The Role of Micronutrients in Immune Function and Health: Insights from Healthcare Professionals on Multivitamin-Multimineral Supplementation
Authors: Bangale Nikhil , Gupta Amit , Saha Amit , Sandeep CH , Shukla Deepak , Sudagani Jaidev , B Jayakrishnan , Vadgama Jimit N , Hossain Kabir , Jain Nitin , Kant Saket 
Published: February 2025

Aims: Despite the inconsistent findings in existing literature, micronutrients such as vitamins A, C, D, and E, and trace elements like zinc and selenium, are crucial for sustaining immune competence. The study aimed to capture valuable insights from healthcare professionals (HCPs) about their perceptions with a multivitamin multimineral supplement (MVMS) in making informed decisions regarding the use, benefits, applicability and integration in clinical practice.
Study Design: A retrospective real-world data survey.
Place and Duration of Study: Across India, from September 10 to October 16, 2024.
Methodology: A digital survey platform with a 23-question close ended questionnaire was developed, that provided a secure, user-friendly interface, and was shared as a link with clear instructions and objectives among 250 HCPs of different specialities. Upon completion, data obtained was collated and compiled into a comprehensive report, highlighting the key trends, insights, and actionable findings, and subsequently recommendations were developed, focusing on clinical performance across acute illnesses.
Results and Discussion: This study explores the growing evidence linking micronutrients to immune function and health, and focuses on the role of MVMS in enhancing immune responses and overall well-being. The HCPs reported calcium deficiency in 61.2% of women, while fatigue emerged as the most common and debilitating symptom of iron deficiency, reported by 80.4% HCPs. 98% of HCPs agreed that MVMS helps reduce fatigue and enhances energy within 2-3 weeks, while 95% confirmed its role in accelerating recovery from acute illnesses. Furthermore, 94.4% of HCPs acknowledged that MVMS helps boost immunity, reduces the frequency of illnesses, improves productivity and quality of life. Notably, 82% of HCPs recognized that MVMS helps in speeding the recovery from illnesses in their patients by 50%. 89.6% of HCPs believed that MVMS helps their patients gain energy in 2-3 weeks/a month of daily consumption by upto 50%. Beyond physical health, 87.6% of HCPs recognized that MVMS helps improve mental alertness, stress, enhances cognitive and mental health, and aspects of daily functioning by reducing mental fatigue and improving stamina. Additionally, 94.4% of HCPs affirmed that MVMS helps patients return to their normal routines faster, typically within 2-3 weeks, reducing infection rates and absenteeism.
Conclusion: During acute illness, a depleted state of micronutrients is observed, thus adding MVMS may help restore the depleted micronutrients and support immune health. MVMS has emerged as a scientifically validated intervention to address micronutrient deficiencies, helps contribute to improve immunity, accelerate recovery, improve energy levels, reduce fatigue, and support cognitive and mental health. The insights obtained offer valuable guidance for individualized patient care and highlights the importance of micronutrient supplementation in supporting immune health. The balanced composition of 12 vitamins, 2 minerals, 5 trace elements, and an amino-acid, was well-tolerated across diverse populations, making it an integral component of preventive and therapeutic healthcare strategies.