see discussion and You Tube link below: updated August 29, 2021
I am frequently asked what to do if tested positive for COVID19. Professor Roger Seheult MD, is an SDA physician that produced the you tube video below that addresses important topics such as who is a candidate for early antibody infusion in the Emergency Department, the utility of purchasing a pulse oximeter to know if supplemental oxygen ( hospitalization) is needed.
He then reviews the Lifestyle/Integrative medicine recommendations for which there is supportive evidence. He closes with recommendations on ventilation/air filtration to prevent the spread in the home of the viral aerosol which can linger in the air and frequently are the unsuspected source of covid-19 infection. (I have posted numerous links to articles dating back to June 2020 explaining the under appreciated source of corona virus infection by the aerosolization of the virus which lingers in less well ventilated rooms such as a small bathroom and is an additional source of infection. This is in addition to the “six foot droplets” which people are generally more familiar with. The video above mentions higher grade filters for your central air intakes. and correctly mention the higher grade filters, MERV14 . (A personal note. In my home we installed MERV11 filters which severely limited air flow through our 2 1/2 ton air conditioner unit and we had to drop back to MERV8 grade air unit filters, and instead bought several free standing HEPA filters . Not everyone might have this same issue.) As an additional note: In the early days of this pandemic , much stress and anxiety was produced by the fear of getting covid-19 infection by touching objects, food packages from the supermarket. These are called fomites and we now know are a very minor source of infection, except for shaking hands , touching other individuals, in close proximity. Good hand hygiene is always good advice but I advise putting more focus on the more infectious viral aerosol..
The You Tube speaker, Dr. Seheult, was a contributor to the Adventist World Radio (AWR360) series and is Assistant Professor at Loma Linda University and is quadruple board certified. I endorse the recommendations provided. There are links provided on the You Tube site under the video with useful information such as which pulse oximeters are recommended.
View youtube video below for additional tips on what to do if you test positive
Supplements
I have written down and expanded somewhat the discussion on supplements mentioned in the You Tube video above. These have been shown to have positive effects on our immune system defenses and may provide additional protection against the COVID-19 virus, but less so against an actual covid19 infection. The following supplements below are those for which evidenced-based medicine provides some support ; conclusions drawn are from known activity against older viruses that have been better studied such as the influenza virus which may not necessarily translate to the SARS CoV-2 virus. These supplements are in addition to the known lifestyle medicine benefits provided by a healthful diet, physical activity , adequate sleep and stress reduction discussed in the “make the transition now” section of this website. Supplements are not a substitute for a healthful diet because no supplements contain all the benefits of minimally processed actual foods. In addition , there is more information on the You Tube video TIPS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IF YOU TEST POSITIVE TO COVID-19 from Dr Seheult at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN30emwcNS4 . Please feel free to share this information. Keeping this in mind, let’s begin.
Zinc. is a component of many enzymes and transcription factors in cells all over the body, playing a role in immune function via antibody and white blood cell production. Zinc supplementation has been suggested to increase polymorphonuclear cells’ ability to fight infection, while there is evidence that zinc deficiency increases pro-inflammatory cytokines and decreases the production of antibodies. Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 is a zinc metalloprotease that is important for cellular entry of coronavirus. Randomized controlled trials have shown that zinc supplementation reduces the incidence rate of acute respiratory infections by 35% - BUT does not shorten the severity / duration of established COVID19 infections. Recommended dose is 25 mg up to a maximum of 40 mg a day of elemental zinc, again for prevention only. My recommendation would be to continue this through spring 2022 , which would correspond to the end of the flu season, and then discontinue daily use.
Vitamin C. Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid is a cofactor for many enzymes and acts as an antioxidant, limiting inflammation and tissue damage associated with immune responses. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of vitamin C have shown it to significantly reduce the incidence of respiratory tract infections. Studies (in vitro and in vivo ) in avians (birds) have shown that ascorbic acid could be protective against coronavirus. Common sense dosing is between 1000 and 2000 mg a day.
There is additional evidence that the immunomodulatory effects of Vitamin C are augmented by the flavonoid Quercetin and that Vitamin C / Quercetin co-administration exerts a synergistic antiviral action due to overlapping antiviral / immunomodulatory properties. Common sense dosing is 250 mg twice a day . These positive effects are most clear for prevention BUT does not shorten the severity / duration of established COVID19 infections. My recommendation would be to continue this through spring 2022 , which would correspond to the end of the flu season, and then discontinue daily use.
Quercetin: Antiviral Significance and Possible COVID-19 Integrative Considerations
Vitamin D. Several studies have demonstrated independent association between low serum concentrations of Vitamin D and acute viral respiratory tract infections including both influenza and the H1N1 viral pandemic in 2009. The immunomodulatory effect of 25-hydroxyvitamin D supports induction of antimicrobial peptides in response to both viral and bacterial stimuli. Patients who were Vitamin D deficient and those not receiving weekly bolus doses experienced the most benefit : prevention of acute respiratory tract infection. Among those already infected, influenza symptoms were fewer and recovery earlier with vitamin D of at least 1000 IU daily especially those starting with low vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D doses between 3000 to 5000 units daily with the goal of raising blood levels to between 40 to 50 nmol/L . Daily dosing is more effective than weekly high-dose bolus dosing; the D2 form appears more beneficial. Magnesium 250-400mg daily increases absorption of vitamin D. My recommendation would be to continue this through spring 2022 , which would correspond to the end of the flu season, and then lower high dose vitamin D down to 1000mg until reviewed by your personal care provider.
NAC. The rationale for the use of N‐acetylcysteine: NAC is a precursor of the antioxidant glutathione, promoting its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating characteristics. A significant elevation in blood serum glutathione reductase (GR), resulting from oxidative stress imbalance, was detected in COVID‐19 patients. NAC replenishes “reduced glutathione” thereby lowering oxidative stress inside neutrophils which reduces production of pro-inflammatory cytokines implicated in the destructive “cytokine storm” inflammatory reaction. NAC has been shown to diminish replication of the influenza and respiratory syncytial viruses and appears to bind “main protease” of SARS-CoV2 potentially inhibiting its protease activity needed for viral replication. The dose often quoted is 600mg twice a day with a wide safety margin. Keep in mind , many of the studies were involving the influenza virus through winter flu season. My recommendation would be to continue this through spring 2022 , which would correspond to the end of the flu season, and then discontinue daily use. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7649937/pdf/tcrm-16-1047.pdf
Melatonin: has been studied not only for its effect to promote sleep but also for its antioxidant effects , which is an important part of promoting a healthy immune system. This makes getting adequate restorative sleep, with the bodys’ natural production of melatonin critically important.Melatonin is especially secreted during “slow wave” sleep before midnight, and when growth hormone secretion also takes place, which is associated with longevity. Melatonin also appears to have immunomodulatory effect against CD147 which is a glycoprotein implicated in the destructive “cytokine storm” inflammatory reaction. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11033-020-05830-8 ). Common sense dosing would be a 3 mg tablet, 1 hour before sleep , or 1 mg sublingually, which is more quickly absorbed and bypasses hepatic “first pass” metabolism, limiting clearance by the liver. My recommendation would be to continue this through spring 2022 , which would correspond to the end of the flu season, and then discontinue daily use. Ideally however, since melatonin is hormone produced by the brain we should be obtaining melatonin from adequate restorative 7+ hours of sleep nightly, lessening our need for continuous use.