|
|
Home > Health
Conditions
> Colds/Flu
Colds/Flu
Related Topics:
Popular Medications:
Popular Supplements:
Alternative News:
-
In-Depth: Could melatonin help with COVID-19 infections and vaccinations? -
10News, 3/1/21 - "The paper, published in late January, says that taking
melatonin "for at least two weeks prior to vaccination can be a useful approach
to improve sleep quality and to ensure that the vaccination is performed at a
moment of optimal sleep conditions."" - See
melatonin at Amazon.com.
-
Impact of Serum 25(OH)
Vitamin D Level on Mortality in Patients with COVID-19 in Turkey - J Nutr
Health Aging 2021 - "Mean serum 25(OH) vitamin D level
was significantly lower in patients with severe-critical COVID-19 compared with
moderate COVID-19 (10.1 ± 6.2 vs. 26.3 ± 8.4 ng/mL, respectively, p<0.001).
Vitamin D insufficiency was present in 93.1% of the patients with
severe-critical COVID-19. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed
that only lymphocyte count, white blood cell count, serum albumin and, 25(OH)
vitamin D level were independent predictors of mortality" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com.
-
Add Gum Disease to List of Risk Factors for Severe COVID-19 - WebMD, 2/9/21
- "Of the 568 patients, those with periodontitis -- the
most severe form of gum disease -- were at least three times more likely to have
severe COVID‐19 complications."
-
How Do Gut Bacteria Affect
COVID-19 Severity? - Medscape, 2/4/21 - "The gut,
which regulates immune response, is one of the largest and most essential organs
in the body. COVID-19 patients have been found to have poorer gut microbiome
compositions compared with those without the disease ... Dysbiosis — abnormal
gut microbiome — may account for long-term COVID-19 symptoms. In studies,
elderly patients and those with chronic conditions were more likely to have
dysbiosis, which might explain their increased risk for severe disease ...
COVID-19 is not just a lung disease. Anywhere from 30% to 40% have gut
manifestations too. Stool samples are now being used to test for COVID-19 ...
The best way to promote good gut bacteria and reduce inflammation is to eat a
healthy diet, with less processed food and food additives, and more fiber.
Exercise is also important ... Select probiotics carefully; they are not all
created equal" - See probiotic supplements at Amazon.com.
-
Vitamin D Might Help Fight COVID-19 - WebMD, 1/28/21 -
"Vitamin D is an essential nutrient, and recent research
has suggested it may also help guard against severe COVID-19." - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com.
-
Vitamin D Deficiency and Low
Serum Calcium as Predictors of Poor Prognosis in Patients with Severe COVID-19
- J Am Coll Nutr 2021 Jan 12 - "Hypovitaminosis D and
hypocalcemia were very common, occurring in 75% and 35.8% of patients. When
analyzing survival, both were significantly associated with in-hospital
mortality in a dose-effect manner (pLog-Rank = 0.009 and 0.001 respectively). A
cutoff value of 39 nmol/l for vitamin D and 2.05 mmol/l for corrected calcemia
could predict poor prognosis with a sensitivity of 76% and 84%, and a
specificity of 69% and 60% respectively. Hazard ratios were (HR = 6.9, 95% CI
[2.0-24.1], p = 0.002 and HR = 6.2, 95% CI [2.1-18.3], p = 0.001) respectively"
- See vitamin D at Amazon.com.
-
Impact of Serum 25(OH)
Vitamin D Level on Mortality in Patients with COVID-19 in Turkey - J Nutr
Health Aging 2021;25(2):189-196 - "Patients were
stratified into different vitamin D groups; Normal (Serum 25(OH) vitamin D level
>30 ng/mL), Vitamin D insufficiency (21-29 ng/mL), and deficiency (<20 ng/mL)
... Mean serum 25(OH) vitamin D level was significantly lower in patients with
severe-critical COVID-19 compared with moderate COVID-19 (10.1 ± 6.2 vs. 26.3 ±
8.4 ng/mL, respectively, p<0.001). Vitamin D insufficiency was present in 93.1%
of the patients with severe-critical COVID-19 ... Serum 25(OH) vitamin D was
independently associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com.
-
Metformin Treatment Again
Linked to Fewer Deaths From COVID-19 - Medscape, 1/20/21 -
"Notably, the reduction in mortality among those with
diabetes taking metformin prior to COVID-19 diagnosis was significant: 11% of
those patients died compared with 23% of those with diabetes not taking
metformin" - See
metformin at ReliableRX.
-
Get a Good Night's Sleep Before Your COVID Vaccine - WebMD, 1/20/21 -
"As COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed, it is of
utmost importance that patients continue to prioritize their sleep to maintain
optimal health ... Getting sufficient, high-quality sleep on a regular basis
strengthens your body's immune system and optimizes your response to a vaccine
... A good night's sleep before and after vaccination could be very
advantageous"
-
Toothbrush Disinfection
May Protect Against COVID-19 - Medscape, 1/14/21 -
"individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 have "high viral loads in saliva,
nasopharynx and oropharynx ... Considering that toothbrushes can act as
reservoirs for microorganisms and favor the transmission of diseases such as
COVID-19, the authors estimate that disinfecting the brushes would be important
to control the transmission of the virus in shared spaces ... commercially
available mouthwashes can inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. The results showed
that antiseptic solutions containing ethanol and essential oils — exemplified by
the brand Listerine Cool Mint, to name one — had satisfactory effects in
reducing viral load ... Wash your hands with soap and water or sanitize them
with 70% alcohol ... Disinfect the toothbrush handle surface with 70% alcohol
for 1 minute ... Brush your teeth ... Wash the brush and perform a new
disinfection of its handle surface with 70% alcohol for 1 minute ... Leave the
brushhead immersed in a solution with ethanol and essential oils for 20 minutes
... Store the brush individually after letting it dry"
-
Vitamin D Deficiency and Low
Serum Calcium as Predictors of Poor Prognosis in Patients with Severe COVID-19
- J Am Coll Nutr 2021 Jan 12 - "Hypovitaminosis D and
hypocalcemia were very common, occurring in 75% and 35.8% of patients. When
analyzing survival, both were significantly associated with in-hospital
mortality in a dose-effect manner (pLog-Rank = 0.009 and 0.001 respectively). A
cutoff value of 39 nmol/l for vitamin D and 2.05 mmol/l for corrected calcemia
could predict poor prognosis with a sensitivity of 76% and 84%, and a
specificity of 69% and 60% respectively. Hazard ratios were (HR = 6.9, 95% CI
[2.0-24.1], p = 0.002 and HR = 6.2, 95% CI [2.1-18.3], p = 0.001) respectively
... This study demonstrates the high frequency of hypocalcemia and
hypovitaminosis D in severe COVID-19 patients and provides further evidence of
their potential link to poor short-term prognosis. It is, therefore, possible
that the correction of hypocalcemia, as well as supplementation with vitamin D,
may improve the vital prognosis" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com and
calcium products at Amazon.com.
-
Metformin use reduces risk of death for patients with COVID-19 and diabetes,
study finds - Science Daily, 1/14/21 - "Use of the
diabetes drug metformin -- before a diagnosis of COVID-19 -- is associated with
a threefold decrease in mortality in COVID-19 patients with Type 2 diabetes"
- See
metformin at ReliableRX.
-
Poor
gut health connected to severe COVID-19, new review shows - Science Daily,
1/12/21 - "The "western diet" that's common in these
countries is low in fiber, and "a fiber-deficient diet is one of the main causes
of altered gut microbiomes," he said, "and such gut microbiome dysbiosis leads
to chronic diseases." ... The pathogenesis of COVID-19 is still not fully
understood. If future studies do show that gut health affects COVID-19
prognosis, Kim argued, then clinicians and researchers should exploit that
connection for better strategies aimed at preventing and managing the disease.
Eating more fiber, he said, may lower a person's risk of serious disease. And
fecal microbiota transplantation might be a treatment worth considering for
patients with the worst cases of COVID-19" - See
probiotic supplements at Amazon.com.
-
San Diego supercomputer uncovers several potential COVID-19 treatments -
10News, 1/6/21 - "One of the most promising potential treatments uncovered by
the computer modeling is Vitamin D3 ...
Although many of the potential drugs identified by the computer simulations
require a prescription, several are available over-the-counter. In addition to
Vitamin D3, the simulations found Vitamin E acetate and Vitamin E succinate
might also inhibit the virus’ papain-like protease ...
A mineral supplement called calcium glubionate, a compound found in citrus
fruits called hesperidin, and a plant pigment found in apples called rutin may
help block the virus’ main protease, the first study found ...
An upcoming study that has yet to be published looked for compounds that attack
the virus a different way, blocking its spike protein from unlocking the
molecular gateway into our cells called ACE2. That unpublished study found
potential in curcumin, lutein, linoleic acid, and Vitamin B2"
-
Vitamin D Deficiency in
COVID-19 Quadrupled Death Rate - Medscape, 12/11/20 -
"Vitamin D deficiency on admission to hospital was
associated with a 3.7-fold increase in the odds of dying from COVID-19" -
See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Low 25-Hydroxyvitamin D
Levels on Admission to the Intensive Care Unit May Predispose COVID-19 Pneumonia
Patients to a Higher 28-Day Mortality Risk: A Pilot Study on a Greek ICU Cohort
- Nutrients 2020 Dec 8 - "the low vitamin D group had a
higher 28-day survival absence probability (log-rank test, p = 0.01). Critically
ill COVID-19 patients who died in the ICU within 28 days appeared to have lower
ICU admission 25(OH)D levels compared to survivors. When the cohort was divided
at the median 25(OH)D value, the low vitamin D group had an increased risk of
28-day mortality. It seems plausible, therefore, that low 25(OH)D levels may
predispose COVID-19 patients to an increased 28-day mortality risk" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Pilot Study Looks at
Metformin in COVID-19 - Medscape, 12/7/20 - "A
significant reduction in mortality was seen in women who had been taking
metformin (defined as having at least 90 days of filled prescriptions) — an
approximately 24% reduced likelihood of dying compared with similar women not
taking the medication, after adjusting for confounding factors. There was no
significant reduction in mortality among men, and the authors hypothesize that
this may be due to a larger anti-inflammatory effect of metformin in women than
in men." - See
metformin at ReliableRX.
-
Vitamin D Deficiency Is
Inversely Associated with COVID-19 Incidence and Disease Severity in Chinese
People - J Nutr 2020 Nov 13 - "In the general linear
model adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, and BMI, serum 25(OH)D
concentrations were significantly lower among COVID-19 patients than the
2018-2019 controls [ln transformed values of 3.32 ± 0.04 vs. 3.46 ± 0.022 ln (nmol/L),
P = 0.014]. Multivariable logistic regression showed that male sex (OR: 2.26;
95% CI: 1.06, 4.82), advanced age (≥65 y) (OR: 4.93; 95% CI: 1.44, 16.9), and
vitamin D deficiency (<30 nmol/L) (OR: 2.72; 95% CI: 1.23, 6.01) were
significantly associated with COVID-19 severity" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com and
iHerb.
-
Vitamin D Supplementation
Associated to Better Survival in Hospitalized Frail Elderly COVID-19 Patients:
The GERIA-COVID Quasi-Experimental Study - Nutrients 2020, 12(11), 3377 -
"Intervention groups were participants regularly
supplemented with vitamin D over the preceding year (Group 1), and those
supplemented with vitamin D after COVID-19 diagnosis (Group 2). The comparator
group involved participants having received no vitamin D supplements (Group 3)
... In Group 1 (n = 29), 93.1% of COVID-19 participants survived at day 14,
compared to 81.2% survivors in Group 2 (n = 16) (p = 0.33) and 68.7% survivors
in Group 3 (n = 32) (p = 0.02). While considering Group 3 as reference (hazard
ratio (HR) = 1), the fully-adjusted HR for 14-day mortality was HR = 0.07 (p =
0.017) for Group 1 and HR = 0.37 (p = 0.28) for Group 2. Group 1 had longer
survival time than Group 3 (log-rank p = 0.015), although there was no
difference between Groups 2 and 3 (log-rank p = 0.32). Group 1, but not Group 2
(p = 0.40), was associated with lower risk of OSCI score ≥5 compared to Group 3
(odds ratio = 0.08, p= 0.03). Conclusions. Regular bolus vitamin D
supplementation was associated with less severe COVID-19 and better survival in
frail elderly" - [Nutra
USA] - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Green tea consumption and
influenza infection among Japanese employees - Eur J Clin Nutr 2020 Nov 2 -
"case-control study in a cohort of 4302 workers.
Consumption frequency of green tea in 2011 and physician-diagnosed influenza
that occurred over the winter season from November 2011 through April 2012 were
ascertained using a self-administered questionnaire ... the
multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for green tea consumption of ≥5 cups/week was
0.61 (95% CI 0.39-0.95) compared with <1 cup/week (P for trend = 0.028). When
analysis was restricted to cases confirmed using a diagnostic kit, the
corresponding value was 0.68" - See green tea extract at Amazon.com and
green tea extract at iHerb.
-
Over 80
percent of COVID-19 patients have vitamin D deficiency, study finds -
Science Daily, 10/27/20 - "The researchers found 80
percent of 216 COVID-19 patients at the Hospital Universitario Marqués de
Valdecilla had vitamin D deficiency, and men had lower vitamin D levels than
women. COVID-19 patients with lower vitamin D levels also had raised serum
levels of inflammatory markers such as ferritin and D-dimer" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Vitamin K metabolism as the
potential missing link between lung damage and thromboembolism in Covid-19 -
Br J Nutr 2020 Oct 7;1-25 - "Coronavirus disease 2019
(Covid-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, exerts far-reaching effects on public health
and socioeconomic welfare. The majority of infected individuals have mild to
moderate symptoms but a significant proportion develops respiratory failure due
to pneumonia. Thrombosis is another frequent manifestation of Covid-19 that
contributes to poor outcomes. Vitamin K plays a crucial role in activation of
both pro- and anticlotting factors in the liver, and the activation of
extrahepatically synthesised protein S which seems to be important in local
thrombosis prevention. However, the role of vitamin K extends beyond
coagulation. Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is a vitamin K-dependent inhibitor of soft
tissue calcification and elastic fibre degradation. Severe extrahepatic vitamin
K insufficiency was recently demonstrated in Covid-19 patients, with high
inactive MGP levels correlating with elastic fibre degradation rates. This
suggests that insufficient vitamin K-dependent MGP activation leaves elastic
fibres unprotected against SARS-CoV-2 induced proteolysis. In contrast to MGP,
Covid-19 patients have normal levels of activated factor II, in line with
previous observations that vitamin K is preferentially transported to the liver
for activation of procoagulant factors. We therefore expect that vitamin
K-dependent endothelial protein S activation is also compromised, which would be
compatible with enhanced thrombogenicity. Taking these data together, we propose
a mechanism of pneumonia-induced vitamin K depletion, leading to a decrease in
activated MGP and protein S, aggravating pulmonary damage and coagulopathy,
respectively" - [Nutra
USA] - See vitamin k2 at Amazon.com and
iHerb.
-
'Love Hormone' Could Hold Key to Treating COVID - WebMD, 10/9/20 -
"All of these factors indicate that oxytocin may have
potential as a targeted treatment for cytokine storms in COVID-19 patients"
- See oxytocin at Amazon.com.
-
Lower Plasma Zinc Levels
Associated With Increased Risk of Death in COVID-19 Patients - Medscape,
10/8/20 - "Mean baseline zinc levels among the study
cohort of 249 patients was 61 mcg/dl. Among those who died (n=21, 8%), baseline
zinc levels were significantly lower at 43mcg/dl vs 63.1mcg/dl in survivors ...
Having a plasma zinc level lower than 50mcg/dl at admission was associated with
a 2.3 times increased risk of in-hospital death (95% CI 1.06-5.01; P=0.034)
compared with the patients with a plasma zinc level of 50mcg/dl or higher ...
Higher zinc levels were associated with lower maximum levels of interleukin-6
during the period of active infection" - See
Jarrow Zinc Balance at Amazon.com and
iHerb.
-
Low Vitamin D Levels Tied to Odds for Severe COVID - WebMD, 9/25/20 -
"The study was published Sept. 25 in the journal PLOS
ONE" - Just one more study saying the same thing but I thought I'd throw
it in. - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Could Zinc Help Fight COVID-19? - Science Daily, 9/23/20 -
"All of the patients had their blood zinc levels tested
upon arrival -- the average level was 61 micrograms per deciliter of blood (mcg/dL)
... However, among those who died of COVID-19, blood levels of zinc were much
lower, averaging just 43 mcg/dL, the researchers reported. In contrast, blood
levels among those who survived the illness averaged 63 mcg/dL ... Also, higher
levels of zinc in the blood were tied to lower levels of pro-inflammatory
proteins when patients were infected, the Spanish researchers said ... Overall,
and after adjusting for factors such as age, gender, illness severity and
treatments received, every unit increase of zinc in the blood was tied to a 7%
lowering of the odds that a patient would die while in the hospital" -
See
Jarrow Zinc Balance at Amazon.com and
iHerb.
-
Obesity, vitamin D
deficiency and old age a serious combination with respect to coronavirus
disease-2019 severity and outcome - Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2020 Sep
15 - "There is a direct relationship between vitamin D,
body fat and age in COVID-19 courses. With age, the ability of the skin to
synthesize vitamin D decreases, and leads to vitamin D-deficits. If the skin is
insufficiently exposed to sunlight, severe deficits can develop. As vitamin D
plays an important role not only in the immune system but also in the RAS, and
thus at the point where the virus attacks, a good vitamin D supply is an
important basis for reducing the risk of severe COVID-19 processes. Treatment
with vitamin D supplements should be based on severity of the vitamin D
deficiency" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Why do older people fare worse against COVID-19? Fewer T-cells, according to new
study - 10News, 9/16/20 - "The numbers are
staggering: if you’re 65 or older, your risk of winding up in the hospital from
COVID-19 is five to 11 times higher than someone under 30 ... they measured the
three elements of the adaptive immune system in detail: antibodies, helper
T-cells and killer T-cells ... people with all three branches of the adaptive
immune system tended to fully recover. People with severe cases of the virus
often lacked one or more of the immune branches, and it was particularly evident
in older people ... Our data indicated that of the older individuals, it was
particularly the ones that had fewer T-cells to start that look like they really
struggled to control this virus ... Some vaccine approaches, such as inactivated
virus vaccines, only elicit two of three branches, not killer T-cells ... Two
strong branches produced by a vaccine could potentially cover for the lack of a
third"
-
T cells take the lead in controlling SARS-CoV-2 and reducing
COVID-19 disease severity - Science Daily, 9/16/20
-
Pfizer reports strong T-cell response to COVID-19 vaccine
- fiercebiotech.com, 7/20/20 - "The
results suggest Pfizer and BioNTech may have an edge over
Moderna, which saw “low levels” of CD8 T-cell responses to
the S-2P antigen in patients who received two 100-μg doses
of mRNA-1273. Pfizer and BioNTech saw stronger CD8 responses
in patients who received BNT162b1 ... In the view of the
researchers, the effect on CD8 cells is part of a
“coordinated immune response to counter a viral intrusion”
seen in patients who received BNT162b1. Other aspects of the
coordinated response include increases in neutralizing
antibodies, CD4 T cells and immune-modulatory cytokines.
Almost 95% of patients had CD4 T-cell responses"
-
Covid-19 vaccine contest turns to T-cell responses -
evaluate.com, 7/20/20 - "In the race
to develop a vaccine against Covid-19 Moderna and Biontech/Pfizer’s
rival projects have shown an impressive ability to generate
neutralising antibodies, but so far little had been said
about their ability to stimulate T-cells. Today that changed
... Not only did Astrazeneca’s AZD1222 join the leaders with
the first clinical data of its own published in the Lancet,
these included findings on its ability to generate a T-cell
response. But it was Biontech/Pfizer that, in a preprint of
a separate trial of their BNT162b1 vaccine, detailed perhaps
the most impressive T-cell responses so far."
-
Low Vitamin D in COVID-19
Predicts ICU Admission, Poor Survival - Medscape, 9/17/20 -
"Patients with severe COVID-19 who were admitted to ICU,
as opposed to a ward, were more likely to be male, have at least one comorbidity,
have higher baseline IL-6 levels and neutrophil counts, and lower lymphocyte and
platelet counts ... They also had lower mean vitamin D levels (14.4 vs 22.4 ng/mL)
and were more likely to have vitamin D deficiency (vitamin D < 20 ng/mL; 80% vs
45%) ... Patients admitted to ICU who died had lower baseline vitamin D levels
than those who survived (13.2 vs 19.3 ng/mL) ... Vitamin D levels were inversely
associated with respiratory distress requiring ICU admission [odds ratio, 1.06;
P = .038] and with mortality (odds ratio, 1.18, P = 029), independent of IL-6
levels and other comorbidities" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Low Vitamin D Might Raise Odds of COVID Infection - WebMD, 9/4/20 -
"While the study couldn't determine cause and effect,
patients with an untreated vitamin D deficiency (blood levels of less than 20 ng/mL)
were nearly two times more likely to test positive for the coronavirus than
patients with sufficient vitamin D levels" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Association of Vitamin D Status and Other Clinical Characteristics With COVID-19
Test Results - JAMA Netw Open 2020 Sep 1 - "In this single-center,
retrospective cohort study, likely deficient vitamin D status was associated
with increased COVID-19 risk" - [Nutra
USA] - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Face Shields and Valved Masks Offer More Comfort but Less Protection - NYT,
9/1/20 - "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
had already stated that clear plastic face shields and masks equipped with vents
or valves are not recommended, because of concerns that they don’t adequately
block viral particles. But the new research, which uses lasers to illuminate the
path of coughs, offers a striking visual demonstration of how large plumes of
particles can escape from behind a face shield or vented mask"
-
Six Potential Treatments
for COVID-19 Identified - Medscape, 9/4/20 - "The AI
platform has also identified two bioactive compounds — lycopene and vitamin D —
as potentially useful in treating COVID-19, bringing the total to date to six"
- See lycopene at Amazon.com and
iHerb and vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Vitamin
D deficiency may raise risk of getting COVID-19, study finds - Science
Daily, 9/3/20 - "Patients who had vitamin D deficiency
(< 20ng/ml) that was not treated were almost twice as likely to test positive
for the COVID-19 coronavirus compared to patients who had sufficient levels of
the vitamin" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Vitamin D can be effective
on the prevention of COVID-19 complications: A narrative review on molecular
aspects - Int J Vitam Nutr Res 2020 Aug 19 - "An
arguable role in autophagy or apoptosis control has been suggested for VD
through calcium signaling at the mitochondrial and ER levels. 1,25(OH)2D3 is
also an immunomodulator that affects the development of B-cells, T-cells, and NK
cells in both innate and acquired immunity. The production of some
anti-microbial molecules such as defensins and cathelicidins is also stimulated
by VD. The overexpression of glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide
dismutase, and down-regulation of NADPH oxidase are induced by VD to reduce the
oxidative stress. Moreover, the multi-organ failure due to a cytokine storm
induced by SARS-CoV2 in COVID-19 may be prevented by the immunomodulatory
effects of VD. It can also downregulate the renin-angiotensin system which has a
protective role against cardiovascular complications induced by COVID-19. Given
the many experimental and molecular evidences due to the potential protective
effects of VD on the prevention of the COVID-19-induced morbidities, a VD
supplementation is suggested to prevent the lethal side-effects of the
infection. It is particularly recommended in VD-deficient patients or those at
greater risk of serious or critical effects of COVID-19, including the elderly,
and patients with pre-existing chronic diseases, especially those in nursing
homes, care facilities, and hospitals" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com and
iHerb.
-
Does Metformin Reduce Risk
for Death in COVID-19? - Medscape, 8/14/20 - "Scheen
notes that several mechanisms have been proposed for the possible beneficial
effect of metformin on COVID-19 outcomes, including direct improvements in
glucose control, body weight, and insulin resistance; reduction in inflammation;
inhibition of virus penetration via phosphorylation of ACE2; inhibition of an
immune hyperactivation pathway; and neutrophil reduction ... Taken together, the
four observational studies that Scheen reviews showed that metformin had a
positive effect, with an overall 25% reduction in death (P < .00001), albeit
with relatively high heterogeneity ... Because metformin is out of patent and
very inexpensive, no pharmaceutical company is likely to be interested in
planning a study to demonstrate the benefits of metformin on COVID-19-related
clinical outcomes" - See
metformin at ReliableRX.
-
Rationale for the use of N-acetylcysteine
in both prevention and adjuvant therapy of COVID-19 - FASEB J 2020 Aug 11 -
"COVID-19 may cause pneumonia, acute respiratory
distress syndrome, cardiovascular alterations, and multiple organ failure, which
have been ascribed to a cytokine storm, a systemic inflammatory response, and an
attack by the immune system. Moreover, an oxidative stress imbalance has been
demonstrated to occur in COVID-19 patients. N- Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) is a
precursor of reduced glutathione (GSH). Due to its tolerability, this
pleiotropic drug has been proposed not only as a mucolytic agent, but also as a
preventive/therapeutic agent in a variety of disorders involving GSH depletion
and oxidative stress. At very high doses, NAC is also used as an antidote
against paracetamol intoxication. Thiols block the angiotensin-converting enzyme
2 thereby hampering penetration of SARS-CoV-2 into cells. Based on a broad range
of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, which are herein reviewed, the
oral administration of NAC is likely to attenuate the risk of developing
COVID-19, as it was previously demonstrated for influenza and influenza-like
illnesses. Moreover, high-dose intravenous NAC may be expected to play an
adjuvant role in the treatment of severe COVID-19 cases and in the control of
its lethal complications, also including pulmonary and cardiovascular adverse
events." - See N-acetyl cysteine at Amazon.com
and
iHerb.
-
FDA lists hand sanitizers that don't have enough alcohol to kill germs -
CNET, 8/10/20 - "The CDC recommends using hand
sanitizers that have at least 60% ethanol or ethyl alcohol -- although the CDC
maintains that "no drugs, including hand sanitizers, are approved to prevent the
spread of COVID-19."" - Note: So the 120 proof Everclear vodka I've
been recommending should work.
-
Low Vitamin D Linked to
Increased COVID-19 Risk - Medscape, 7/29/20 - "Participants
positive for COVID-19 were 50% more likely to have low vs normal 25(OH)D levels
in a multivariate analysis that controlled for other confounders ... The take
home message for physicians is to "test patients' vitamin D levels and keep them
optimal for the overall health — as well as for a better immuno-response to
COVID-19" - [Science
Daily] - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Doctors Say Their COVID-19
Protocol Saves Lives. Others Want Proof - Medscape, 7/16/20 - "MATH+
stands for methylprednisolone, ascorbic acid, thiamine, and heparin. The "+"
holds a place for additional therapies like vitamin D, zinc, and melatonin. The
protocol originated as a variation of the "HAT therapy," a combination of
hydrocortisone, ascorbic acid, and thiamine, which critical care specialist Paul
Marik, MD, created for treating critically ill patients with sepsis." -
See
Vitamin C products at Amazon.com and
vitamin C at iHerb.com and
Jarrow Zinc Balance at Amazon.com and
iHerb and melatonin at Amazon.com and
iHerb and vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Medical Societies Advise
on Vitamin D in Midst of COVID-19 - Medscape, 7/10/20 -
"Six medical societies from across the globe are
emphasizing the importance of individuals obtaining the daily recommended dose
of vitamin D" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Dietary recommendations
during the COVID-19 pandemic - Nutr Rev 2020 Jul 12 -
"The majority of documents encouraged the consumption of
fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods. Thirty-one percent of the guidelines
highlighted the importance of minerals and vitamins such as zinc and vitamins C,
A, and D to maintain a well-functioning immune system. Dietary supplementation
has not been linked to COVID-19 prevention. However, supplementation with
vitamins C and D, as well as with zinc and selenium, was highlighted as
potentially beneficial for individuals with, or at risk of, respiratory viral
infections or for those in whom nutrient deficiency is detected"
-
A Proposed Mechanism for the
Possible Therapeutic Potential of Metformin in COVID-19 - Diabetes Res Clin
Pract 2020 Jun 24 - "The whole world is facing a tough
time these days struggling against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There is not any specific effective drug for this
viral infection. Thus, we are trying to treat patients with non-specific drug
cocktails. Metformin, as a strong base, a potential regulator of Vacuolar ATPase
(V-ATPase) and endosomal Na+/H+ exchangers (eNHEs), additionally a regenerative
agent for lung fibrosis, seems to be beneficial for patients in acute, chronic
and recovery phases of COVID-19" -
ReliableRxPharmacy carries metformin.
-
Exploring the Links Between Coronavirus and Vitamin D - NYT, 6/10/20 -
"In the meantime, Dr. Manson said people should take
simple steps to avoid vitamin D deficiencies, such as being physically active
outside while social distancing and eating foods like fortified cereals,
fortified dairy, sun-dried mushrooms and fish. For people who cannot get outside
or get enough vitamin D from their diets, supplementing with 1,000 to 2,000 IU a
day is reasonable, she said. But she urged people not to take high doses"
- See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
More Vitamin D, Lower Risk of Severe COVID-19? - WebMD, 5/18/20 -
"Researchers from the U.K. evaluated the average
vitamin D levels and the number of COVID-19 cases, as well as the death rates,
across 20 European countries. Countries with low average vitamin D blood levels
in the population had higher numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths, says study
leader Petre Cristian Ilie, MD, PhD, research and innovation director at the
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation Trust in King's Lynn, U.K. ... At
Northwestern University, researchers used modeling to estimate that 17% of those
deficient in vitamin D would develop a severe COVID-19 infection, but only about
14% of those with healthy vitamin D levels. They estimated the association
between vitamin D and severe COVID-19 based on a potential link between vitamin
D deficiency and C-reactive proteins, or CRP, a surrogate marker for severe
COVID-19 ... In a small study, Louisiana and Texas researchers evaluated 20
patients hospitalized with COVID-19, finding that 11 of the patients admitted to
the ICU were vitamin D deficient, but only four of those not needing the ICU ...
Indonesian researchers evaluated 780 documented cases of COVID-19 and found that
most patients who died had vitamin D levels below normal ... Irish researchers
analyzed European population studies and vitamin D levels, finding countries
with high rates of vitamin D deficiency also had higher death rates from
COVID-19. Those researchers asked the government to raise the vitamin D
recommendations"
- See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Vitamin
D determines severity in COVID-19 so government advice needs to change, experts
urge - Science Daily, 5/13/20 - "A new publication
from Dr Eamon Laird and Professor Rose Anne Kenny, School of Medicine, and the
Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), in collaboration with Professor Jon
Rhodes at University of Liverpool, highlights the association between vitamin D
levels and mortality from COVID-19 ... The northern latitude countries of
Norway, Finland and Sweden, have higher vitamin D levels despite less UVB
sunlight exposure, because supplementation and fortification of foods is more
common. These Nordic countries have lower COVID-19 infection and death rates.
The correlation between low vitamin D levels and death from COVID-19 is
statistically significant ... The authors propose that, whereas optimising
vitamin D levels will certainly benefit bone and muscle health, the data
suggests that it is also likely to reduce serious COVID-19 complications. This
may be because vitamin D is important in regulation and suppression of the
inflammatory cytokine response, which causes the severe consequences of COVID-19
and 'acute respiratory distress syndrome' associated with ventilation and death"
- See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Does Vitamin D Protect
Against COVID-19? - Medscape, 5/11/20 - "There are
laboratory (cell-culture) studies of respiratory cells that document some of
these effects of vitamin D. There's also evidence that patients with respiratory
infections tend to have lower blood levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D ... There's
now some evidence from COVID-19 patients as well. In an observational study from
three South Asian hospitals, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was much
higher among those with severe COVID illness compared with those with mild
illness. In fact, there was about an eightfold higher risk of having severe
illness among those who entered with vitamin D deficiency compared with those
who had sufficient vitamin D levels ... There's also evidence from a
meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials of vitamin D supplementation looking
at acute respiratory tract infections (upper and lower). This was published in
the British Medical Journal 2 years ago, showing that vitamin D supplementation
was associated with a significant reduction in these respiratory tract
infections. Overall, it was only a 12% reduction, but among the participants who
had profound vitamin D deficiency at baseline (such as a blood level of
25-hydroxy-vitamin D of less than 10 ng/mL), there was a 70% lower risk of
respiratory infection with vitamin D supplementation." - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
Metformin in COVID-19: A Possible Role Beyond Diabetes - Diabetes Res Clin
Pract. 2020 Apr 29 - "The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling plays
an important role in the pathogenesis of influenza, besides modulating antibody
response for cross-protective immunity against infective influenza viruses.
Metformin activates AMPK via liver kinase B1 (LKB1), inhibiting the mTOR
pathway. It also indirectly attenuates AKT activation through phosphorylation of
insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) resulting in inhibition of the mTOR
signalling cascade [11]. Other biguanide molecules, buformin and phenformin have
been associated with better survival outcomes in animal models of influenza
[12,13]. Further, the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway plays major roles in MERS CoV
infection [14]. Since metformin inhibits the same pathway, it would be
interesting to decipher its role against SARS-CoV-2" - See
metformin at ReliableRxPharmacy.
-
Vitamin
D linked to low virus death rate, study finds - Science Daily, 5/7/20 -
"Previous observational studies have reported an
association between low levels of vitamin D and susceptibility to acute
respiratory tract infections. Vitamin D modulates the response of white blood
cells, preventing them from releasing too many inflammatory cytokines. The
COVID-19 virus is known to cause an excess of pro-inflammatory cytokines ... We
found a significant crude relationship between average vitamin D levels and the
number COVID-19 cases, and particularly COVID-19 mortality rates, per head of
population across the 20 European countries ... Vitamin D has been shown to
protect against acute respiratory infections, and older adults, the group most
deficient in vitamin D, are also the ones most seriously affected by COVID-19
... A previous study found that 75% of people in institutions, such as hospitals
and care homes, were severely deficient in vitamin D. We suggest it would be
advisable to perform dedicated studies looking at vitamin D levels in COVID-19
patients with different degrees of disease severity" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
EVMS Critical Care COVID-19 Management Protocol - Eastern Virginia Medical
School - "Suggested approach to prophylaxis and
treatment of COVID-19 ... Prophylaxis ... Vitamin C 500 mg BID and Quercetin
250-500 mg BID ... Zinc 75-100 mg/day (acetate, gluconate or picolinate). Zinc
lozenges are preferred. After 1-2 months, reduce the dose to 30-50 mg/day ...
Melatonin (slow release): Begin with 0.3mg and increase as tolerated to 1-2 mg
at night ... Vitamin D3 1000-4000 u/day (optimal dose unknown). Likely that
those with baseline low 25-OH vitamin D levels and those > living at 40 degree
latitude will benefit the most" - See
American Health, Ester-C with Citrus Bioflavonoids, 500 mg, 120 Capsules at
iHerb and American Health, Ester-C with
Citrus Bioflavonoids, 500 mg, 120 Capsules at Amazon.com (everyone seems to
be sold out of the 240 capsule size).
-
Reduced Vitamin K
Status as A Potentially Modifiable Prognostic Risk Factor in COVID-19 -
pharmacology & toxicology 24 Apr 2020 - "We hypothesized
that vitamin K status is reduced in patients with severe COVID-19. Methods:
Vitamin K status was assessed by measuring desphospho-uncarboxylated matrix Gla
protein (dp-ucMGP; inversely related to vitamin K status) and the rate of
elastin degradation by measuring desmosine. We included 123 patients who were
admitted with COVID-19 and 184 controls. Results: Dp-ucMGP levels were
significantly elevated in COVID-19 patients (1,673Å}1,584 pmol/L) compared to
controls (536±291 pmol/L; p<0.0005). Dp-ucMGP levels were significantly higher
in COVID-19 patients with unfavorable outcome compared to those with less severe
disease. Furthermore, dp-ucMGP and desmosine levels were significantly
associated (r=0.65; p<0.0005). Conclusions: Vitamin K status was reduced in
patients with COVID-19 and related to poor prognosis. Also, low vitamin K status
seems to be associated with accelerated elastin degradation. An intervention
trial is now needed to assess whether vitamin K administration improves outcome
in patients with COVID-19" - [Nutra
USA] - See vitamin K at Amazon.com and
vitamin K at
iHerb.com.
-
Coronavirus can be prevented -Vitamin D
Solution - YouTube video - Note: I wouldn't go as far as to say that
it can be prevented but there is science suggesting that it may help prevent it.
See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D at
iHerb.
-
Editorial:
low population mortality from COVID‐19 in countries south of latitude 35 degrees
North supports vitamin D as a factor determining severity - Alimentary
Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 20 Apr 2020 - "Evidence
that vitamin D might protect against infection is modest but it is important to
note that the hypothesis is not that vitamin D would protect against SARS‐CoV‐2
infection but that it could be very important in preventing the cytokine storm
and subsequent acute respiratory distress syndrome that is commonly the cause of
mortality ... Research is urgently needed to assess whether there may be a
correlation between vitamin D status and severity of COVID‐19 disease.
Meanwhile, the evidence supporting a protective effect of vitamin D against
severe COVID‐19 disease is very suggestive, a substantial proportion of the
population in the Northern Hemisphere will currently be vitamin D deficient, and
supplements, for example, 1000 international units (25 micrograms) per day are
very safe. It is time for governments to strengthen recommendations for vitamin
D intake and supplementation, particularly when under lock‐down" - [Nutra
USA] - See vitamin D at Amazon.com and
vitamin D
at iHerb.
-
COVID-19: Home Pulse
Oximetry Could Be Game Changer, Says ER Doc - Medscape, 4/24/20 -
"Everybody's coming in too late ... use of home finger
pulse oximeters by patients with COVID-19 could preempt the precipitous oxygen
desaturation that leads to a crisis that needs intensive care ... The mortality
in the red zone is 70% ... I am seeing patients with oxygen saturations of 50% ―
roughly equivalent to what you'd see at the top of Everest ... It is amazing ―
shockingly amazing ― that these people are alive and talking on their cell
phones" - See finger pulse oximeters at
Amazon.com.
-
ACEI/ARBs Linked With
Survival in Hypertensive, Chinese COVID-19 Patients - Medscape, 4/22/20 -
"Among patients with hypertension hospitalized with
COVID-19, inpatient treatment with ACEI [ACE inhibitor]/ARB [angiotensin
receptor blocker] was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality,
compared with ACEI/ARB nonusers, during 28 days of follow-up. While study
interpretation needs to consider the potential for residual confounders, it is
unlikely that inpatient ACEI/ARB would be associated with an increased risk of
mortality"
-
If you want to protect yourself from the flu, you may want to try this natural
remedy - 10News, 1/20/20 - "“No, you definitely want
to have your flu shot, it’s just good to have as a backup,” Bradley said ... The
doctor even takes it herself ... ”I have taken it and I have a bottle at home.
And I recently had a friend who had influenza and the first thing I told her
was, 'go to the doctor and take elderberry syrup,' ” she said" - Note:
It doesn't show any studies to back it up however, see
elderberry syrup at Amazon.com and note
all the 4.6 and 4.7 star ratings.
-
A
high-fiber diet protects mice against the flu virus - Science Daily, 5/15/18
- "A high-fiber diet blunts harmful, excessive immune responses in the lungs
while boosting antiviral immunity by activating T cells. These dual benefits
were mediated by changes in the composition of gut bacteria, leading to an
increase in the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) through the
microbial fermentation of dietary fiber ... Taken together with past studies,
the new findings suggest that the modern Western diet consisting of food high in
sugar and fat and low in fiber could increase susceptibility to inflammatory
diseases while decreasing protection against infections"
-
Randomized, Double Blind and Placebo Controlled Study Using a Combination of Two
Probiotic Lactobacilli to Alleviate Symptoms and Frequency of Common Cold -
Food and Nutrition Sciences, 2013, 4, 13-20 - "Although
the number of episodes was similar in both groups, cold episodes in the active
group were significantly shorter than in the placebo group. The total sum scores
of cold symptoms were significantly lower in the active group as compared with
the placebo group, as well as in the intention-to-treat (ITT) as in the
per-protocol (PP) collectives (ITT: 75.2 ± 40.3 vs. 113.4 ± 66.3" - [Nutra
USA] - See
probiotic products at Amazon.com
.
-
Zinc
acetate lozenges may increase the recovery rate from the common cold by
three-fold - Science Daily, 5/11/17 - "According to
a meta-analysis of three randomized controlled trials, zinc acetate lozenges may
increase the rate of recovery from the common cold three fold. On the fifth day,
70 percent of the zinc lozenge patients had recovered compared with 27 percent
of the placebo patients ... The dose of zinc in the three studies was between 80
to 92 mg/day ... Even though there is strong evidence that properly formulated
zinc acetate lozenges can increase the rate of recovery from the common cold by
3 fold, many zinc lozenges on the market appear to have either too low doses of
zinc or they contain substances that bind zinc ions, such as citric acid"
- See zinc acetate lozenges at Amazon.com.
-
Common
cold duration is shortened similarly by zinc acetate and zinc gluconate lozenges
- Science Daily, 5/3/17 - "Three trials had used zinc
acetate lozenges and found that colds were shortened on average by 40%. Four
trials had used zinc gluconate lozenges and colds were shortened on average by
28%. The 12% difference between the average effects of the two kinds of lozenges
was explained purely by random variation. Furthermore, one of the zinc gluconate
lozenge trials was an outlier inconsistent with all the other six zinc lozenge
trials. If that outlier trial was excluded, the difference between the three
zinc acetate and the three zinc gluconate trials shrinked to just 2%, i.e., a
40% vs. 38% reduction in common cold duration. Thus, properly composed zinc
gluconate lozenges may be as effective as zinc acetate lozenges"
-
Larger
doses of vitamin C may lead to a greater reduction in common cold duration -
Science Daily, 3/30/17 - "The dose-response relationship
in these two trials was also quite linear up to the levels of 6-8 g/day, thus it
is possible that even higher doses may lead to still greater reductions in the
duration of common cold" - See
American Health Products - Ester C W/Citrus Bioflavonoids, 1000 mg, 180 veg tablets at Amazon.com
.
-
Vitamin D Tied to Lower Risk of Colds, Infections - WebMD, 2/16/17 -
"The 12 percent reduction meant that 33 people would
need to take vitamin D supplements to prevent one acute respiratory tract
infection. The benefit of the supplements was greater among people who took
daily or weekly vitamin D without additional large doses ... The protective
effect of vitamin D supplements was strongest for those with severe vitamin D
deficiency. In this group, only four people would need to take vitamin D
supplements to prevent one acute respiratory infection" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com
.
-
Zinc
acetate lozenges may reduce the duration of the common cold by nearly 3 days,
according to a recent analysis - Science Daily, 7/6/16 -
"Zinc acetate lozenges may reduce the duration of the
common cold by nearly 3 days ... Common cold patients should be encouraged to
try zinc acetate lozenges not exceeding 100 mg of elemental zinc per day for
treating their colds" - See zinc acetate
lozenges at Amazon.com.
-
Garlic
Lowers Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Individuals, Regulates Serum Cholesterol,
and Stimulates Immunity: An Updated Meta-analysis and Review - J Nutr. 2016
Jan 13 - "Our updated meta-analysis on the effect of
garlic on blood pressure, which included 20 trials with 970 participants, showed
a mean ± SE decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 5.1 ± 2.2 mm Hg (P <
0.001) and a mean ± SE decrease in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 2.5 ± 1.6
mm Hg (P < 0.002) compared with placebo. Subgroup analysis of trials in
hypertensive subjects (SBP/DBP ≥140/90 mm Hg) at baseline revealed a larger
significant reduction in SBP of 8.7 ± 2.2 mm Hg (P < 0.001; n = 10) and in DBP
of 6.1 ± 1.3 mm Hg (P < 0.001; n = 6). A previously published meta-analysis on
the effect of garlic on blood lipids, which included 39 primary RCTs and 2300
adults treated for a minimum of 2 wk, suggested garlic to be effective in
reducing total and LDL cholesterol by 10% if taken for >2 mo by individuals with
slightly elevated concentrations [e.g., total cholesterol >200 mg/dL (>5.5 mmol/L)].
Garlic has immunomodulating effects by increasing macrophage activity, natural
killer cells, and the production of T and B cells. Clinical trials have shown
garlic to significantly reduce the number, duration, and severity of upper
respiratory infections" - See
garlic supplements at Amazon.com
.
-
Getting less than 6 hours of sleep makes you 4x more likely to get a cold -
Washington Post, 8/31/15 - "lack of sleep was the most
important factor in predicting the likelihood of someone catching a cold, more
so than age, stress levels and whether someone was a smoker, factors that were
previously associated with a cold risk ... Available data suggests insufficient
sleep disrupts the immune system and makes it less able to fight off a virus"
-
Ginseng
Protects Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus by Modulating Multiple Immune Cells
and Inhibiting Viral Replication - Nutrients. 2015 Feb 4;7(2):1021-1036 -
"Ginseng has been used in humans for thousands of years
but its effects on viral infection have not been well understood. We
investigated the effects of red ginseng extract (RGE) on respiratory syncytial
virus (RSV) infection using in vitro cell culture and in vivo mouse models ...
Taken together, these results provide evidence that ginseng has protective
effects against RSV infection through multiple mechanisms, which include
improving cell survival, partial inhibition of viral replication and modulation
of cytokine production and types of immune cells migrating into the lung"
- See
ginseng at Amazon.com
and
Cold FX, 300mg 168 Capsules at Amazon.com.
-
Bifidobacterium bifidum R0071 results in a greater proportion of healthy days
and a lower percentage of academically stressed students reporting a day of
cold/flu: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study - Br J Nutr.
2015 Jan 21:1-9 - "B. bifidum resulted in a greater
proportion of healthy days than placebo (P≤ 0·05). The percentage of
participants reporting ≥ 1 d of cold/flu during the 6-week intervention period
was significantly lower with B. bifidum than with placebo (P< 0·05) ... The
proportion of participants reporting a cold on any given day was lower at weeks
2 and 3 with B. bifidum and B. infantis than with placebo for the average level
of stress and the most commonly reported number of hours of sleep. Daily intake
of bifidobacteria provides benefit related to cold/flu outcomes during acute
stress" - See
probiotic products at Amazon.com
.
-
Improvement of common cold
with Pycnogenol®: a Winter registry study - Panminerva Med. 2014
Dec;56(4):301-8 - "All subjects used the "best
management" for colds and one group added Pycnogenol® capsules (50 mg, bid/die)
from day zero. The resulting registry groups were comparable ... The number of
days with a perceived cold affecting the patients was reduced in the supplement
group (3.1;0.4 days) in comparison with controls (4.2;0.2). Lost working days
were significantly decreased in the supplement group (0.55;0.3 versus 0.67;0.3
in controls). The need to use any other compound (on demand basis; OTC products)
to manage symptoms and the occurrence of any clinically significant
complications were significantly lower in the Pycnogenol® group ... Pycnogenol®
supplementation appears to make regression faster for all symptoms in comparison
with controls" - [Nutra USA] - See
Pycnogenol at Amazon.com
.
-
Vitamin C
supplementation slightly improves physical activity levels and reduces cold
incidence in men with marginal vitamin C status: a randomized controlled trial
- Nutrients. 2014 Jul 9;6(7):2572-83 - "The early
indications of vitamin C deficiency are unremarkable (fatigue, malaise,
depression) and may manifest as a reduced desire to be physically active;
moreover, hypovitaminosis C may be associated with increased cold duration and
severity ... This study examined the impact of vitamin C on physical activity
and respiratory tract infections during the peak of the cold season. Healthy
non-smoking adult men (18-35 years; BMI < 34 kg/m2; plasma vitamin C < 45
µmol/L) received either 1000 mg of vitamin C daily (n = 15) or placebo (n = 13)
in a randomized, double-blind, eight-week trial ... In the final two weeks of
the trial, the physical activity score rose modestly for the vitamin C group vs.
placebo after adjusting for baseline values: +39.6% (95% CI [-4.5,83.7]; p =
0.10). The number of participants reporting cold episodes was 7 and 11 for the
vitamin C and placebo groups respectively during the eight-week trial (RR =
0.55; 95% CI [0.33,0.94]; p = 0.04) and cold duration was reduced 59% in the
vitamin C versus placebo groups (-3.2 days; 95% CI [-7.0,0.6]; p = 0.06)" - See
vitamin C products at Amazon.com
.
-
Tamiflu
reduces risk of death by 25 percent in adults hospitalised with H1N1 pandemic
influenza - Science Daily, 3/18/14 - "NAIs should be
started within 2 days of symptoms developing. The risk of death was halved when
starting treatment within 48 hours of symptom onset compared with later
treatment, or no antiviral treatment. Each day that starting antiviral treatment
was delayed after 2 days from illness onset was associated with about a 20%
increase in the risk of death compared with treatment started within 2 days" -
See
Tamiflu at IAS.
-
Immunomodulatory Activity of Red Ginseng against Influenza A Virus Infection
- Nutrients. 2014 Jan 27;6(2):517-29 - "We
investigated whether red ginseng extract (RGE) has preventive effects on
influenza A virus infection in vivo and in vitro. RGE was found to improve
survival of human lung epithelial cells upon influenza virus infection.
Also, RGE treatment reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory genes (IL-6,
IL-8) probably in part through interference with the formation of reactive
oxygen species by influenza A virus infection. Long-term oral administration
of mice with RGE showed multiple immunomodulatory effects such as
stimulating antiviral cytokine IFN-γ production after influenza A virus
infection. In addition, RGE administration in mice inhibited the
infiltration of inflammatory cells into the bronchial lumens. Therefore, RGE
might have the potential beneficial effects on preventing influenza A virus
infections via its multiple immunomodulatory functions" - See
ginseng at Amazon.com
.
-
A
Combination of High-dose Vitamin C Plus Zinc for the Common Cold - J Int
Med Res. 2012;40(1):28-42 - "Vitamin C and zinc play
important roles in nutrition, immune defence and maintenance of health.
Intake of both is often inadequate, even in affluent populations ... After
an overview of the literature on the effects of the separate administration
of either vitamin C or zinc against the common cold, this article presents
data from two preliminary, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled
trials, conducted with a combination of 1000 mg vitamin C plus 10 mg zinc in
patients with the common cold. In both studies, a nonsignificant reduction
of rhinorrhoea duration (range 9 - 27%) was seen. In pooled analyses of both
studies (n = 94), vitamin C plus zinc was significantly more efficient than
placebo at reducing rhinorrhoea over 5 days of treatment. Furthermore,
symptom relief was quicker and the product was well tolerated"
-
Consumption
of cranberry polyphenols enhances human gammadelta-T cell proliferation and
reduces the number of symptoms associated with colds and influenza: a
randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study - Nutr J. 2013 Dec
13;12(1):161 - "Subjects drank a low calorie cranberry beverage (450 ml) made
with a juice-derived, powdered cranberry fraction (n = 22) or a placebo beverage
(n = 23), daily, for 10 wk ... The proliferation index of gammadelta-T cells in
culture was almost five times higher after 10 wk of cranberry beverage
consumption (p <0.001). In the cranberry beverage group, the incidence of
illness was not reduced, however significantly fewer symptoms of illness were
reported" - See
cranberry extract at Amazon.com
.
-
Vitamin
C is beneficial against the common cold, review suggests - Science Daily,
2/13/13 - "Regular doses of vitamin C of one gram per
day or higher have reduced the average duration of colds in adults by 8% and in
children by 18%" - See vitamin C at Amazon.com
.
-
Baker's
Yeast Beta-Glucan Supplement Reduces Upper Respiratory Symptoms and Improves
Mood State in Stressed Women - J Am Coll Nutr. 2012 Aug;31(4):295-300 -
"Several studies have shown a baker's yeast
beta-1,3/1,6-d-glucan, extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is effective in
reducing the incidence of cold and flu symptoms. This study evaluated the effect
of a specific beta-glucan supplement (Wellmune) on upper respiratory tract
symptoms and psychological well-being in women with moderate levels of
psychological stress ... Healthy women (38 +/- 12 years old) prescreened for
moderate levels of psychological stress, self-administered a placebo (n = 38) or
250 mg of Wellmune (n = 39) daily for 12 weeks ... Subjects in the Wellmune
group reported fewer upper respiratory symptoms compared to placebo (10% vs
29%), better overall well-being (global mood state: 99 +/- 19 vs 108 +/- 23, p <
0.05), and superior mental/physical energy levels (vigor: 19.9 +/- 4.7 vs 15.8
+/- 6.3, p < 0.05)" - See
beta-glucan products at
iHerb.
-
Do herbal flu treatments work? - Fox News Video, 1/13/13 -
"Herbal Treatments for flu: echinacea, elderberry,
ginger, Andrographis, boneset. "The only one that comes close to Tamiflu is
Andrographis, which shortens the period that people suffer from flu symptoms.""
- See
Andrographis products at iHerb.
-
Probiotics are secret weapon for fighting symptoms of the common cold in college
students, study suggests - Science Daily, 10/22/12 -
"randomized 198 college students aged 18 to 25 and living on-campus in residence
halls at Framingham State University in Massachusetts. Groups received either a
placebo (97 students) or a powder blend containing Chr. Hansen's probiotic
strains BB-12® and LGG® (101 students) for 12 weeks. Each day, students
completed a survey to assess the effect of the probiotic supplementation ... The
study found that while all students caught colds at roughly the same rate, the
students who took the probiotic supplementation experienced: ... A duration of
colds that was two days shorter (four days vs. six days) ... Symptoms that were
34% less severe and ... A higher quality of life that resulted in fewer missed
school days (15 vs. 34 missed by students taking the placebo) ... consumers need
to read the label to be sure that the product contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus
GG [LGG] and Bifidobacterium animalis lactis BB12 [BB12]. There also are some
yogurts that contain LGG and/or BB12 but check the labels, since companies
change the probiotics strains often" - See
probiotic products at Amazon.com
.
-
Effect of
Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG® and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12® on
health-related quality of life in college students affected by upper respiratory
infections - Br J Nutr. 2012 Oct 1:1-9 - "College
students are susceptible to upper respiratory infections (URI) due to inadequate
sleep, stress and close living quarters. Certain probiotic strains modulate
immune function and may improve health-related quality of life (HRQL) during URI
... randomised to receive placebo (n 117) or probiotic-containing powder (daily
dose of minimum 1 billion colony-forming units of each Lactobacillus rhamnosus
LGG® (LGG®) and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12® (BB-12®); n 114) for
12 weeks ... The median duration of URI was significantly shorter by 2 d and
median severity score was significantly lower by 34 % with probiotics v. placebo
(P < 0.001), indicating a higher HRQL during URI. Number of missed work days was
not different between groups (P = 0.429); however, the probiotics group missed
significantly fewer school days (mean difference = 0.2 d) compared to the
placebo group (P = 0.002). LGG® and BB-12® may be beneficial among college
students with URI for mitigating decrements in HRQL" - See
probiotic products at Amazon.com
.
-
Immunoprotective effects of oral intake of heat-killed Lactobacillus pentosus
strain b240 in elderly adults: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
trial - Br J Nutr. 2012 Sep 5:1-10 - "Oral intake of
Lactobacillus pentosus strain b240 (b240) has been shown to enhance the
secretion of salivary secretory IgA in elderly adults ... 300 eligible elderly
adults were randomly allocated to one of three groups, namely a placebo,
low-dose or high-dose b240 group. Participants in the low-dose and high-dose
b240 groups were given tablets containing 2 × 109 or 2 × 1010 cells,
respectively, of heat-killed b240, while those in the placebo group were given
tablets without b240. Each group consumed their respective tablets once daily
for 20 weeks ... The accumulated incidence rate of the common cold was 47.3,
34.8 and 29.0 % for the placebo, low-dose b240 and high-dose b240 groups,
respectively (P for trend = 0.012). Lower incidence rates were consistently
observed throughout the experimental period in the b240 groups (log-rank test, P
= 0.034). General health perception, as determined by the SF-36®,
dose-dependently increased in the b240 groups (P for trend = 0.016). In
conclusion, oral intake of b240 significantly reduced the incidence rate of the
common cold in elderly adults, indicating that b240 might be useful in improving
resistance against infection through mucosal immunity" - Note: I
calculate that as a 39% reduction in colds [(47.3 - 29)/47.3] = .39 - See
Garden of Life, Primal Defense at Amazon.com
.
-
Vitamin
D may protect against viral infections during the winter - Science Daily,
4/30/12 - "insufficient levels of vitamin D are related
to a deficiency in our innate immune defenses that protect us from infections,
neoplasias or autoimmune diseases. Since vitamin D levels decrease during autumn
and winter when days are shorter and sunlight is relatively weak, this may
explain why people are more prone to viral infection during these times. It also
suggests that increased vitamin D intake, especially in older populations, could
strengthen people's innate immunity against viral infections ... the researchers
compared the changes in the blood levels of vitamin D among three groups of
healthy subjects: young (age range: 20-30), middle (age range: 31-59), and
elderly (age range: 60-86). They found decreased levels of vitamin D with aging,
prompting researchers to compare whether such changes kept any relationship with
toll-like receptor (TLR) expression measured on lymphocytes and monocytes and
function after in vitro stimulation with specific ligands for each of the nine
human TLRs and measurement of effector molecules, such as proinflammatory
cytokines. Specifically, they found that the TRL most affected by a vitamin D
insufficiency is TLR7, which regulates the immune response against viruses"
- See
vitamin D at Amazon.com
.
-
Supplementation with aged garlic extract improves both NK and γδ-T cell function
and reduces the severity of cold and flu symptoms: A randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled nutrition intervention - Clin Nutr. 2012 Jan 24 -
"After 45 d of consuming an encapsulated aged garlic
extract, γδ-T cells (p = 0.039, n = 56) and NK cells (p = 0.043, n = 56) were
shown to proliferate better compared to placebo. After 90 d of supplementation,
illness diary entries showed that the incidence of colds and flu, a secondary
outcome, were not statistically different; however, the group consuming the aged
garlic extract appeared to have reduced severity as noted by a reduction in the
number of symptoms reported (21% fewer, p < 0.001, z-test of proportions), a
reduction in the number of days (61% fewer, p < 0.001, z-test) and incidences
(58% fewer p < 0.001, z-test) where the subjects functioned sub-optimally and
the number of work/school days missed due to illness (58% fewer, p = 0.035,
z-test) ... These results suggest that supplementation of the diet with aged
garlic extract may enhance immune cell function and that this may be
responsible, in part, for reduced severity of colds and flu" - See
garlic supplements at Amazon.com
.
-
Aged garlic reduces cold and flu severity: RCT data - Nutra USA, 1/26/12 -
"Supplements of an aged garlic extract may reduce the
number of days a person suffers from cold and ‘flu by 61% ... Ninety days of
consuming the garlic supplement also produced a 21% reduction in the number of
symptoms of colds or flu" - [Abstract]
- See
garlic supplements at Amazon.com
.
-
7 easy
ways to boost your immune system - MSNBC, 11/12/11 -
"Cook with olive and canola oils ... Research shows that people who consume
disproportionately more 6s (found in the soybean oil used in most processed
snack foods) than 3s are at higher risk for inflammation and immune system
problems"
-
Evaluation
of the immune benefits of two probiotic strains Bifidobacterium animalis ssp.
lactis, BB-12® and Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei, L. casei 431® in an
influenza vaccination model: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
study - Br J Nutr. 2011 Sep 7:1-9 - "The present
study investigated the ability of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis (BB-12®)
and Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (L. casei 431®) to modulate the
immune system using a vaccination model in healthy subjects. A randomised,
double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was conducted in 211
subjects (56 % females, mean age 33.2 (sd 13.1) years). Subjects consumed a
minimum of 109 colony-forming units of BB-12® (capsule) or L. casei 431® (dairy
drink) or a matching placebo once daily for 6 weeks. After 2 weeks, a seasonal
influenza vaccination was given. Plasma and saliva samples were collected at
baseline and after 6 weeks for the analysis of antibodies, cytokines and innate
immune parameters. Changes from baseline in vaccine-specific plasma IgG, IgG1
and IgG3 were significantly greater in both probiotic groups v. the
corresponding placebo group (L. casei 431®, P = 0.01 for IgG; P < 0.001 for
remaining comparisons). The number of subjects obtaining a substantial increase
in specific IgG (defined as ≥ 2-fold above baseline) was significantly greater
in both probiotic groups v. placebo (BB-12®, P < 0.001 for IgG, IgG1 and IgG3;
L. casei 431®, P < 0.001 for IgG1 and IgG3). Significantly greater mean fold
increases for vaccine-specific secretory IgA in saliva were observed in both
probiotic groups v. placebo (BB-12®, P = 0.017; L. casei 431®, P = 0.035).
Similar results were observed for total antibody concentrations. No differences
were found for plasma cytokines or innate immune parameters. Data herein show
that supplementation with BB-12® or L. casei 431® may be an effective means to
improve immune function by augmenting systemic and mucosal immune responses to
challenge" - See
probiotics at Amazon.com
.
-
Zinc
lozenges may shorten common cold duration, Finnish research suggests -
Science Daily, 7/26/11 - "Dr. Harri Hemila of the
University of Helsinki, Finland, carried out a meta-analysis of all the
placebo-controlled trials that have examined the effect of zinc lozenges on
natural common cold infections. Of the 13 trial comparisons identified, five
used a total daily zinc dose of less than 75 mg and uniformly those five
comparisons found no effect of zinc. Three trials used zinc acetate in daily
doses of over 75 mg, with the average indicating a 42% reduction in the
duration of colds. Five trials used zinc salts other than acetate in daily
doses of over 75 mg, with the average indicating a 20% decrease in the
duration of colds"
-
Zinc
reduces the burden of the common cold - Science Daily, 2/15/11 -
"In total, data from 15 trials, involving 1,360
people, were included. According to the results, zinc syrup, lozenges or
tablets taken within a day of the onset of cold symptoms reduce the severity
and length of illness. At seven days, more of the patients who took zinc had
cleared their symptoms compared to those who took placebos. Children who
took zinc syrup or lozenges for five months or longer caught fewer colds and
took less time off school. Zinc also reduced antibiotic use in children,
which is important because overuse has implications for antibiotic
resistance" - See
Jarrow Zinc Balance at Amazon.com
(taking zinc alone may cause a copper deficiency).
-
Biothera's beta-glucan ingredient may reduce cold/flu incidence - Nutra
USA, 10/8/10 - "Only 10 percent of women receiving
supplements of Biothera’s Wellmune WGP branded ingredient reported upper
respiratory tract infection symptoms, such as sore throat, stuffy or runny
nose, and cough, compared with 29 percent of women in the control group"
- See
beta-glucan products at iHerb.
-
Probiotics show potential against common cold: Study - Nutra USA 9/21/10
-
"daily consumption of Lactobacillus plantarum HEAL 9
(DSM 15312) and Lactobacillus paracasei 8700:2 (DSM 13434) reduced the
incidence of one or more episodes of the common cold from 67 percent in the
placebo group to 55 percent, according to findings published in the European
Journal of Nutrition ... Furthermore, the number of days of symptoms for the
cold was significantly reduced in people taking the probiotic supplements,
from an average of 8.6 to 6.2, compared with placebo ... the total symptom
score was reduced during the study period from a mean of 44.4 for the
control group to 33.6 for the probiotic group" - [Abstract]
- See
probiotics at Amazon.com
.
-
Randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled study using new probiotic
lactobacilli for strengthening the body immune defence against viral
infections
- Eur J Nutr. 2010 Aug 28 - "The incidence of
acquiring one or more common cold episode was reduced from 67% in the
control group to 55% in the probiotic group (p < 0.05). Also, the number of
days with common cold symptoms were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced from
8.6 days in the control group to 6.2 days, in the probiotic group, during
the 12-week period. The total symptom score was reduced during the study
period from a mean of 44.4 for the control group to 33.6 for the probiotic
group. The reduction in pharyngeal symptoms was significant (p < 0.05). In
addition, the proliferation of B lymphocytes was significantly counteracted
in the probiotic group (p < 0.05) in comparison with the control group"
- See
probiotics at Amazon.com
.
-
Vitamin D May Cut Risk of Flu - WebMD, 6/16/10 -
"people who maintain vitamin D blood levels of 38 nanograms per milliliter
or more are less likely to get viral infections such as flu than people with
less in their blood ... Of 18 people who maintained that level during the
study period, only three developed viral infect ... But of the 180 other
participants with less vitamin D in their blood, 81(45%), did get sick with
viral infections ... And those with higher levels of vitamin D also
experienced a marked reduction in the number of days they were ill" -
See
vitamin D at Amazon.com
.
-
Reducing
the risk of infection in the elderly by dietary intake of yoghurt fermented
with Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1 - Br J Nutr.
2010 May 21:1-9 - "90 g yoghurt or drink 100 ml milk
once per d over an 8- or 12-week period. A meta-analysis of the results of
these two independent studies showed the risk of catching the common cold
was about 2.6 times lower (OR 0.39; P = 0.019) in the yoghurt group than in
the milk group and the increase of natural killer cell activity was
significantly higher in the yoghurt group than in the milk group" -
See
Yogourmet Electric Yogurt Maker at Amazon.com.
-
Vitamin D shows promise against seasonal ‘flu: Study - Nutra USA, 4/1/10 -
"daily supplements of vitamin D3 reduced the influence
of seasonal ‘flu (influenza A) by over 40 per cent ... The benefits of vitamin D
supplementation were even more noticeable in children who had low levels of
vitamin D at the start of the study, with a 74 per cent reduction in the
incidence of ‘flu observed" - [Abstract]
- See
vitamin D at Amazon.com
.
-
Randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza A in
schoolchildren - Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Mar 10 -
"Influenza A occurred in 18 of 167 (10.8%) children in the vitamin D(3) group
compared with 31 of 167 (18.6%) children in the placebo group [relative risk
(RR), 0.58; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.99; P = 0.04]. The reduction in influenza A was more
prominent in children who had not been taking other vitamin D supplements (RR:
0.36; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.79; P = 0.006) and who started nursery school after age 3
y (RR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.78; P = 0.005). In children with a previous
diagnosis of asthma, asthma attacks as a secondary outcome occurred in 2
children receiving vitamin D(3) compared with 12 children receiving placebo (RR:
0.17; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.73; P = 0.006)" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com
.
-
Are
hand sanitizers better than handwashing against the common cold? -
Science Daily, 3/24/10 - "Results showed that the
ethanol hand sanitizer removed approximately 80% of detectable rhinovirus
from hands and was much more effective than no treatment, water alone, or
soap and water. Soap and water removed rhinovirus from 31% of hands"
-
Hand sanitizer: How it protects you - CNN, 11/27/09 -
"up to 80 percent of all infections get spread by
hands ... Hand sanitizers are effective against both bacteria and viruses
... The sanitizer works on contact, meaning it's only effective on the parts
of your hands that it touches. That means if you miss a spot between your
fingers, there could still be viruses or bacteria in that place" -
Click here for Purell dispensers.
-
Previous seasonal flu infections may provide some level of H1N1 immunity
- Science Daily, 11/16/09 - "What we have found is
that the swine flu has similarities to the seasonal flu, which appear to
provide some level of pre-existing immunity. This suggests that it could
make the disease less severe in the general population than originally
feared ... "We found that the immune system's T cells can recognize a
significant percent of the markers in swine flu." T cells are
infection-fighting white blood cells in the body's immune system. "Nobody
knows what level of immunity is sufficient for protection. We do know that a
T cell response is not enough to prevent being infected by the virus. But,
if infected, our data suggests that T cells in those who have previously
been exposed to influenza may make the infection less severe," ... In a
normal flu season, influenza infects as much as 20 percent of the U.S.
population, causes more than 200,000 hospitalizations and kills about 36,000
people"
-
Scientists Discover Influenza's Achilles Heel: Antioxidants - Science
Daily, 10/29/09 - "antioxidants -- the same
substances found in plant-based foods -- might hold the key in preventing
the flu virus from wreaking havoc on our lungs"
-
Probiotics may reduce cold and 'flu symptoms for children - Nutra USA,
7/30/09 - "A daily supplement of Lactobacillus and
Bifidobacterium strains may reduce the incidence of cold and 'flu-like
symptoms in children by 50 per cent ... A combination of the two strains was
linked to reductions in fever incidence by 73 per cent, a reduction in the
occurrence of runny noses by 59 per cent, and drop in the incidence of
coughing by 62 per cent" - [Abstract]
- See
probiotics at Amazon.com
.
-
Probiotic Effects on Cold and Influenza-Like Symptom Incidence and Duration
in Children - PEDIATRICS Vol. 124 No. 2 August 2009, pp. e172-e179 -
"Relative to the placebo group, single and
combination probiotics reduced fever incidence by 53.0% (P = .0085) and
72.7% (P = .0009), coughing incidence by 41.4% (P = .027) and 62.1% (P =
.005), and rhinorrhea incidence by 28.2% (P = .68) and 58.8% (P = .03),
respectively. Fever, coughing, and rhinorrhea duration was decreased
significantly, relative to placebo, by 32%" - See
probiotics at Amazon.com
.
-
Certain Zinc-based Cold Remedies Linked To Loss Of Sense Of Smell, FDA Says
- Science Daily, 6/18/09 - "The FDA has received
more than 130 reports of loss of sense of smell associated with the use of
these three Zicam products" - Seems like Zicam has been around over
ten years and at least 20 million people must have used it by now.
130/20,000,000 = 0.0000065 or one chance in 154,000. Seems like it could
have been due to chance. People worried about those odds might not want to
drive to work. 36,000 people in the U.S. die from the flu each year
(360,000 in ten years). Maybe the reduction in flu severity provided by the
Zicam would have been enough to save 130 of them. Sometimes I think the FDA
gets carried away. We've probably had more problems with peanut allergies
so maybe peanuts should be outlawed.
-
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Colds - WebMD, 2/23/09 -
"those with the lowest vitamin D levels (less than
10 nanograms per milliliter of blood) were 36% more likely to report having
a recent upper respiratory tract infection than those with higher levels (30
ng/mL or higher) ... people with asthma with the lowest vitamin D levels
were five times more likely to have had a recent respiratory infection.
Among those with COPD, recent respiratory infections were twice as common
among those with lowest vitamin D levels" - See
vitamin D at Amazon.com
.
-
Good Night’s Sleep Puts Colds to Bed - WebMD, 1/12/09
-
Substance Found In Fruits And Vegetables Reduces Likelihood Of The Flu -
Science Daily, 0/3/08 - "Mice that exercised and
took quercetin had nearly the same rate of illness as those that did not
exercise. In other words, quercetin canceled out the negative effect of
stressful exercise ... Although this study was done with mice, a recent
human study found that people who took quercetin suffered fewer illnesses
following three days of exhaustive exercise compared to those who did not"
- See
quercetin at Amazon.com
.
-
Does Honey Relieve Cough in Children? - Medscape, 5/8/08 -
"On a 6-point scale, subjects who received honey
reported an average improvement of 1.89 points in cough frequency, compared
with 1.39 points for DM subjects and 0.92 points for "no treatment"
subjects. Parental assessment of the child's sleep improved by 2.49 points
for honey patients, by 1.79 points for DM patients, and by 1.57 points for
no treatment patients"
-
Zinc Reduces Common Cold Symptoms - Medscape, 4/17/08 -
"The participants took one zinc acetate lozenge
containing 13.3 mg of zinc or placebo every 2-3 hours while awake ... The
average duration of cold symptoms (including cough, nasal discharge, and
muscle ache) was significantly shorter in the zinc group (4.0 days) than in
the placebo group (7.1 days) ... By day 4, 56% of the zinc group had
complete resolution of their colds, whereas none of the placebo group was
free of cold symptoms on day 4"
-
Probiotic Cuts Respiratory Illness Rates In Endurance Athletes, Study
Suggests - Science Daily, 2/18/08 - "The
probiotic Lactobacillus substantially cuts the rate and length of
respiratory illness in professional long distance runners ... athletes
taking the probiotic had less than half the number of days of symptoms of
their colleagues taking the placebo ... Respiratory symptoms while taking
Lactobacillus lasted 30 days compared with 72 days while taking the placebo"
- [Nutra
USA] - See my favorite
Garden of Life Primal Defense HSO Probiotic Formula at Amazon.com
.
-
Honey May Soothe Kids' Coughs - WebMD, 12/3/07 -
"Honey ranked highest, followed by dextromethorphan, and the placebo was in
last place in terms of cough relief ... honey's slim lead over
dextromethorphan may have been due to chance"
-
Study: Echinacea Cuts Colds by Half - WebMD, 6/26/07
-
Lancet: Echinacea does fight colds - USA Today, 6/25/07 -
"the popular herbal supplement echinacea cuts the
chance of catching a cold by 58% and can reduce the duration of colds by
about a day and a half" - See
echinacea goldenseal at Amazon.com
.
-
Moderate Exercise
May Lower Cold Risk - WebMD, 10/26/06
-
The prophylactic and therapeutic effectiveness of zinc sulphate on common
cold in children - Acta Paediatr. 2006 Oct;95(10):1175-81 -
"Compared to the placebo group, the zinc group had
shorter mean duration of cold symptoms and decreased total severity scores
for cold symptoms"
- Working out may help
prevent colds, flu - MSNBC, 1/17/06 -
"moderate amounts of aerobic exercise such as
jogging, brisk walking and cycling during the cold and flu season boost the
body’s defenses against viruses and bacteria"
-
Immune-Enhancing Role of Vitamin C and Zinc and Effect on Clinical
Conditions - Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 2006;50:85-94 -
"These trials document that adequate intakes of
vitamin C and zinc ameliorate symptoms and shorten the duration of
respiratory tract infections including the common cold"
-
'Good' Bacteria:
Good for Colds? - WebMD, 11/7/05
-
Workers On Daily Probiotics Less Likely To Take Time Off Sick - Science
Daily, 11/7/05 - "workers who took a daily dose of
the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri were 2.5 times less likely to
take sick leave than workers who took a placebo"
-
Anti-cold, Anti-flu Product Cuts Recurrent Colds By More Than Half, Study
Shows - Science Daily, 10/25/05
-
Ginseng for Gesundheit? Latest Study on Colds - WebMD, 10/24/05 -
"one in 10 people in the ginseng group reported
having two or more colds that winter, compared with about 23% of those
taking the placebo ... Colds lasted about 11 days for the ginseng group and
16.5 days for the placebo group"
-
Effect of a dietary supplement containing probiotic bacteria plus vitamins
and minerals on common cold infections and cellular immune parameters -
Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2005 Jul;43(7):318-26 -
"These data indicate that the intake of a dietary supplement containing
probiotic bacteria plus vitamins and minerals during a period of at least
three months in winter/spring may reduce the incidence and the severity of
symptoms in common cold infections in otherwise healthy adults. This may be
due to stimulated cellular immunity"
-
Vitamin C May Not Fight the Common Cold - WebMD, 6/28/05
-
Resveratrol could prevent ‘flu epidemics - Nutra USA, 5/24/05
-
Boost In Immune Response Fights Common Cold - Science Daily, 4/24/05 -
"Nursing facility residents who consumed 200
International Units (IUs) of vitamin E daily for one year were less likely
to get the sniffles than those who took a placebo ... those who took the
moderate supplements were 20 percent less likely to contract upper
respiratory infections, such as colds"
- Efficacy of Zinc
Against the Common Cold Virus - Medscape, 11/23/04 -
"Clinical trial data support the value of zinc in
reducing the duration and severity of symptoms of the common cold when
administered within 24 hours of the onset of common cold symptoms"
- Vitamin E May
Prevent Common Cold - WebMD, 8/17/04 -
"Participants in the vitamin E group who completed
the study had significantly fewer common colds and a 20% lower risk of
acquiring a cold than those in the placebo group"
- Bugged by a Bad Cold? -
Dr. Weil, 5/24/04
- The Herbal Way
To Keep Flu at Bay - WebMD, 12/12/03 -
""Astragalus is an
immune-enhancing herb to ward off flu," Weil says ... I also use a mushroom
product called Host Defense, an extract of seven mushrooms ... I think it is
useful to be on a good multivitamin, multimineral supplement" - See
iHerb Host Defense products.
- Positive
Attitude Fights the Common Cold - WebMD, 7/22/03
- New Weapon Against Colds?
- Dr. Weil, 7/8/03
- Vitamin C May
Fight Colds After All - WebMD, 3/12/03 -
"12 healthy subjects who took one gram of
vitamin C a day for two weeks showed a boosted immune system response
during that time ... in two of them, the response to vitamin C took place
within five hours ... this might mean that taking a vitamin C tablet at the
first sign of a cold could achieve an effect quickly enough to ward off that
cold"
-
Zinc Spray Shortens Colds - Physician's Weekly, 1/27/03 -
"Zicam, an over-the-counter nasal spray, cuts the
length of a cold by anywhere between 1.5 to 3 days, according to a new study
from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation" - See
See drugstore.com Zicam products
.
- Zinc Spray
Shortens Colds - WebMD, 1/7/03 -
"patients using Zicam, an over-the-counter nasal
spray, cut the length of their colds an average of 1.5 days compared with
those treated with a placebo. However, some patients slashed their cold
duration in half -- from six days to only three" - See
Zicam at drugstore.com
.
- Soothing Sore Throat? -
Dr. Weil, 12/6/02
-
Zinc Gluconate Reduces Cold Duration And Frequency In Children -
Doctor's Guide, 11/14/02 -
"Subjects taking the zinc gluconate glycine lozenges
[Cold-Eeze]
showed shorter cold duration than non-users: 7.5 and 9.0 days respectively.
Further, 4.1 percent of those taking the lozenge needed concomitant
antibiotics compared to 36.2 percent of non-users. Prophylaxis with the
lozenge reduced the median annual number of colds from 1.3 in non-users to
0.0 among the lozenge users" - I've got that via my drugstore.com
affiliate. See
Cold-Eeze
.
Now might be a good time to stock up on
Zicam
so that you can use it at the first symptoms of a cold.
- Exercise,
Supplements Boost Flu Shots - WebMD, 10/3/02
-
Exercise May Reduce Risk Of Colds - Intelihealth, 8/26/02
- Alternative
Remedies for Fighting a Cold - WebMD, 2/27/02 -
"chicken soup not only helps break up nasal
congestion, but many recipes include garlic, which has antibiotic properties
... Drink plenty of water ... help to clear the sinuses ... most cough syrup
was extracted from the bark of the wild cherry tree ... garlic, ginger, and
goldenseal. These herbs and spices have antiviral, antiseptic, or antibiotic
properties ..."
-
Natural cures for the common cold? - CNN, 2/13/01 -
"a zinc nasal spray called Zicam, showed very
promising results in a study of 213 patients published in ENT, the Ear, Nose
and Throat journal. Symptoms were reduced by as much as 75 percent."
- see
Zicam
Other News:
-
WHO
expert panel strongly advises against use of hydroxychloroquine to prevent
COVID-19 - Science Daily, 3/2/21 - "High certainty
evidence showed that hydroxychloroquine had no meaningful effect on death and
admission to hospital, while moderate certainty evidence showed that
hydroxychloroquine had no meaningful effect on laboratory confirmed covid-19
infection and it probably increases the risk of adverse effects"
-
Statin
use associated with increased survival in severe COVID-19 - Science Daily,
2/26/21 - "People who took statins to lower cholesterol
were approximately 50% less likely to die if hospitalized for COVID-19 ... In
addition to their well-known cholesterol-lowering effect, statins are known for
their anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant and immunomodulatory properties"
-
Kids Who Got Flu Shot Had Milder COVID Symptoms - WebMD, 2/8/21 -
"Those who had their current flu shot were less likely
to have COVID-19 symptoms, respiratory problems or severe illness, University of
Missouri researchers said ... Kids who received the pneumococcal vaccine were
also less likely to have COVID-19 symptoms" - Note: I've been
saying for years that the flu vaccine partially protects against similar
viruses.
-
Study
links severe COVID-19 disease to short telomeres - Science Daily, 1/11/21 -
"It is known that telomere length is an indicator of
ageing: each time a cell divides, its telomeres shorten until they can no longer
perform their protective function and the cell, which now becomes damaged, stops
dividing. Throughout life, cells are constantly dividing to regenerate tissues,
and when they stop doing so because the telomeres are too short, the body ages
... In recent years, researchers have shown in mice that it is possible to
reverse this process by activating the production of telomerase, which is the
enzyme in charge of making the telomeres longer. In animals, telomerase
activation is effective in treating diseases associated with ageing and telomere
damage, such as pulmonary fibrosis ... What could not be foreseen, and this is
the most important finding, is that the telomeres of the most seriously ill
patients were also shorter, irrespective of age"
-
Patient-reported loss of smell in 86 percent of mild COVID-19 cases, study finds
- Science Daily, 1/6/21 - "Olfactory dysfunction is
more prevalent in mild COVID-19 forms than in moderate-to-critical forms, and
95% of patients recover their sense of smell at 6-months post-infection"
-
COVID-19 and Antimalarial
Drugs - Medscape, 1/7/21 - "Although the verdict is
out on the safety and efficacy of various treatments for COVID-19, science
strongly suggests the antimalarial agents' chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine
cause more harm than benefit in the context of COVID-19"
-
Long-lasting COVID immunity gives real hope for the long-term protection of
vaccines - Science Daily, 12/23/20 - "antibodies
against the virus started to drop off after 20 days post infection ... However
-- importantly -- all patients continued to have memory B cells that recognised
one of two components of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the spike and nucleocapsid
proteins. These virus-specific memory B cells were stably present as far as
eight months after infection"
-
COVID-19 Reinfection
Unlikely for at Least 6 Months, Study Finds - Medscape, 11/20/20 -
"People who've had COVID-19 are highly unlikely to
contract it again for at least six months after their first infection"
-
The End of the Pandemic Is Now in Sight - Atlantic, 11/18/20 -
"mRNA vaccines offer a clever shortcut. We humans don’t
need to intellectually work out how to make viruses; our bodies are already
very, very good at incubating them. When the coronavirus infects us, it hijacks
our cellular machinery, turning our cells into miniature factories that churn
out infectious viruses. The mRNA vaccine makes this vulnerability into a
strength. What if we can trick our own cells into making just one individually
harmless, though very recognizable, viral protein? The coronavirus’s spike
protein fits this description, and the instructions for making it can be encoded
into genetic material called mRNA ... Both vaccines, from Moderna and from
Pfizer’s collaboration with the smaller German company BioNTech, package
slightly modified spike-protein mRNA inside a tiny protective bubble of fat.
Human cells take up this bubble and simply follow the directions to make spike
protein. The cells then display these spike proteins, presenting them as strange
baubles to the immune system. Recognizing these viral proteins as foreign, the
immune system begins building an arsenal to prepare for the moment a virus
bearing this spike protein appears."
-
Early Data Suggests Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Is Nearly 95%
Effective—And You Can Keep It in the Fridge - Time, 11/16/20
- "On Sunday, an independent monitoring
board broke the code to examine 95 infections that were recorded
starting two weeks after volunteers’ second dose — and
discovered all but five illnesses occurred in participants who
got the placebo. ... All 11 severe COVID-19 cases were among
placebo recipients, and there were no significant safety
concerns ... The main side effects were fatigue, muscle aches
and injection-site pain after the vaccine’s second dose, at
rates that Hoge characterized as more common than with flu shots
but on par with others such as shingles vaccine ... Another
steep challenge: distributing doses that must be kept very cold.
Both the Moderna and Pfizer shots are frozen but at different
temperatures. Moderna announced Monday that once thawed, its
doses can last longer in a refrigerator than initially thought,
up to 30 days. Pfizer’s shots require long-term storage at
ultra-cold temperatures."
-
Hydroxychloroquine does not help patients hospitalized with
COVID-19, study finds - Science Daily, 11/16/20 -
"The study showed no evidence that
hydroxychloroquine prevented death or helped patients recover
from COVID-19 more quickly. One month after starting the study,
10.4% of patients treated with hydroxychloroquine and 10.6% of
patients treated with placebo had died"
-
Flu Shot May Shield You From Severe COVID - WebMD, 11/2/20 -
"COVID patients who had not received a flu vaccine
within the last year had 2.4 times greater odds of being hospitalized and 3.3
times greater chance of being transferred to the ICU ... Unfortunately, we do
not know why the flu vaccine would have this beneficial side effect," he said.
"Our study did not look at this specifically. [But] if one looks at the
available scientific studies, we can guess that the flu vaccine might increase
natural killer cell activity, a type of immune cell that has been shown to
target cancer and cells infected by viruses ... The flu vaccine may also
stimulate a patient's immune system to step up and fight off COVID-19 more
quickly and rigorously than otherwise"
-
A New, Large Study Finds Plasma Does Not Lower Risk of Dying
from COVID-19 - Time, 10/23/20 -
"when plasma is infused in patients who have moderate COVID-19
(similar to severe in other countries), it did not reduce
mortality or progression to more critical COVID-19"
-
WH Update: ‘Fatigued’ Trump Took Regeneron’s Coronavirus Antibody Cocktail,
Which Is Still in Testing Phase - CNS, 10/2/20 -
"According to the “update from President @RealDonaldTrump’s physician,” Trump
“received a single 8 gram dose of Regeneron's polyclonal antibody cocktail.” The
president has also been taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and a
daily aspirin" - Hmm! No hydroxychloroquine? I'm shocked.
Yes, I'm being factitious. Famotidine is the generic name for Pepcid, an
antacid.
-
A New Study
Confirms Remdesivir's Effectiveness as a Coronavirus Treatment - Time,
10/8/20 - "In the final analysis, which included 1,062
people who were randomly assigned to receive IV remdesivir or a placebo for up
to 10 days while in the hospital, the researchers provide more detailed data on
how the drug affected metrics including how long people needed to be given
supplemental oxygen or put on ventilators. All of the participants showed
evidence of respiratory infection, mostly pneumonia, and 85% were considered to
have severe disease, which meant that they had at least one of three symptoms:
their blood oxygen levels were below 94% while breathing room air; they required
supplemental oxygen; or they needed a ventilator to breathe. Among all the
participants—both with severe COVID-19 and with more mild symptoms—those given
remdesivir were able to be discharged from the hospital on average five days
sooner than those receiving placebo."
-
The ‘Evidence Is Clear': Hydroxychloroquine Doesn't Help COVID-19 Patients -
NBC, 10/9/20 - "The study, published in the New England
Journal of Medicine, examined the outcomes of 1,561 patients hospitalized with
COVID-19 who received hydroxychloroquine and compared them to 3,155 patients who
served as a control group ... Within a month, about a quarter of the patients in
each group had died ... "The scientific evidence is clear," said Dr. Caleb
Alexander, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at the Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health. "There is no convincing evidence of its
effectiveness for treating COVID.""
-
Benefit of the Common Cold? It May Prevent COVID - WebMD, 10/5/20 -
"The study authors compared blood samples from 26 people
who were recovering from mild to moderate COVID-19 and 21 healthy people whose
samples were collected six to 10 years ago, long before they could have been
exposed to COVID-19. ... They found that B cells that attacked previous
cold-causing coronaviruses appeared to also recognize the coronavirus
(SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 ... This could mean that anyone who's ever
been infected by a common cold coronavirus -- nearly everyone -- may have some
amount of immunity to COVID-19 ... Because memory B cells can survive for
decades, they could protect COVID-19 survivors from subsequent infections for a
long time"
-
Can the
common cold help protect you from COVID-19? - Science Daily, 9/29/20 -
"The study, published in mBio, is the first to show that
the COVID-19-causing virus, SARS-CoV-2, induces memory B cells, long-lived
immune cells that detect pathogens, create antibodies to destroy them and
remember them for the future. The next time that pathogen tries to enter the
body, those memory B cells can hop into action even faster to clear the
infection before it starts ... Because memory B cells can survive for decades,
they could protect COVID-19 survivors from subsequent infections for a long time
... The study is also the first to report cross-reactivity of memory B cells --
meaning B cells that once attacked cold-causing coronaviruses appeared to also
recognize SARS-CoV-2. Study authors believe this could mean that anyone who has
been infected by a common coronavirus -- which is nearly everyone -- may have
some degree of pre-existing immunity to COVID-19"
-
Statins
reduce COVID-19 severity, likely by removing cholesterol that virus uses to
infect - Science Daily, 9/23/20 - "In short,
removing cholesterol from cell membranes prevents the coronavirus from getting
in ... statin use prior to hospital admission for COVID-19 was associated with a
more than 50 percent reduction in risk of developing severe COVID-19, compared
to those with COVID-19 but not taking statins. Patients with COVID-19 who were
taking statins prior to hospitalization also recovered faster than those not
taking the cholesterol-lowering medication ... statins are likely beneficial in
preventing or reducing the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection because, while
intended to remove cholesterol from blood vessels, they are also removing
cholesterol from cell membranes. As a result, the coronavirus can't get in"
-
EMA Backs Dexamethasone
for Severe COVID-19 After Data Review - Medscape, 9/18/20 -
"Overall, 482 patients (22.9%) who received
dexamethasone and 1110 patients (25.7%) who received usual care died within 28
days after randomization ... Preliminary results indicate that, compared with
usual care, dexamethasone reduced mortality by about 35% in patients on invasive
mechanical ventilation and by about 20% in patients receiving oxygen without
invasive ventilation ... No reduction in the risk for death was seen in patients
who were not receiving oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation"
-
Observational Study Again
Suggests Lasting COVID-19 Impact on Heart - Medscape, 9/18/20 -
"A new study using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)
imaging to examine the effects of novel coronavirus infection on the heart
showed signs suggestive of myocarditis in 4 out of 26 competitive athletes who
recovered from asymptomatic or mild cases of COVID-19 ... Two of the 4 patients
showing signs of myocarditis in this series had no symptoms of COVID-19 but
tested positive on routine testing. An additional 12 student athletes (46%)
showed late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), of whom 8 (30.8%) had LGE without T2
elevation, suggestive of prior myocardial injury"
-
-
Note: I saw these two videos on YouTube. The YouTube channel that
produced them doesn't have one on Moderna yet but from what they claim about
Novavax and Pfizer, it sounds like Moderna blows a hole through both. If
you look at the
Moderna
data, by my calculations, it produces 5.5, 9.8, 2.1 and 4.1 respectively times the antibodies as someone who
has recovered from COVID. Pfizer and Moderna are the same type vaccine but
Pfizer uses a 30 microgram dose vs. a100 microgram dose for Moderna.
-
Novavax's COVID-19 Vaccine is Safe and Triggers Immune
Response - YouTube - "All participants developed
neutralizing antibodies against wild SARS-CoV-2 after the
second dose. The antibody responses from participants were
higher patients who recovered from severe COVID-19"
-
COVID-19: Pfizer's Vaccine Phase 3 Trial Results May Be Out
by October - YouTube - "the vaccine has been observed
with a performance of 1.8 to 2.8 times higher antibody
levels, compared to those who recovered from COVID-19"
- Affordable
Steroids Could Reduce Some COVID-19 Deaths by One-Third, Says World Health
Organization - Time, 9/2/20 - "The new conclusions
were reached through a meta-analysis of seven different studies, each exploring
the efficacy of corticosteroids in the most serious cases of COVID-19. The
combined sample group from all seven studies included 1,703 severely ill
patients, 678 of whom were administered steroids and 1,025 who received ordinary
care (which did not include steroids) or a placebo. All of the patients were
hospitalized and most were on ventilators. Over the course of 28 days, the death
rate was 34% lower among the steroid-treated patients than among those in the
control group ... The consistent findings of benefit in these studies provide
definitive data that corticosteroids should be first-line treatment for
critically ill patients with COVID-19"
-
Multiple Studies Find Steroids Fight Severe COVID -
WebMD, 9/2/20 - "A slew of "gold
standard" clinical trials offer new hope for patients
battling severe COVID-19: cheap, common drugs known as
corticosteroids appear to cut the death rate by a third"
-
Dozens of COVID-19 vaccines are in development. Here are the ones to follow
- National Geographic, 8/21/20 - "Moderna Therapeutics
... Name: mRNA-1273 ... Who: A Massachusetts-based biotech company, in
collaboration with the National Institutes of Health ... What: This vaccine
candidate relies on injecting snippets of a virus’s genetic material, in this
case mRNA, into human cells. They create viral proteins that mimic the
coronavirus, training the immune system to recognize its presence. This
technology has never been licensed for any disease. If successful, it would be
the first mRNA vaccine approved for human use. (Here’s how mRNA vaccines work.)
... Status: On July 27, Moderna announced it had started the third phase of its
clinical trials, even as it continues to monitor phase two results. Preliminary
findings from phase one have shown that healthy subjects produced coronavirus
antibodies and a reaction from T-cells, another arm of the human immune
response. Phase three will test the vaccine in 30,000 U.S. participants. Moderna
says it is on track to deliver at least 500 million doses per year beginning in
2021, thanks in part to the deal it has struck with Swiss manufacturer Lonza
that will allow it to manufacture up to one billion doses a year."
-
Gut
microbes could unlock the secret to healthy aging - Science Daily, 8/27/20 -
"Bacteria and other microorganisms in the digestive
tract are linked with dozens of health conditions including high blood pressure,
high blood lipids, and body mass index (BMI) according to research presented
today at ESC Congress 2020 ... The researchers found that higher levels of
eleven bacteria (estimated from genetic data) were associated with a total of 28
health and disease outcomes. These included chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD), atopy (a genetic tendency to develop allergic diseases like
asthma and eczema), frequency of alcohol intake, high blood pressure, high blood
lipids, and BMI ... To take one example, higher levels of the genus Ruminococcus
were linked with increased risk of high blood pressure ... Regarding alcohol
consumption, Dr. Groot said: "What we eat and drink is connected to microbiome
content, so we studied the links with meat, caffeine, and alcohol. We observed a
relationship between raised levels of Methanobacterium and drinking alcohol more
often. It is important to stress that this is an association, not a causal
relation, and more research is needed.""
- COVID-19 Is
Transmitted Through Aerosols. We Have Enough Evidence, Now It Is Time to Act
- Time, 8/25/20 - "The evidence in favor of aerosols is
stronger than that for any other pathway, and officials need to be more
aggressive in expressing this reality if we want to get the pandemic under
control ... There are three possible ways the virus is transmitted, of which two
have been emphasized by the WHO and the CDC. The first is through “fomites,”
objects that are contaminated with the virus (which could include someone else’s
skin). Early in the pandemic, concern over fomite transmission drove some people
to bleach groceries and packages. The CDC now says fomites are a possible means
of transmission, but likely not one that is major. For example, an intensive
handwashing program in the UK led to only a 16% reduction in transmission.
Significantly, other viruses that, like SARS-CoV-2 (the one that causes
COVID-19), have a lipid envelope, do not survive long on human hands. That means
someone would need to touch their eyes, nostrils, or mouth a short time after
touching a contaminated surface in order to contract the novel coronavirus ...
The second possibility for how COVID-19 spreads is through droplets, small bits
of saliva or respiratory fluid that infected individuals expel when they cough,
sneeze, or talk. Droplets—which the WHO and CDC maintain is the primary means of
transmission of COVID-19—are propelled through the air, but fall to the ground
after traveling 3-6 feet. However, published research, which has been
replicated, shows that droplets are only important when coughing and sneezing.
But when it comes to talking in close proximity, which appears to play a major
role in COVID-19 transmission, droplets are less important than the third
potential pathway: aerosols. Many diseases, including COVID-19, infect most
effectively at close proximity. Since droplets are visible and fall to the
ground between 3-6 feet, we can readily see and understand this route of
infection. In fact, it was thought for decades that tuberculosis was transmitted
by droplets and fomites, based on ease of infection at close proximity, but
research eventually proved that tuberculosis can only be transmitted through
aerosols. I believe that we have been making a similar mistake for COVID-19 ...
“Aerosol” (sometimes referred to as “airborne”) transmission is similar to
droplet transmission, except that the bits of fluid are so small that they can
linger in the air for minutes to hours"
- Statins Linked to Reduced
Mortality in COVID-19 - Medscape, 8/28/20 - "The
four studies — one of "moderate" quality and three of "good" quality — included
a total of 8990 COVID-19 patients ... In the pooled analysis, there was a
significantly reduced risk for fatal or severe COVID-19 with use of statins
compared to non-use of statins (pooled HR, 0.70"
-
Blood
pressure medication improves COVID-19 survival rates, research finds -
Science Daily, 8/24/20 - "Covid-19 patients with high
blood pressure who were taking ACEi/ARB medications were 0.67 times less likely
to have a critical or fatal outcome than those not taking these medications"
- Stop the PPI to Lower
COVID-19 Risk? - Medscape, 8/19/20 - "The odds
ratios for COVID-19 associated with daily or twice-daily PPI use vs no use were
2.15 and 3.67, respectively"
-
Hydroxychloroquine ineffective as a preventive antiviral against COVID-19, study
finds - Science Daily, 8/17/20 - "Researchers
have added to the growing body of understanding about how hydroxychloroquine
(HCQ) is not a possible defense against COVID-19"
-
Dozens of COVID-19 vaccines are in development. Here are the ones to follow
- National Geographic, 8/21/20 - "Moderna Therapeutics
... Name: mRNA-1273 ... Who: A Massachusetts-based biotech company, in
collaboration with the National Institutes of Health ... What: This vaccine
candidate relies on injecting snippets of a virus’s genetic material, in this
case mRNA, into human cells. They create viral proteins that mimic the
coronavirus, training the immune system to recognize its presence. This
technology has never been licensed for any disease. If successful, it would be
the first mRNA vaccine approved for human use. (Here’s how mRNA vaccines work.)
... Status: On July 27, Moderna announced it had started the third phase of its
clinical trials, even as it continues to monitor phase two results. Preliminary
findings from phase one have shown that healthy subjects produced coronavirus
antibodies and a reaction from T-cells, another arm of the human immune
response. Phase three will test the vaccine in 30,000 U.S. participants. Moderna
says it is on track to deliver at least 500 million doses per year beginning in
2021, thanks in part to the deal it has struck with Swiss manufacturer Lonza
that will allow it to manufacture up to one billion doses a year."
-
Sweden's COVID Policy Didn't Create Herd Immunity - WebMD, 8/13/20 -
"Diverging from much of the world, Sweden let COVID-19
spread in hopes the population would develop "herd immunity." But the risky
strategy failed ... Authorities predicted that 40% of the people in Stockholm
would get the disease and develop protective antibodies by May. The actual
prevalence, however, was around 15% ... It is clear that not only are the rates
of viral infection, hospitalization and mortality [per million population] much
higher than those seen in neighboring Scandinavian countries, but also that the
time-course of the epidemic in Sweden is different, with continued persistence
of higher infection and mortality well beyond the few critical weeks period seen
in Denmark, Finland and Norway ... antibodies are much less common in only
mildly ill or asymptomatic patients. This means they are likely not immune, and
can't prevent the spread of the virus, the study noted. This is central to the
concept of herd immunity"
-
These are the top coronavirus vaccines to watch - Washington Post, 8/13/20 -
"RNA vaccines contain a
strip of genetic material within a fat bubble. Once inside the cell, the RNA
generates a protein found on the surface of the virus. The immune system,
presented with the protein, learns to recognize the virus ... These vaccines
have the advantage of speed — they can be quickly designed and manufactured. But
they have never been approved for use outside of medical research and will
likely require two doses ... Viral-vectored vaccines can be designed quickly.
One concern is that people can develop immunity to the viral vector, making this
approach potentially less useful if booster shots need to be given ... In a more
old-fashioned approach, the virus is weakened so that it does not cause disease,
but still triggers the immune system’s defenses. The vaccine for measles, mumps
and rubella uses this approach ... Inactivated virus vaccines contain dead
virus, incapable of infecting people but still able to instruct the immune
system how to mount a defensive reaction against an infection. The polio vaccine
invented by Jonas Salk used this approach, and flu vaccines use this technology
... These vaccines typically take longer to manufacture."
-
Face masks with valves or vents do not prevent spread of the coronavirus, CDC
says - Washington Post, 8/13/20 - "The purpose of
masks is to keep respiratory droplets from reaching others to aid with source
control,” the agency’s guidance reads. “However, masks with one-way valves or
vents allow air to be exhaled through a hole in the material, which can result
in expelled respiratory droplets that can reach others. This type of mask does
not prevent the person wearing the mask from transmitting COVID-19 to others."
-
Can
Moderna's COVID 19 Vaccine Generate Lasting Immunity? - YouTube - This
showed up on a search of Moderna vaccine. The doctor claims covid is too
smart to be stopped by antibodies alone and they have to go at it three
different ways, one being to go after T-cells. I think he's saying that the
Moderna bypasses that (the virus
generates T-cells which generate B-cells which generate the antibodies.
The T-cells last for years whereas antibodies only last months).
- COVID-19
Pandemic Update 101: T Cell Immunity vs. Antibodies & Prior Exposure to Other
Coronaviruses - YouTube - Note: I've set it at 7:30 which supports what I've
been saying, i.e., covid patients who have mild or no symptoms have probably
been exposed to a similar virus in the past. Recommend viewing the whole
video. He claims that another reason some are asymptomatic is the
amount of the virus, i.e., people who are exposed to just a small amount of the
virus may be asymptomatic because their immune system is able to keep up with
the replication of the virus within their body.
- Moderna Coronavirus Vaccine [Medical
Doctor Breaks Down the COMPLETE Vaccine Details] - YouTube - Note: This is
the Moderna study I’m in. In the Phase II study, they used 45 volunteers and
gave 15 volunteers 25 mcgs, 15 got 100 mcgs and 15 got 250 mcgs twice. The
second dose was at day 28. From that they decided to go with 100 mcg for phase
III. From phase II, the data shows the side effects for the first dose of 100
mcg were very mild but for the second dose, it was significant. But see the
table at 27 minutes. Someone who has had covid has about 142,000 units of
antibodies. Those who got the vaccine had 86,000 units of antibodies at day 15,
109,000 at day 29, 781,000 at day 36, 811,000 at day 43 and 783,000 at day 57.
If you look at the other parameters such as ELISA anti–receptor-binding domain,
it seems like you'd be immune around day 20. The side effects are shown 30
minutes into the video. Here’s the NEJM report:
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2022483
-
Moderna Prices COVID Vaccine Higher than Others - WebMD, 8/6/20 -
"Moderna executives said they have been charging between
$32 and $37 for doses of the company's vaccine. That is nearly 90% more than
Pfizer is charging, and triple the cost of Sanofi-GSK's vaccine" - Note:
This is the trial I'm in. Sounds like Moderna thinks their vaccine is better if
they can charge four times as much as the competition. Then again, it might be
due to the fact that the delivery system that they use is
patented by Arbutus Biopharma but that shouldn't matter to the buyer unless they think it's a better
vaccine . Right now they don't have to pay the other company because they're not
making money off of it but before they can sell the vaccine, they have to make a
deal with that company. I don't understand this statement where it says: "have
been charging between $32 and $37 for doses of the company's vaccine". They
can't sell it. It hasn't been FDA approved yet plus they haven't made a deal the
company that's patented the delivery technology yet.
- The Vaccine to End the Pandemic? -
YouTube
- Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Price Revealed
- YouTube
-
Wearing a neck gaiter may be worse than no mask at all, researchers find -
Washington Post, 8/10/20 - "A fitted N95 mask, which is
used most commonly by hospital workers, was the most effective, Warren said,
noting that the mask allowed “no droplets at all” to come out. Meanwhile, a
breathable neck gaiter, well-liked by runners for its lightweight fabric, ranked
worse than the no-mask control group. The gaiter tested by the researchers was
described in the study as a “neck fleece” made out of a polyester spandex
material, Warren said ... “These neck gaiters are extremely common in a lot of
places because they’re very convenient to wear,” he said. “But the exact reason
why they’re so convenient, which is that they don’t restrict air, is the reason
why they’re not doing much of a job helping people.”"
- Chloroquine Linked to
Serious Psychiatric Side Effects - Medscape, 8/10/20 -
"In addition to previously reported side effects,
chloroquine could also induce psychiatric side effects which are polymorphic and
can persist even after stopping the drug ... In COVID-19 patients who may still
be [undergoing treatment] with chloroquine, close psychiatric assessment and
monitoring should be performed ... According to the FDA's Adverse Event
Reporting System database, 12% of reported adverse events (520 of 4336)
following the use of chloroquine that occurred between the fourth quarter of
2012 and the fourth quarter of 2019 were neuropsychiatric. These events included
amnesia, delirium, hallucinations, depression, and loss of consciousness ...
some case series or case reports describe symptoms such as depression, anxiety,
agitation, violent outburst, suicidal ideation, and psychosis in patients who
have been treated with chloroquine for malaria, lupus erythematosus, and
rheumatoid arthritis"
-
Nearly 40% of those who've died from COVID-19 had diabetes, ADA says - ABC,
8/10/20 - "nearly 40% of COVID-19 deaths have been
from those with the disease, while 90% of the hospitalizations have been people
with diabetes or other underlying conditions"
- Chronic Fatigue May Be
Long-term Effect of COVID-19 - Medscape, 8/10/20 - "This could result in a longstanding public health disaster leaving in its wake
untold numbers of new sufferers of a condition that feels like a 'living death'
for those of us afflicted,"
- Test Sites Quickly Attract
Thousands for COVID-19 Vaccine Study - Medscape, 8/10/20 -
"There's a lot less risk to getting the vaccine than
contracting the virus," said Coe, 74, a retired cardiologist. "The worst thing
that can happen is if I get the placebo." - Note: Exactly, that's why I'm in the Moderna clinical trial.
- 'Doubling Down' on
Hydroxychloroquine QT Prolongation in COVID-19 - Medscape, 8/7/20 -
"Still, hydroxychloroquine continues to be dragged into
the spotlight in recent days as an effective treatment for COVID-19, despite
discredited research and the US Food and Drug Administration's June 15
revocation of its emergency-use authorization to allow use of HCQ and
chloroquine to treat certain hospitalized COVID-19 patients ... "The unfortunate
politicization of this issue has really muddied the waters because the general
public doesn't know what to believe or who to believe. The fact that treatment
for a disease as serious as COVID should be modulated by political affiliation
is just crazy to me," said Haines. "We should be using the best science and
taking careful observations, and whatever the recommendations derived from that
should be uniformly adopted by everybody, irrespective of your political
affiliation."" - Note: I'm one of those that think to
fight any disease, you have to keep your body as healthy as possible. I
still believe that's what got me through stage III neck cancer in 2004.
That's counterintuitive to taking hydroxychloroquine. I stopped taking
hydroxychloroquine for prevention of malaria three months into Vietnam because
of the reported problems with it way back 50 years ago.
-
Strong
link found between abnormal liver tests and poor COVID-19 outcomes - Science
Daily, 8/7/20 - "higher levels of liver enzymes --
proteins released when the liver is damaged -- were
associated with poorer outcomes for these patients,
including ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and death"
-
Can
Moderna's COVID 19 Vaccine Generate Lasting Immunity? - YouTube - This
showed up on a search of Moderna vaccine. The doctor claims covid is too
smart to be stopped by antibodies alone and they have to go at it three
different ways, one being to go after T-cells (which antibodies generate so I
don't understand his argument).
- Moderna Coronavirus Vaccine [Medical
Doctor Breaks Down the COMPLETE Vaccine Details] - YouTube - Note: This is
the Moderna study I’m in. In the Phase II study, they used 45 volunteers and
gave 15 volunteers 25 mcgs, 15 got 100 mcgs and 15 got 250 mcgs twice. The
second dose was at day 28. From that they decided to go with 100 mcg for phase
III. From phase II, the data shows the side effects for the first dose of 100
mcg were very mild but for the second dose, it was significant. But see the
table at 27 minutes. Someone who has had covid has about 142,000 units of
antibodies. Those who got the vaccine had 86,000 units of antibodies at day 15,
109,000 at day 29, 781,000 at day 36, 811,000 at day 43 and 783,000 at day 57.
If you look at the other parameters such as ELISA anti–receptor-binding domain,
it seems like you'd be immune around day 20. The side effects are shown 30
minutes into the video. Here’s the NEJM report:
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2022483
-
Moderna Prices COVID Vaccine Higher than Others - WebMD, 8/6/20 -
"Moderna executives said they have been charging between
$32 and $37 for doses of the company's vaccine. That is nearly 90% more than
Pfizer is charging, and triple the cost of Sanofi-GSK's vaccine" - Note:
This is the trial I'm in. Sounds like Moderna thinks their vaccine is better if
they can charge four times as much as the competition. Then again, it might be
due to the fact that the delivery system that they use is patented by another
company but that shouldn't matter to the buyer unless they think it's a better
vaccine . Right now they don't have to pay the other company because they're not
making money off of it but before they can sell the vaccine, they have to make a
deal with that company. I don't understand this statement where it says: "have
been charging between $32 and $37 for doses of the company's vaccine". They
can't sell it. It hasn't been FDA approved yet plus they haven't made a deal the
company that's patented the delivery technology yet.
- The Vaccine to End the Pandemic? -
YouTube
- Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Price Revealed
- YouTube
- Oxford Vaccine. Moderna Vaccines Shows
Good Results - YouTube - Doctor claims the
Oxford vaccine doesn't work
and that the delivery technology used by
Moderna stays in the system and
could cause liver damage. This was posted on May 18th and I haven't
seen anything to support it.
-
Exposure to common cold coronaviruses can teach the immune system to recognize
SARS-CoV-2 - Science Daily, 8/4/20 - "We have now
proven that, in some people, pre-existing T cell memory against common cold
coronaviruses can cross-recognize SARS-CoV-2, down to the exact molecular
structures ... This could help explain why some people show milder symptoms of
disease while others get severely sick ... 40 to 60 percent of people never
exposed to SARS-CoV-2 had T cells that reacted to the virus. Their immune
systems recognized fragments of the virus it had never seen before ... fighting
off a common cold coronavirus can indeed teach the T cell compartment to
recognize some parts of SARS-CoV-2 and provides evidence for the hypothesis that
common cold viruses can, in fact, induce cross-reactive T cell memory against
SARS-CoV-2 ... this study provides very strong direct molecular evidence that
memory T cells can 'see' sequences that are very similar between common cold
coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2" - Note: I've been saying this for
years and as recent as my last newsletter, getting the flu vaccine every year
likely makes you particularly immune from similar viruses in the future.
- Why Are We Still Talking
About Hydroxychloroquine? - Medscape, 8/3/20 - "This
is getting pretty ridiculous. The number of well-done, evidence-based trials of
hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 showing minimal-to-no benefit is increasing.
There are still studies that show benefit in certain cases, but many of them are
small-scale or even anecdotal ... How long is this going to go on? If the
evidence supporting its use were to be put through the standard Food and Drug
Administration approval panels it wouldn't have a chance ... Yet, because it's
become a political football (like masks), science and rational research are
tossed out the window. At the end of July we were all treated to videos of Dr.
Stella Immanuel claiming the drug is a cure. Dr. Immanuel may have medical
credentials, but she also supports beliefs that space aliens and the Illuminati
are involved in running governments, and that multiple gynecologic disorders are
caused by sexual relations with demons and witches during dreams."
-
Old Vaccines May Stop the Coronavirus, Study Hints. Scientists Are Skeptical
- NYT, 7/29/20 - "Now a study suggests that people who have received certain
routine vaccines in the recent past — including childhood vaccinations like
measles-mumps-rubella and polio, as well as adult flu vaccines — have lower
coronavirus infection rates than those not recently vaccinated"
-
Another Effect of COVID: Lasting Hearing Problems? - WebMD, 7/31/20 -
"120 U.K. patients who had been hospitalized for
COVID-19 took part in a phone survey ... When the patients were asked if they
had any changes in their hearing, 13% said it was worse. Eight patients said
their hearing had deteriorated and eight said they had tinnitus (ringing in the
ears)"
-
Hydroxychloroquine No COVID Cure, Experts Warn - WebMD, 7/29/20 -
"Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, said the
verdict on hydroxychloroquine is not in doubt ... "We all hoped it was going to
work. ... All of the studies that were rigorously done have pointed in the same
direction, which is that the drug doesn't work," Gottlieb told MSNBC. "I think
at this point, we can definitively say hydroxychloroquine doesn't work. I'm not
sure what more we need to do.""
- Flu Drug Blocks Household
Spread by 86% - Medscape, 7/9/20 - "Among placebo
recipients, 13.6% developed the flu themselves. But among those who took a
baloxavir pill instead, only 1.9% fell ill"
-
Study: Sterilize N95 Masks With a Microwave - WebMD, 7/9/20 -
"The materials include water, a glass container, mesh, a
rubber band, and a 1,100- or 1,150-watt microwave. The researchers filled the
container with 60 milliliters of water, then secured the mesh material over the
top of it with a rubber band. They then placed the N95 mask on the mesh and
microwaved it for 3 minutes. This effectively killed all viruses, including
coronavirus, they say"
- Expert: Face Masks Reduce
Wearer's COVID Infection Risk by 65% - Medscape, 7/10/20 -
"a "standard rectangular surgical mask ... will
decrease the risk of infection to the person wearing the mask by about 65%" and
that homemade masks also "should work quite well." - Note: I've
found the following to be the most comfortable plus they don't make your face
itch. I bought two 5-packs and keep them in the center console of the car.
Each day, I put the used one on the washing machine for the next wash. My
Maytag washer has a two hour allergen setting which I used for everything.
- Popular Heartburn Drugs
Linked to Heightened COVID-19 Risk - Time, 7/7/20 - "respondents who said they used proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications to treat
their heartburn had anywhere from two to nearly four times the risk of testing
positive for COVID-19, compared to people not using such medications. PPI drugs,
which are available by prescription and over the counter, work by turning off
the pumps in cells that release acid into the stomach. They can be taken once or
twice a day; people taking PPI medications twice a day had a higher risk of
infection compared to those taking them once a day."
-
Study
finds COVID-19 convalescent plasma therapy safe, with 76 percent patients
improving - Science Daily, 6/2/20
-
Here’s my pitch for getting the flu shot every year:
-
Does the Flu Provide Better Immunity Than a Flu Shot? -
NYT, 10/28/16 - "just over half of
patients infected with the 2009 H1N1 flu still had an
antibody response after six months, while only about a third
of vaccinated subjects did ... a 2008 study published in
Nature found that survivors of the 1918 Spanish flu got
lifelong immunity to that flu virus and, as it turned out,
protection against the pandemic H1N1 flu in 2009"
- There was a similar virus to covid-19 in
2003. Click here for the video. I don���t know if the flu shot
covered it but people obviously contracted it. I believe
that’s why we're seeing some people contract covid-19 and
experience almost no symptoms and other suffering an
agonizing death. Maybe the ones with the lesser symptoms
either got partial immunity from the 2003 flu shot or the
actual disease itself. True, the vaccine isn’t as
effective as the disease itself but it does provide some
protection which should cause the symptoms to be less
severe.
- Coronavirus vs. Every 2000s Epidemic
(March 19 update) Fatality comparison - YouTube video that graphs the
coronavirus vs. previous pandemics starting from day 1, then ranks them on the
right of the screen. See how fast Covid-19 moves up to the top on the
ranking.
- Hydroxychloroquine for
COVID-19: What's the Evidence? - Medscape, 3/25/20 -
"Three patients were transferred to the ICU, one died, and the other two stopped
their treatment. By the way, none of the patients in the control group died or
went to the ICU. Had these six patients not been dropped, the story we might
have is that hydroxychloroquine increases the rate of death and ICU transfer in
COVID-19 .... Before reading this study, I was 50/50 on hydroxychloroquine.
After? ... Yeah, I'm right where I started. Because of the problems with the
study design—not just its observational nature but that differential loss to
follow-up—the data from the French study don't move the needle for me at all"
-
FDA Approved Drugs Show Promise Against COVID-19 - WebMD, 3/24/20 -
"The results showed that the most promising drugs
included several antiviral drugs -- including Darunavir, Nelfinavir, and
Saquinavir -- and several other types of drugs, including: the ACE inhibitor
Moexipril; the chemotherapy drugs Daunorubicin and Mitoxantrone; the painkiller
Metamizole; the antihistamine Bepotastine; and the antimalarial drug Atovaquone
... Another promising candidate is the cholesterol-lowering statin rosuvastatin,
which is sold under the brand name Crestor ... Also on the list were certain
antibiotics; metformin, the go-to drug for type 2 diabetes; the schizophrenia
drug haloperidol; and the malaria drug chloroquine"
-
COVID-19: Could Hydroxychloroquine Really Be the Answer? - WebMD, 3/18/20 -
"Chloroquine was ruled out due to the risk of
interactions with other medications for common comorbidities in infected
patients, and because of possible adverse effects in patients undergoing
resuscitation"
-
Blood Type May Affect COVID-19 Risk: Study - WebMD, 3/20/20 -
"those with A blood types had a significantly higher
risk of COVID-19 while those with O blood types had a significantly lower risk"
-
San Diego flu cases up, but severity and deaths are down - CBS8, 1/13/20 - "See
the video. This doc sees Tamiflu the same as I do. You have to start
Tamiflu as early as possible and it stops the flu in its tracks. The studies
claim that the average flu is only 5 days and Tamiflu only cuts it down by a
day. That doesn't sound accurate. When I get the flu, it's more like three weeks
and Tamiflu cuts it down to three days and those three days aren't as severe.
You can get the generic in Tijuana for about $16. Also
inhousepharmacy.vu.
-
Why do
healthy children die from the flu? Study offers new insights - Science
Daily, 2/15/18 - "We found that in young healthy mice
the immune system overreacted to the influenza virus, which led to more
inflammation, greater lung damage and increased mortality compared to healthy
adults exposed to the virus"
-
Repeated influenza vaccination helps prevent severe flu in older adults -
Science Daily, 1/8/18 - "Repeated vaccination for
influenza was highly effective in preventing severe and fatal infection caused
by influenza in older adult ... The prevention of severe and fatal infection
caused by influenza was observed mainly in patients who were vaccinated in both
the current and previous seasons, which reinforces the recommendation of annual
vaccination for influenza in older adults"
-
Does the Flu Provide Better Immunity Than a Flu Shot? - NYT, 10/28/16 -
"When a flu virus enters your body, the immune system
fights the infection by producing a robust antibody response that can spring
into action if the same strain of the virus returns. That protection can in some
cases last a lifetime. “The evidence we have is that people who were infected
back in the ‘30s still have immunity to those viruses,” says Dr. Alicia Fry, a
medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...
Studies also show that even when the antibody response wanes, immunity from a
natural infection tends to last longer than that from a vaccine ... For
perspective, a 2008 study published in Nature found that survivors of the 1918
Spanish flu got lifelong immunity to that flu virus and, as it turned out,
protection against the pandemic H1N1 flu in 2009"
- Totality
of trials data confirm Tamiflu reduces length of symptoms, complications, and
hospital admissions from influenza - Science Daily, 1/30/15 -
"oseltamivir significantly reduces the risk of influenza
complications requiring antibiotics (such as pneumonia) and hospitalisations in
adults infected with influenza ... treating adults with laboratory-confirmed
influenza with oseltamivir reduced the duration of symptoms by 21% compared with
placebo (from 123 hours to 98 hours) ... oseltamivir reduced the risk of lower
respiratory tract infections requiring antibiotics more than 48 hours after
study entry by 44% compared with placebo (4.9% vs 8.7%), and hospital admission
for any cause by 63% (0.6% vs 1.7%) in adults with laboratory-confirmed
influenza"
-
Are you crazy for working out while sick? - CNN.com, 12/22/14 -
"If you don't have a fever, a runny nose is no reason to
skip a workout ... If you are mildly sick, [staying] active will promote your
immune function, and help you sleep better ... When you have a cold, you're
typically contagious for about five full days, and your germs spread most easily
during your two to three most symptomatic days ... Working out with a fever can
make your health way worse ... Angarone recommends resting until your fever has
been gone for a full 24 hours, without the help of any fever-reducing
medications like ibuprofen"
- Effectiveness of Influenza
Vaccinations in Singapore - Medscape, 11/5/14 - "vaccine
effectiveness (VE) ... The
crude estimates for the VE of the triavalent vaccine against both influenza
A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B were 84% (95% CI 78–88%, 79–86%, respectively).
Vaccine efficacy against influenza A(H3N2) was markedly lower (VE 33%, 95% CI
−4% to 57%). An estimated 70% (RR = 0.30; 95% CI 0.11–0.84), 39% (RR =
0.61;0.25–1.43) and 75% (RR = 0.25; 95% CI 0.11–0.50) reduction in the risk of
influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, influenza A(H3N2) and influenza B infections,
respectively, in the recruit camp during the post-vaccination period compared
with during the pre-vaccination period was observed"
- High-Dose Flu Vaccine in
Older Adults: Worth It? - Medscape, 10/7/14 - "Those
receiving high-dose vaccine had significantly higher antibody response to the
vaccine. They also looked at who got sick. Overall, 228 persons receiving the
high-dose vaccine and 301 receiving standard-dose trivalent vaccine had
laboratory-confirmed flu, which translates into a relative efficacy of 24.2% ...
The conclusions? In seniors 65 years or older, those receiving high-dose
trivalent flu vaccine had better antibody response and better protection against
getting sick with flu as compared to those receiving standard trivalent vaccine"
-
Flu Hits Unvaccinated Hardest, Study Finds - WebMD, 2/14/14 -
"even if the flu vaccine doesn't completely prevent you
from getting the flu, it does offer "a protective effect against severe
disease." ... Flu kills around 35,000 people a year, and about 200,000 a year
end up in the hospital"
- High-Dose Flu Vaccine: The
Evidence Is In - Medscape, 1/3/14 - "The results:
case closed. The high-dose shot was more effective in seniors. It was 24% better
at preventing flu than the standard flu shot"
- Ibuprofen no good in treating colds or sore throats - Science Daily, 11/4/13
- "compared with paracetamol, ibuprofen or a combination
of both ibuprofen and paracetamol provide no advantage for patients overall with
respiratory tract infections (otherwise known as colds or sore throats) ...
steam inhalation, another common treatment method, has no clear benefit and
around 2 per cent of people get mild scalding but not bad enough to see a doctor
... The research also showed that patients were more likely to come back within
a month with worsening symptoms or new symptoms if they were prescribed with
ibuprofen or ibuprofen with paracetamol"
-
Flu shot may cut risk of heart problems, analysis finds - NBC News.com,
10/22/13 - "of the 6,700 patients, half got the flu
vaccine and half the placebo or standard care, only a third of patients had a
history of heart disease. But among those who got the flu shot, we saw a 36
percent lower risk of a major cardiac event"
-
Higher Indoor Humidity Levels Might Slow Flu's Spread - WebMD, 2/28/13 -
"the team found that when humidity levels were set to 43
percent, only 14 percent of the virus particles that were released were able to
transmit the influenza virus, compared with a transmission rate of 70 percent to
77 percent in a relatively low-humidity environment (23 percent)" -
Note: That might be true but most of what I've read indicates that the virus is
usually spread by surface to surface contact. People touch something that has
the virus then they touch their mouth, eyes or nose.
-
At what point after a cold are you no longer contagious? -
askville.amazon.com - "Cold symptoms settle in between
one and four days after you are infected by a cold virus and typically last for
about three days. At that point the worst is over, but you may feel congested
for a week or more. During the first three days that you have symptoms, you are
contagious"
-
Cold or Flu: How to Tell - ABC News, 12/5/12 - See the table.
- Why is
the flu more common during the winter season? - Science Daily, 12/4/12 -
"The researchers found humidity could explain the
seasonality of influenza by controlling the ability of viruses to remain
infectious while they are in droplets or aerosols. The viruses survived best at
low humidity, such as those found indoors in the winter, and at extremely high
humidity. Humidity affects the composition of the fluid, namely the
concentrations of salts and proteins in respiratory droplets, and this affects
the survival rates of the flu virus" - Note: If that's true a humidifier
might help solve the problem but I believe the cause is cold weather decreasing
your immunity. See
humidifiers at Amazon.com.
-
Flu may boost Alzheimer's risk, research suggests - MSNBC, 2/16/12 -
"Viruses such as influenza and herpes may leave
brain cells vulnerable to degeneration later in life, and increase the risk
of developing diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, research
suggests. That's because these the viruses can enter the brain and trigger
an immune response — inflammation — which can damage brain cells"
- Giving
flu shots to tots cuts ER visits by a third - MSNBC, 9/19/11 -
"Recommending that all U.S. preschoolers get a flu
shot cut visits to the emergency department for flu-like illness by more
than a third, U.S. and Canadian researchers said on Monday in a study that
showed the direct impact of vaccination policy changes on flu transmission"
-
Antibiotics May Make Fighting Flu Harder - Science News, 3/14/11 -
"Iwasaki and her colleagues treated mice for a month
with four antibiotics commonly given to people with bacterial infections,
then infected the rodents with the flu. Antibiotic treatment impaired the
mice’s ability to make an important flu-fighting molecule called
interleukin-1 beta or IL-1 beta, the researchers found. IL-1 beta is
necessary to combat influenza and other viruses ... Gut bacteria are
constantly priming the immune system to make IL-1 beta, keeping the immune
system vigilant against the flu and other viruses ... Some Lactobacillus
bacteria, on the other hand, are known as “friendly��� gut bacteria and may
play a role in virus defense. Mice treated with an antibiotic called
neomycin, which wipes out most types of Lactobacillus bacteria while leaving
Sphingomonas bacteria alone, have a hard time fighting the flu" -
Note: It seems to be a common misconception of nearly everyone I know that
if you've got a bad case of the flu you need to go to a doctor and get
antibiotics when in reality, it probably slows recovery.
-
H1N1 Swine Flu Deadly to the Young - WebMD, 10/20/09 -
"In a normal flu season, 90% of deaths are in
elderly people. Since September, 90% of deaths have been in people under age
65 -- with almost a quarter of the deaths in young people under age 25"
-
Live Attenuated Flu Vaccine May Be Less Effective Than Inactivated Flu
Vaccine
- Medscape, 9/24/09 - "the inactivated influenza
vaccine (injection) was more effective than the live attenuated vaccine
(intranasal spray) in preventing laboratory-confirmed symptomatic influenza
A (mostly H3N2) in healthy adults"
-
Shots
beat back the flu much better than spray - msnbc.com, 9/23/09 -
"In a study of nearly 2,000 healthy adults during a
recent flu season, standard shots were twice as effective against regular
winter flu as the newer nasal spray" - Note: For what it's worth, I
read or viewed somewhere that the shot contains dead viruses and the spray
contains weakened viruses.
-
2 Easiest Ways to Catch Swine Flu - WebMD, 9/18/09 -
"Having a sick person cough directly into your face
... That gives you more than a 50% chance of getting sick ... Touching
something contaminated with flu virus and then touching your nose, mouth, or
eyes with your unwashed hand gives you a 31% chance at getting sick"
-
Seniors
may have immunity to swine flu - msnbc.com, 9/17/09 -
"Researchers believe seniors have a partial immunity
to swine flu because of exposure to similar viruses in their lifetimes. It
is a rare bit of good news before the start of the regular flu season, which
generally kills 36,000 people a year, most of them elderly"
-
Swine Flu: How Long Are You Infectious? - WebMD, 9/15/09 -
"On the eighth day after symptoms struck, 8% to 19%
were still shedding live H1N1 virus ... The second study ... showed that 80%
were still shedding virus after five days of illness, 40% at seven days, and
10% at 10 days"
- Vaccination Of 70 Percent Of US Population Could Control Swine Flu Pandemic
- Science Daily, 9/10/09 - "An aggressive
vaccination program that first targets children and ultimately reaches 70
percent of the U.S. population would mitigate pandemic influenza H1N1 that
is expected this fall"
-
Effect
of Influenza Vaccination of Nursing Home Staff on Mortality of Residents: A
Cluster-Randomized Trial - J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009 Aug 4 -
"Influenza vaccine was administered to volunteer
staff after a face-to-face interview ... Staff influenza vaccination rates
were 69.9% in the vaccination arm versus 31.8% in the control arm. Primary
unadjusted analysis did not show significantly lower mortality in residents
in the vaccination arm (odds ratio=0.86, P=.08), although
multivariate-adjusted analysis showed 20% lower mortality (P=.02), and a
strong correlation was observed between staff vaccination coverage and
all-cause mortality in residents (correlation coefficient=-0.42, P=.007). In
the vaccination arm, significantly lower resident hospitalization rates were
not observed, but ILI in residents was 31% lower (P=.007), and sick leave
from work in staff was 42% lower" - Note: I keep hearing people say
it's not worth it to get the flu shot. The way I look at it, the most
likely cause of dying from the flu would be being exposed to a virus that is
very different than what you've been exposed to in the past. I feel that
the more flu shots you've had in the past, the lower the chances of that
happening. I mentioned before about a virus that I got in Australia that I
though would kill me but it's a good example. It's got nothing to do with
flu shots but it was probably a virus that
nearly killed me from neck cancer
that may have been prevented by the HPV vaccine. Something to think about
for people foreign things like the flu shot.
-
Breakthrough Flu Drug Stops Pandemic, Seasonal Flu - WebMD, 2/23/09
- Mask-wearing Significantly Boosts Flu Protection - Science Daily,
1/26/09
-
Doorknobs and TV Remotes Are Germ Hotbeds - InteliHealth, 10/28/08 -
"Someone in your house have the sniffles? Watch out
for the refrigerator door handle. The TV remote, too. A new study finds that
cold sufferers often leave their germs there, where they can live for two
days or longer"
- Flu
Vaccines Can Reduce Respiratory Problems By Up To 3/4 - Science Daily,
4/15/08
-
Why
The Flu Virus Is More Infectious In Cold Winter Temperatures - Science
Daily, 3/30/08 - "At winter temperatures, the
virus’s outer covering, or envelope, hardens to a rubbery gel that could
shield the virus as it passes from person to person ... At warmer
temperatures, however, the protective gel melts to a liquid phase. But this
liquid phase apparently isn’t tough enough to protect the virus against the
elements, and so the virus loses its ability to spread from person to
person"
-
Antibiotics No Help for Sinus Cold - WebMD, 3/13/08
- Learn self-care home remedies to ease your cold symptoms - WebMD,
12/20/07
-
FDA Panel Says Cold Drug Is Effective - WebMD, 12/14/07
-
Why Flu Spreads in Winter - WebMD, 10/19/07
-
FDA Approves a Second Drug for the Prevention of Influenza A and B in Adults
and Children - Doctor's Guide, 3/29/06
-
How do you fight off colds? - USA Today, 1/22/06
- Doctors discourage use of
cough medicine - MSNBC, 1/9/06 -
"Over-the-counter cough syrups generally contain
drugs in too low a dose to be effective, or contain combinations of drugs
that have never been proven to treat coughs"
- Health Tip: Preventing The Flu - CBS Chicago, 12/9/04
- Flu Vaccine
Helps Despite Mismatched Strains - WebMD, 8/12/04
- Do Cough
Medicines Work in Kids? - WebMD, 7/6/04
-
Cough Medicines Appear No Better than Non-Medicated Placebo Syrup for
Children's Coughs - Doctor's Guide, 7/6/04
- Beating the flu: A spray or a
shot? - MSNBC, 9/23/03
-
Flu Vaccination Cuts Coronary Deaths - Doctor's Guide, 9/5/03
-
FluMist (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal) Now Available in US -
Doctor's Guide, 9/2/03
-
FDA Approves FluMist Nasal Mist Influenza Vaccine - Doctor's Guide,
6/18/03
- New Drug
[pleconaril] May Prevent the Common Cold - WebMD, 5/1/03
-
Study: Flu Shots Prevent Heart Disease - Intelihealth, 4/3/03
- Flu Shots Cut
Hospitalization in Elderly - WebMD, 4/2/03
-
FDA Approves Avelox (Moxifloxacin HCl) For Community Acquired Pneumonia Due
To Penicillin-Resistant Streptococcus Pneumoniae - Doctor's Guide,
3/4/03
-
Amoxicillin/Sulbactam Effective, Well Tolerated In Treatment Of Community
Acquired Pneumonia - WebMD, 3/3/03
- Many Parents
Don't Know Cold Facts - WebMD, 2/3/03
- Death by Flu
Too Common Among Elderly - WebMD, 1/7/03
-
Carpets and Sleeping Arrangements Affect Flu Incidence in Dorms -
Doctor's Guide, 10/22/02
-
Acetylsalicylic Acid (ASA) Effective for Pain Associated with Common Cold
- Doctor's Guide, 8/21/02
-
Flu Vaccine Good For All Adults, Not Just Elderly Or Ill - Intelihealth,
8/20/02
-
Air Pollution Adds To Illness - Intelihealth, 7/24/02
-
Prophylaxis with Oseltamivir Helps Stop Home Outbreaks of Influenza -
Doctor's Guide, 3/6/02
- Good News in Flu
Fight [Relenza, Tamiflu] - WebMD, 2/27/02
- Flu Shots May Be
Healthy for the Economy, Too - WebMD, 2/27/02
- Cough Medicine
Effective - WebMD, 2/8/02
- New Intranasal Flu
Vaccine, Nasalflu, Safe and Effective in Children - Doctor's Guide,
12/18/01
- Tamiflu (Oseltamivir)
Prophylaxis Reduces The Transmission Of Influenza In Families - Doctor's
Guide, 12/18/01
- New Drug
[pleconaril] Shortens Cold Symptoms - WebMD, 12/18/01
- Pneumococcal Vaccine
Reduces Carriage Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Is Well Tolerated by Young
Children - Doctor's Guide, 12/17/01
- Pneumococcal Vaccine
Together With Haemophilus Influenzae Vaccine Safe and Effective in Infants
- Doctor's Guide, 12/17/01
- Picovir (Pleconaril)
Relieves Symptoms of Viral Colds up to One Day Faster than Placebo -
Doctor's Guide, 12/17/01
- Inflexal Vaccine Appears
to Reduce Transmission of Influenza in Families - Doctor's Guide,
12/17/01
- Influenza Antiviral
Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) Reduces Spread of Flu in Families -
Doctor's Guide, 12/17/01
-
Remedy for common cold [pleconaril] could arrive next fall - USA Today,
12/17/01
- FDA Approves Biaxin XL
(Clarithromycin) For Community-Acquired Pneumonia - Doctor's Guide,
8/6/01
- Telithromycin Effective
For Treating Atypical Community Acquired Pneumonia - Doctor's Guide,
7/3/01
- Telithromycin Effective
For Treating Pneumococcal Pneumonia - Doctor's Guide, 7/3/01
-
Sitafloxacin Well Tolerated In Treatment For Pneumonia, May Show Similar
Efficacy To Imipenem - Doctor's Guide, 4/10/01
- One Shot Keeps
Bacterial Pneumonia at Bay, Ask Your Doctor About the Pneumococcal Vaccine
- WebMD, 4/3/01 -
"We know pneumonia is the No. 1 cause of death from
infectious disease in the U.S. ... The vaccine isn't perfect; it can't
prevent every single case. However, right now it is being grossly
underutilized"
-
Study Suggests Antibiotics Little Help For Children's Sinus Infections -
Intelihealth, 4/2/01
- New Flu Drug
Warning -- Watch Out for Breathing Problems, Relenza Linked to Patient
Deaths in Some Cases, Says Maker - WebMD, 7/10/00
- Study Shows Tamiflu
(Oseltamvir) Helps Children Get Better Faster - Doctor's Guide, 2/19/01
- FDA Approves Antiviral
Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) For Children - Doctor's Guide, 12/15/00
- The Flu: Is It
More Dangerous Than We Thought? - WebMD, 11/22/00
- FDA:
Daily pill can prevent, not just treat, flu - CNN, 11/21/00
- FDA OKs Daily
Pill for Prevention of the Flu - WebMD, 11/20/00
- FDA Approves Tamiflu
(Oseltamivir) To Help Prevent Influenza - Doctor's Guide, 11/20/00
- Flu Treatment
Also May Prevent the Illness - WebMD, 11/1/00
- 'Ouchless' Flu
Prevention? Drugs Already on Shelves May Work - WebMD, 10/18/00
- Cold or Flu? New
Test Helps Doctors Make the Call - WebMD, 10/18/00
- Early Treatment With
Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) Reduces Total Duration Of The Flu - Doctor's
Guide, 9/18/00
- Tamiflu (Oseltamivir)
Successfully Fights Respiratory Infection in Immunocompromised Patients
- Doctor's Guide, 5/9/00
- Oseltamivir Reduces Flu
Severity and Duration In Adults - Doctor's Guide, 2/22/00
- Expert Evaluates New Drugs
- Doctor's Guide, 2/21/00
- FDA Tells Physicians:
Remember Therapeutic Considerations Before Prescribing New Flu Drugs -
Doctor's Guide, 1/13/00
-
Steering clear of air cabin cold viruses - CNN, 12/16/99
- Tamiflu Reduces Duration
Of Flu By One-Third - Doctor's Guide, 11/9/99
- Tamiflu Safe, Effective In
Preventing Flu In Elderly, High-Risk Patients - Doctor's Guide, 9/27/99
- Common Cold Caused By
Multiple Viruses - Doctor's Guide, 2/2/98
- Evidence Shows That Social
Relationships Build Resistance To Colds - Doctor's Guide, 6/25/97
|
|