SARS-CoV-2 specific and we explicitly do not intend to make any SARS-CoV-2 specific health claims in this article.Methods and Findings: A qualitative, non-systematic literature review was conducted in Medline to identify literature describing preventive and therapeutic CIM approaches for strengthening mental and physical health. For a variety of CIM approaches clinical evidence was identified, indicating beneficial effects. CIM approaches include specific dietary measures and selected micronutrients, physical activity, techniques from Mind-Body Medicine, single botanicals or botanical compounds, and spending time in nature among others. The effects of CIM measures on conditions like obesity and hypertension are of special relevance here, as these conditions are considered as risk factors for a severe course of COVID-19. Moreover, a possibly direct effect of CIM approaches on immune functions and clinical parameters in respiratory tract infections, such as influenza, were identified. The findings of this review could be helpful for clinicians, patients, and the general population during the current pandemic when discussing and/or considering CIM options.Conclusions: CIM offers a variety of preventive and therapeutic options for strengthening physical and mental resilience, which could also be useful in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The evidence of CIM approaches with a potential benefit in the COVID-19 pandemic in different areas is worth to be analyzed. While this qualitative review has several obvious limitations, it might serve as useful starting point for further research on this topic.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2020.587749/fullCOVID-19integrative medicinecomplementary medicineSARS-CoV-2traditional medicine systemsphytomedicine |