bookmark_borderCOVID, Tryptophan, Stress, Anxiety, and Pellagra

by Daniel Brouse

NAD+ is a crucial part of the immune and neurological systems. COVID depletes your NAD+. The body needs the time and materials necessary to replenish NAD+. Included in the elements you need are Vitamins C, B3 (Niacin), D, Quercetin, Zinc, and Selenium.

In their paper, COVID-19: NAD+ deficiency, Robert Miller and Ade Wentzel explain the role of NAD+ in the severity of COVID-19 and the depletion of niacin and tryptophan.

I asked Robert Miller, “Is the NAD+ depletion what causes the tryptophan shortage?”

Robert replied, “Post Covid-19 is CISP (Covid Induced Secondary Pellagra) which causes the body to divert tryptophan to NAD+ production at the expense of Serotonin, Oxytocin, Endorphins and Dopamine. In the case of pre Covid-19 it’s the conditions that drive up CD38, oxidative stress, and continual hyperglycemic events and undiagnosed subclinical pellagra (hard to diagnose) which all reduce NAD+. Basically our diet and lifestyle set us up for Covid-19 and can’t save us post Covid-19.”

Ade said, “The anxiety is because the body is using all the tryptophan to make NAD+.”

COVID depletes your NAD+. The body depletes tryptophan trying to make NAD+. This causes post-COVID anxiety. You can treat CISP and post-COVID anxiety with niacin.

B3 Deficiency and Anxiety Disorders
The anxiety disorder caused by COVID-19 is also related to undiagnosed subclinical pellagra. Most Americans have a niacin (Vitamin B3) deficiency before they contract COVID. Though the virus may make the niacin deficiency more obvious, many non-COVID related anxiety disorders can also be treated with niacin.

In the US, the largest source of niacin in most diets is from fortified breakfast cereal. They spray vitamins, including Niacin, on the outside surface of the cereal. You would need to eat 100 bowls of Wheaties a day to make-up for a niacin deficiency (not recommended).

Stress uses up NAD+, depleting the tryptophan further, thus compounding the feeling of anxiety. The main ingredient of Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is niacin. The best method for treating anxiety caused by depleted NAD+ and tryptophan is to replenish the niacin.

Robert and Ade explain to me how to supplement my niacin and create NAD+ — COVID, Vitamin B3, and the Immune System.

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderCOVID, Vitamin K, and NAD+

NAD+ is a crucial part of the immune system. COVID depletes your NAD+. The body needs the time and materials necessary to replenish NAD+. Included in the elements you need are Vitamins C, B3 (Niacin), D, Quercetin, Zinc, and Selenium.

In their paper, COVID-19: NAD+ deficiency, Robert Miller and Ade Wentzel explain the role of NAD+ in the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and the cause.

I asked Robert Miller:
Have you given any thought to Vitamin K and NAD+?

My father died in February. We didn’t know it at the time, but later figured out he died of COVID. (COVID testing and diagnosis hadn’t arrived to America, yet.) He had an upper respiratory illness for three weeks. My father was also on blood thinners. We worked with his doctor on a daily basis. Because his INR blood test level was spiking, we started testing every day and eventual stopped the blood thinner medication. Nevertheless, his INR kept climbing. His doctor prescribed the antidote, Vitamin K. The next day my father went into crisis. His heart became irregular, he couldn’t get oxygen to his brain, and was put on a ventilator The next day he was removed from life support and died.

All of this makes me wonder about the role of Vitamin K and COVID?

Robert replied, “Vitamin K metabolism depends on NAD(P)H being available. So, basically it’s back to NAD+; meaning low NAD+ will result in low K2 metabolism.”

“NQO1 [NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1; also known as DT-diaphorase] is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyses the two-electron reduction of various quinones including vitamin K. The enzyme may play a role in vitamin K metabolism by reducing vitamin K to vitamin K hydroquinone for utilization in the post-translational γ-glutamyl carboxylation reactions required by several proteins involved in blood coagulation.” — Assessment of the contribution of NAD(P)H-dependent quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) to the reduction of vitamin K

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderCOVID-19: NAD+ Deficiency

The Miller/Wentzel/Richards COVID NAD+ protocol
NAD+: Niacin B3, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Quercetin, Zinc, and Selenium

NAD+ is a crucial part of the immune system. COVID depletes your NAD+. The body needs the time and materials necessary to replenish NAD+. Included in the elements you need are Vitamins C, Niacin B3, D, Quercetin, Zinc, and Selenium.

Vitamin B3 / Niacin is the most important ingredient. It must be the correct type of Niacin. Please click here for detailed B3 information.

Vitamin C is best ingested in whole foods not juice or supplements. If it is not possible to consume whole foods, 1,000mg / day is plenty for adults.

Vitamin D is best synthesized by your body. Adults can take an additional 1,000iu / day BUT supplements will not create the photoproducts with unique biologic properties required for your immune system. Exposure of the skin to sunlight is preferred for your body to photosynthesize its own Vitamin D.

Quercetin is best consumed as part of your diet and is contained in abundance in onions, apples, honey, raspberries, red grapes, cherries, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, green tea, coffee, and red wine.

Zinc supplements should be taken daily at the recommend daily allowance for your weight and age. The problem is that there are many zinc products which deliver different amounts of free zinc per milligram.

Selenium should be consumed as part of your diet. Selenium supplements may cause an overdose. Brazil nuts, seafoods, meat, eggs, dairy, and brown rice are the richest food sources of selenium.

In general, it takes 3-6 months to replenish a NAD+ deficiency. You can’t just take higher doses. Your body can only create so much NAD+ in a day. Exercise, inflammation, stress, and/or anxiety can aggravate or prolong long haulers syndrome.


Ade's Original NAD+ Diagram
Ade’s Original NAD+ Diagram

ABOUT NAD+
“Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is both a crucial coenzyme and a cosubstrate for various metabolic reactions in all living cells. Maintenance of NAD+ levels is essential for cell energy homeostasis, survival, proliferation and function. Mounting evidence points to NAD+ as one of the major modulators of immuno-metabolic circuits, thus regulating immune responses and functions. Recent studies delineate impaired host NAD+ metabolism during chronic infections and inflammation, suggesting NAD+ replenishment as an avenue to ameliorate deleterious inflammatory responses.” (Host NAD+ metabolism and infections: therapeutic implications)

NAD+ is often referred to as the anti-aging part of your immune system or “the fountain of youth”. In fact, NAD+ does decline with age. Quite possibly NAD+ deficiencies contribute to most premature deaths. The natural reaction is to want to boost your NAD+; however, there is little evidence that your body will produce more NAD+ than your natural baseline. The best you can do is to make sure you are reaching your baseline level.

REFERENCE
COVID-19: NAD+ deficiency may predispose the aged, obese and type2 diabetics to mortality through its effect on SIRT1 activity Miller/Wentzel/Richards (2020)

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderCOVID-19 Testimonial

COVID=19
By Daniel Brouse
help@membrane.com

I’ve been reluctant to talk about my COVID experience for several reasons, but have decided — if my testimony can convince just 1 person to avoid contracting or spreading the disease, it will be worth it.

I had COVID back at the end of January and the first weeks of February and conducted a study of people that got infected along with me. The sample size of infected individuals in my study sample is 6.
Ages 30-80
16.7% died
33.3% had severe symptoms
33.3% had moderate symptoms
16.7% were asymptomatic
Age and blood type appear to be the dominant factors.

I’ve been working with my doctor for a couple months. In May, he first told me not to bother with the antibody test. That my symptoms were most certainly COVID. Insurance only covers the antibody test if you have previously tested positive, and getting tested doesn’t tell you anything, anyway. (eg inaccurate test results, inability of tests to determine the amount of antibodies and T cells, etc.) He believes I’ll have immunity until around December.

Now, here’s the interesting part…
I’ve been questioning whether recovered patients have immunity and how some people have appeared to be reinfected? Over the last 2 weeks, I’ve been working with my doctor about recurring symptoms. It turns out I have “long haulers” syndrome. Every couple of weeks I go through a wave of symptoms. Though not as severe as the original experience, it is still not pleasant. The symptoms don’t come on all at the same time, rather they cycle through over two weeks (not necessarily in the same order.) I’m not infected again, nor am I contagious. Exercise or anything that causes inflammation aggravates my symptoms. The symptoms include:

* difficulty breathing (feeling like you’re not taking in enough oxygen)
* congestion / mild cough
* stomach issues / diarrhea
* loss of taste, smell, and appetite
* temperature regulation / night sweats
* nightmares / vivid dreams
* dizziness / the spins / foggy thinking
* headaches / body aches / soreness
* fatigue
* ear aches
* peripheral neuropathy (tingling of the hands and feet)

There is currently no treatment or cure for long haul syndrome.

IMPORTANT UPDATE (November 2020)
A treatment has been found for long haulers syndrome. After 8 long, long, brutal months of long haulers, I am back to better than I was before. I am a scientist living in Pennsylvania (USA). In August of 2020, I joined a COVID survivors group. There I met Dr. Ade Wentzel from Port Elizabeth (South Africa). Ade and his colleagues, Robert Miller (Cape Town) and Guy Richards (Johannesburg), developed a diet based protocol based on their research COVID-19: NAD+ deficiency may predispose the aged, obese and type2 diabetics to mortality through its effect on SIRT1 activity.

Long haulers syndrome is the depletion of NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). NAD+ is involved in cell creation, maintenance, metabolism, and regulating cell processes. COVID both increases the breakdown of NAD+ and decreases the production of NAD+. The result is the same as the disease pellagra. A niacin deficiency results in pellagra. Long haulers syndrome is COVID-19 Induced Secondary Pellagra (CISP).

Once I started the protocol, my symptoms diminished and then disappeared completely. In fact three weeks later, my quality of life improved back to when I was 20 years younger. Obviously, I was NAD+ deficient prior to contracting the virus, and COVID depleted my NAD+ even further (bringing me close to death.)

THE PROTOCOL is:
Niacin B3, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Quercetin, Zinc, and Selenium

Here’s what I’m doing:
Vitamin C, Quercetin and Selenium you can get from your diet. Careful not too much Selenium. I eat 1 Brazil nut a day. The Vitamin D is best gotten from 15 minutes a day in the sun. You can take 1000iu, too. A 15mg zinc/day supplement. The niacin is the trickiest and most important part. You need to make sure you get the right kind. Non-flush is no good. You can start with 35mg/day, but it will depend on your deficiency. I take 50-75mg with each meal. Here’s the walk through on getting the niacin right. It is recommended I stay on the protocol for 6 months. This is how Ade and Rob walk me through getting the correct Niacin B3.

COVID-19 Index