IDEAS FOR NUTRICEUTICAL INTERVENTION IN SARS-2-COV / COVID-19
The below covers some ideas regarding nutrition/supplementation to try to help prevent and/or intervene in COVID-19 infection, even if just a little.
OBVIOUSLY, SEE AN ACTUAL DOCTOR, IF YOU HAVE OR SUSPECT A COVID-19 INFECTION. THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. JUST PROACTIVE BIOHACKING DISCUSSION.
None of the below ideas area really mine, just connecting the dots between different things I have seen lately and over the past 25 years of being a biohacker of sorts, even way before there was a name for it.
Obviously, all of the interventions below are subject to individual genetics, absorption/bioavailability issues and really have usually quite little research to back them up, if at all. Then again, much research is under way including, without limitation, on Nitric Oxide, Quercetin and Chloroquine as COVID-19 interventions. Just that it will take for long to those get done and there are easy, cheap and safe things we can do already. Even with less then perfect knowledge.
To make a long story short, I pay special attention to taking the following presently:
i) Key Fat Soluble Vitamins: Vitamin D3 (together with synergistic Vitamin K2 and Vitamin A);
ii) the classic broad spectrum flu prevention combo of NAC/L-Cystine and L-Theanine;
iii) a cocktail of synergistic and quite similar bioflavonoids, especially EGCG, but also resveratrol, quercetin, luteolin and astragalus (not really a bioflavonoid);
iv) nitric oxide boosting combo of L-Arginine, Citrulline Malate, 5-methyl-folate (activated Vitamin B9) and Vit C; and
v) not being deficient in any of the key minerals for immunity, like zinc, selenium and iodine.
To be clear, common sense stuff also applies: washing hands, social distancing, very limited (if any) alcohol intake, no smoking, intermittent fasting and limiting carbs. I also include some key links for you to read more into these things. They are just to get you started, as there are many, many other sources you will be led to through them. By all means, do better and improve the list!
1) SARS-2-COV THAT CAUSES COVID-19 ENTERS YOUR CELLS THROUGH AT LEAST FOUR DIFFERENT MECHANISMS
They are the four ways the spike proteins of the virus can enter through a receptor in the cell or to become activated by being “cleaved” by a protein/enzyme in the cell including:
a) ACE2 (or Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme 2, encoded in humans by the ACE2 gene):
https://en.wikipedia...erting_enzyme_2
https://www.sciencen...ck-infect-cells
https://www.thailand...eal-super-virus
https://www.forbes.c...d/#74027a616146
https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC2886958/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/32125455
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/32129518
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/32142651
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/32081428
b) Furin (encoded in humans by the FURIN gene);
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furin
http://www.virology....s-glycoprotein/
c) GRP78 (or Binding Immunoglobulin Protein, encoded in humans by the HSPA5 gene; and
https://en.wikipedia...lobulin_protein
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/32169481
https://www.thailand...ague-of-its-own
d) CD147 (or Basigin/EMPRINN, encoded in humans by the BSG gene)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basigin
https://www.biorxiv.....03.14.988345v1
https://www.thailand...eal-super-virus
2) SOME POTENTIAL INTERVENTIONS FOR THESE FOUR MECHANISMS
A) ACE2 MODULATION
ACE2 plays a key role in vasoconstriction and blood pressure. ACE2 is a homolog of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE1). ACE2 negatively regulates the renin angiotensin system by converting Angiotensin II to vasodilatory Angiotensin 1-7, diminishing and opposing the vasoconstrictor effect of angiotensin II. Many pharmaceutical drugs impacting ACE2 exist, but I will steer clear of those here. And leave them to doctors. There’s actually a lot of discussion presently about such drugs being potentially dangerous when facing a COVID-19 infection. You do not want to strongly mess up with ACE2 and the angiotensin system more broadly, given its importance, but you could consider modulating ACE2 receptors and maybe even blocking them mildly with natural supplements, which, on paper at least, should possibly help mitigate prevent a fully blown SARS-2-COV virus infection. At least the following have scientific backing. Basically you want to keep your angiotensin system running smoothly, as it collapsing causes lung failure and lung edeema.
Vitamin D3: Modulates the ACE2 Receptor
Basically, you want to make sure you have adequate amounts of Vitamin D3 (mammalian form) and its co-workers Vitamin K2 (mammalian forms MK4 or MK7) and Vitamin A (preformed retinol, not beta carotene). Vitamin D levels being low in the winter is generally considered to be the reason why flu season is in the Winter. Take at least 10.000 iu of Vitamin D3, which equates to about the amount your own skin generates in 90 secs of exposure in swimwear in the mid-day Summer sun. I take 20.000 iu of Vitamin D3 presently with sufficient Vitamin K2 and Vitamin A to accompany it.
https://www.scienced...6iD7uablEgZKeWE
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/28944831
Others Worth a Look:
Baicalin (a bioflavonoid), Scutellarin (a bioflavonoid), Hesperitin (a citrus bioflavonoid), Nicotinamine (form soy) and Glycyrrhizin (from licorice root) all block to ACE2 receptor to maybe have a preventative effect. However, a massive viral SARS-2-COV load could, I suppose, also block the ACE2 receptors, if lots of SARS-2-COV attach to ACE2 receptors, so I would stop these, if feeling sick at all. I don’t take any of them myself. Simply don’t know enough about them. Need to research more. These are just included as a reminder to myself to look into these:
https://www.preprint...358/v1/download
B) GENERAL SARS-2-COV PREVENTION/MITGATION AND DOWNTUNING FURIN
Bioflavonoids are generally healthy compounds present in berries, fruits, wine and so on. They show broad spectrum potential against SARS-2-COV. These include resveratrol, quercetin, luteolin, EGCG and others. I am taking all the four mentioned ones and drinking a lot of Matcha green tea, which contains a lot of EGCG. You should consider that too. Furin is a protease that cleaves other proteins to become active. It can activate the SARS-2-COV virus also. Ebola, Anthrax and the Marburg virus are other examples of viruses depending on furin cleavage for activation. Furin, as a protease, can be down tuned at least a little with several bioflavonoids, which in event should have overwhelmingly positive side effects. While furin is needed for normal protein degradation, there should be no harm in toning it down a little for now. Quite the opposite.
https://www.medicaln...pread-so-easily
Resveratrol (the red wine bioflavonoid)
https://en.wikipedia...iki/Resveratrol
https://examine.com/...ts/resveratrol/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/16875760
https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC5307780/
Quercetin
https://en.wikipedia.../wiki/Quercetin
https://examine.com/...ents/quercetin/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/22350287
https://jvi.asm.org/...ent/78/20/11334
https://www.ncbi.nlm...d45MMLxnLKHauMo
https://www.macleans...d45MMLxnLKHauMo
Luteolin (the artichoke bioflavonoid)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luteolin
https://examine.com/...ichoke-extract/
https://jvi.asm.org/...ent/78/20/11334
https://www.ncbi.nlm...TTiZDtP076ino5g
https://www.ncbi.nlm...ZhwCRc3zRe-OE0M
EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate, the main tea bioflavonoid)
https://en.wikipedia...atechin_gallate
https://examine.com/...-tea-catechins/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...d45MMLxnLKHauMo
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/22350287
C) DOWNTUNING GRP78
Admittedly, GRP78 is something I did not know before. But I know enough to understand what it does. It as a chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of our cells that surrounds the nucleus of the cells. It is a sort of a mailman translocating proteins synthesized in the outer parts of the cells inwards to ER and maintains their proper protein folding. As everything in the human body, it serves a sane purpose, but is often over expressed. Classic example being in cancerous cells. This is basically something you may want to tone down a bit, for a while at list, so as to try to limit any possible SARS-2-COV infection and for other positive side effects as well. Luckily, there are natural supplements available to do at least a little bit of that. I am taking all three as supplements, and drinking a lot of match green tea, which has a ton of EGCG. Honokionol is hard to buy where I live, but I happened to have some around. Many bottles, though never really had a use for them. Well, now I do. As to TUDCA, well, let me put it this way: it is not available where I live, OK? Not recommending it to you here. But I believe to be the most potent of all of these. Enough said. Recommend you study it.
Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG, the main bioflavonoid in tea)
https://en.wikipedia...atechin_gallate
https://examine.com/...-tea-catechins/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/23807168
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/29446867
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/24193141
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25017472
Honokiol (a bioactive lignan from magnolia trees)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honokiol
https://examine.com/...ia-officinalis/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/23807168
Astragalocides (extracts from the Astragalus Membranaceus plant)
https://en.wikipedia...alus_propinquus
https://examine.com/...s-membranaceus/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/28071725
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/29926652
https://www.ncbi.nlm...TTiZDtP076ino5g
TUDCA (Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, an ER protecting chaperone and bile acid)
https://en.wikipedia...eoxycholic_acid
https://examine.com/...oxycholic-acid/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/31814847
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/28071725
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/32072406
D) DOWNTUNING CD147
Here too, CD147, also known as Basigin and EMPPRIN, is another beast that was new to me. It is an immunoglobulin involved in immunity, though it is also involved in other things like determining your blood group and even spermatogenesis males. Importantly, it is highly involved in the pathogenicity of Malaria. You may have noticed all the discussion regarding the classic anti-malarial drug, chloroquine, being at least helpful in fighting a COVID-19 infection. Not taking chloroquine now, though I have eaten it for 10 periods of up to 6 months at a time for malaria prophylaxis when travelling in the Tropics. Never noticed any side effects, have some probably left in the cupboard still. Would not hesitate for a second to eat it again for a good reason. However, am already taking resveratrol, EGCG and astragalus, as already mentioned.
Resveratrol (the red wine polyphenol)
https://en.wikipedia...iki/Resveratrol
https://examine.com/...ts/resveratrol/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/30771155
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/18647594
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/17055343
EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate, the tea bioflavonoid)
https://en.wikipedia...atechin_gallate
https://examine.com/...-tea-catechins/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/27832636
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/29862488
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/20446926
Astragalus
https://en.wikipedia...alus_propinquus
https://examine.com/...s-membranaceus/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...d147 astragalus
Chloroquine (the classic anti-malarial, a drug against COVID-19 infection)
NOTE: CHLOROQUINE IS A PHARMACEUTICAL WITH DOCUMENTED NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS. IF INTERESTED, TO TALK TO A REAL DOCTOR ABOUT IT. THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS ONLY.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/32173110
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/29154780
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/32196083
3) CLASSIC NAC + THEANINE COMBO:
I also recommend the classic broad spectrum flu prevention combo of L-theanine (common L-Glutamine with an extra ethyl group) and L-Cystine (from NAC (n-acetyl-cysteine), do not take at the same time with Vitamin C as you actually want the NAC to oxidize to L-Cystine specifically. Take Vitamin C at a different time, if you want to). Alpha lipoic acid nicely complements NAC, if you can find it. NAC and alpha lipoic acid are pretty powerful antivirals in their own right, but that is for another article. Have been using all these for 25+ years non-stop for other purposes.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...tZHBkhKp9aROKK0
https://link.springe...tZHBkhKp9aROKK0
4) BOOSTING NITRIC OXIDE WITH L-ARGININE+VIT C+VIT B9:
Glad to see to this clinically tried as well (below link). Very basic stuff, essentially involves any pre-workout powder product. Got the idea from the fact that our immune cells use nitric oxide as their ammunition. Again, others have gotten the same idea way before. Importantly, NO is all over your body as the gas that keeps your arteries open, as a messenger in your nervous system, as the raw material for other compounds that your immune system fights viruses etc. Its levels decline with aging, so it may be at least one thing explaining the higher mortality in older people.
If you feel sick at all, I would consider boosting your immune and circulatory system with a lot of L-Arginine. Any pre-workout powder will do. Other options are Citrulline Malate or L-Ornithine. Them also boosting arginine being the raw material for the iNos enzyme producing nitric oxide (NO). iNos uses tetrahydrobiopterin BH4 as cofactor, so you need to boost BH4 as well through boosting its recycling with plain ascorbic acid (Vit C) and activated 5 methyl folate (activated Vitamin B9). Last one likely being super key, if your MTHFR gene as either of the very common A1298C or C699T polymorphisms not to even mention if you are homozygous or compound heterozygous for them.
Could make a big difference. So glad to see someone trying out the same clinically with gaseous NO even. So: grams of L-Arginine + lot of Vit C + lot of active Vit B9 (methyl folate). Have been using all these for 25+ years non-stop for other purposes.
See how they are trying gaseous nitric oxide inhalation as a COVID-19:
https://clinicaltria...how/NCT04290871
Sildenafil, known as Viagra to those who use it (not me!), also works by boosting nitric oxide. It too is being researched as a COVID-19 therapy. At least the guys should like the side/front effects:
https://clinicaltria...how/NCT04304313
You are welcome. Improve this further, please.
Edited by Mind, 23 March 2020 - 01:53 PM.