Give Yourself A Fighting Chance

With so much focus on the jab, scant energy is being devoted to helping people understand how they can boost their own immunity. This should be a priority, whether vaccinated or not. Research shows waning efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine after only a few months and protection at less than 50% between months 4 - 6. In addition, there's other research showing that with Delta, infected vaccinated have the same viral load as infected unvaccinated. This means vaccinated people can get infected and spread it just as easily as unvaccinated.

Clearly everyone should know what they can do to give themselves a fighting chance. There are some valiant practicing doctors doing their best to give helpful guidance and cut through the daily headlines of case numbers and almost ghoulish preoccupation with every unfortunate death. I can't help feeling that the constant negative messaging in the media is more designed to scare the population rather than to help or even inform.

To say this is now a topsy-turvy world is an understatement. Not so long ago there would have been nothing controversial in recommending supplements, such as vitamin C and zinc, and gargling to reduce infection. Incredibly, these simple practices are on the hit list for the media and the authoritarian COVID scolds. Apparently, it's now "quackery". This NZ Herald article (behind a paywall) uses such derogatory language over the 'list' I'll discuss below.

The utter ridiculousness simply points to the desperation. It's laughable and disturbing at the same time. Will they next target medical people who recommend improving overall health and well-being in the fight against COVID? Lose some weight, eat healthy and introduce moderate exercise in fresh air...Finger-wagging over that would be no less absurd than going after vitamin C and gargle.

What they refer to as "quackery" is the recommendation of some world class doctors. Let us be clear. These doctors are not saying this will cure COVID. They are saying it can help to boost natural immunity (irrespective of vaccination status) and limit the viral load in your nose and mouth. They can point to clinical research backing up their claims, something the authoritarian scolds appear reluctant to do.

Dr Peter McCullough (Clinical Cardiologist) and others such as Dr Zelenko have treated thousands of people at various stages of the illness. They unashamedly advocate early home treatment to reduce the spread, duration and severity of COVID illness. This reduces the need for hospitalisation.  In their view, by the time someone is so sick they need a hospital, it's almost too late.  If a patient has contracted the virus, then there's a sequence of prescription drugs they use early in the illness. Dr Zelenko categorically states that in his view we would have a 90% reduction in death by intervening early. Both McCullough and Zelenko's position is also one of medical ethics - sending people home with nothing but a potential death sentence is unconscionable. I would agree.

My guess is that the medical centre, which the scolds are targeting may have given this recommendation as basic health guidance, or in the absence of any other medical intervention they are currently allowed to give. For the last 18 months COVID positive New Zealanders have been told to isolate with nothing but a potential death sentence - simply await worsening symptoms and hospitalisation. Are we seriously saying that they, and family around them, are not even supposed to gargle?

I'd rather take the advice of a world leading doctor with over 600 peer reviewed publications to his name and who has successfully treated huge number of COVID sufferers, than listen to media scolds. There are things we can we do to help ourselves even before getting sick and Dr Peter McCullough recommends a nutraceutical pack consisting of vitamin D3, zinc, vitamin C and Quercetin (a derivative of apple peel). These are all available through chemists or online pharmacies. Additionally, Dr McCullough strongly advises on the benefits of developing good oral/nasal hygiene practices - gargling the throat with Betadine and gently swabbing the nasal passage using a cotton bud dipped in Betadine.

He says that in the first few days of infection the virus hangs out in these locations and proliferates. The theory goes that if we're gargling and swabbing each day (more often if infected), the virus will struggle to get a foothold and our own immunity can put up a fight. If you want to alternate the Betadine gargle with a Listerine gargle, this can also help. He recommends the original yellow Listerine.

So what's the evidence?

I don't think vitamin C needs much introduction. Most people are aware of its benefits in supporting natural immunity. Let's get straight to Betadine, vitamin D, zinc and Quercetin.

Research into the use of Povidone-iodine (Betadine) notes it has been used for around 60 years as a topical antiseptic agent. The researchers concluded the following:

PVP-I is viricidal against a wide range of viruses, including coronaviruses. Numerous reports confirm that low doses of PVP-I applied for short periods of time are extremely effective at reducing viral load. The safety profile of topical application of PVP-I to oral mucosa has been demonstrated. As health care settings develop new protocols around SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis, the application of PVP-I solutions to the upper aerodigestive tract appears to be a low-cost and simple intervention for reducing viral burden from relevant mucosal surfaces.

Research into the habitual use of vitamin D supplements found this was "significantly associated with a 34% lower risk of COVID-19 infection". In other research they showed there was an "association between VitD deficiency and severity/mortality of COVID-19". Deficiency is not just seen in developing countries. Long dark winters in the Northern Hemisphere and our Southern Hemisphere tendency to cover up and stay out of the sun due to skin cancer worries, can result in lower levels or deficiency. 90% of the vitamin D we get is from sun exposure. Black and Hispanic people often have lower levels.

The normal recommended dose of D3 is 1000 iu (25mcg) but some doctors are recommending higher doses between 2000 iu (50mcg) and 4000 iu (100mcg). Over that, there may be little additional benefit or unsafe. How much you supplement may be dependent on how much sun exposure you get. It would also be something to check with a medical advisor, especially if you are taking other medications or have other health concerns.

The role of zinc is to fight the virus within the cell. Quercetin (discussed below) can facilitate zinc getting into our cells. With regards to zinc supplementation, there's research saying it doesn't have much effect on COVID illness and other research saying:

zinc should be included as part of preventative supplementation for COVID-19 and in general for support of immune health.

The difference in the research outcomes seems to have more to do with the stages of illness studied. It stands to reason that by the time someone is moderately or severely ill, zinc will be ineffective. Generalising and confusing the in-patient (hospital) setting with the outpatient (primary care with your GP) setting is dishonest. In this blog we're not talking about treating moderate to severe COVID (in patient). We're discussing how to build the immunity of otherwise well people, whether vaccinated or not (outpatient).

Quercetin is important as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic and inflammatory compound. Research into the anti-inflammatory potential of Quercetin, including for COVID treatment concluded the following:

quercetin, and dihydroquercetin can potentially exhibit antiviral properties through the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 proteases like Mpro. In addition to this potential antiviral property, these compounds also have antioxidant properties that can help limit the damage of the severe form of COVID-19.

So, what's my final take-out from the targeting of over-the-counter supplements? I've presented evidence supporting use of the nutraceutical pack and Betadine gargle. This is in contrast to the evidence-free, finger-wagging busy-body scolds in the media.  Do we really need more convincing that this isn't about health anymore? It's about fear, control, and submission.

Lastly, and because this is now a nutty, topsy-turvy world, I'm off to get additional supplies just in case they strip the supermarket shelves of vitamins and gargle for our own good, of course.

Normal caveats apply. If you have major health issues, are on medications etc, please talk to your doctor. My 82-year-old mother (who reacts to a lot of things) did have a mild reaction to the Quercetin so reluctantly dropped it out of her daily supplement regime.