bookmark_borderCOVID-19 Delta Variant and Vaccines

COVID
By Daniel Brouse

What do we know about the Delta variant and vaccines?

OVERVIEW
The efficacy of mRna vaccines is about 79% against contracting the Delta variant. Non-mRna vaccines are between 40-60% effective against Delta. Vaccines lose efficacy at about 3%/month after six months of being fully vaccinated. Vaccines appear to help contain the Delta variant to the nasal passage. You are less likely to develop the epigenetic changes to your genes (long-COVID). Previous infection of COVID offers no protection to the Delta variant. Get vaccinated.

THE BAD NEWS
The delta variant is much more contagious than any other COVID strain. Vaccines also appear to be less effective at preventing infection from the Delta variant. On July 30, 2021, the Delta variant was much more predominant in Louisiana than in Pennsylvania. In Louisiana, 15% of the deaths were in vaccinated individuals. In Pennsylvania, 1% of the deaths were in vaccinated individuals.

Recent studies also revealed that vaccinated people can transmit the virus both asymptomatically and symptomatically.

THE GOOD NEWS
The vaccines are still tremendously effective at preventing infection, hospitalization and death from Delta.

Vaccinated individuals that get infected with Delta overwhelmingly stop the virus in their nasal passage. The virus never infects the lungs nor spreads to other systems causing blood clots or other life threatening conditions.

Since Delta never reaches the lungs and other organs, vaccinated people that test positive for COVID are unlikely to develop long-COVID (Long Haulers Syndrome). Long-COVID is caused by the coronavirus making epigenetic and genetic changes to your genes. COVID partially disables the immune system. Some of the dismantling is temporary lasting only a few days. Some of the dismantling is chronic and may last a lifetime.

The most common long term side-effect from COVID-19 are:
* the disruption of the body’s ability to produce and retain NAD+. Without NAD+ your immune system can not metabolize most vitamins, can not regulate body temperature, nor properly activate an immune response. Lack of NAD+ will cause your body to hi-jack tryptophan and cause all sorts-of mental and neurological disorders. Lack of NAD+ has been associated with over one hundred post-COVID ailments.
* upregulation of Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). “IDO is an immune checkpoint molecule in the sense that it is an immunomodulatory enzyme produced by alternatively activated macrophages and other immunoregulatory cells. IDO is known to suppress T and NK cells, generate Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and also supports angiogenesis.’

In the vast majority of cases, vaccinated individuals do not suffer from alterations to the genes. Vaccination almost always prevents Delta from developing into long-COVID’s Long Haulers Syndrome.

PROTECT YOUR GENES FROM THE VIRUS
GET VACCINATED
WEAR A MEDICAL GRADE MASK (to prevent the virus from getting in your nasal passage in the first place)
TAKE A NIACIN SUPPLEMENT
AVOID ANTI-VAXXERS LIKE THE PLAGUE

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

bookmark_borderLong-COVID and Environmental Aggravators

by Daniel Brouse
help@membrane.com

Exercise aggravates long-COVID symptoms. COVID causes changes to your genes making it harder to create NAD+ and quicker to consume NAD+. Normally, exercise helps boost your NAD+. Not with long-COVID. The inflammation caused by exercise, anxiety, or exertion causes a rapid depletion of NAD+ aggravating long-COVID symptoms and perpetuating the downward cycle in NAD+ levels. So, Long Haulers should limit their activity until their NAD+ deficiency is under control.

What other factors can impact the severity of your long-COVID symptoms? We know anything that depletes NAD+ will cause problems. Aging, Hypertension, Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and other ailments result in suboptimal NAD+. But, what about your environment?

We know long term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of death from COVID-19 by 20 times. Another reason why wearing a mask in the out-of-doors is a good idea. Completely avoid outside exposure on air quality alert days.

I have been conducting research and development on two other environmental factors — elevation and temperature.

ELEVATION I — Change in Atmospheric Pressure
Elevation is the number of feet above sea level on which you stand. The bio-hacker experiment I’ve been conducting takes me from 400 feet above sea level to 1,400 feet above sea level. The more rapid the change from higher elevations to lower elevation, then the worse my long-COVID symptoms. All systems feel an impact; however, the middle ear takes the brunt of the punishment. Brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, ear aches, vertigo, and pressure in the ears are all amplified in their severity. I just did a 24 hour experiment and am beginning to think it has to do with pressure. Perhaps O2 (oxygen in the blood) as well, but more to do with “atmospheric pressure and sea level.” The symptoms seem to lag behind the increase in pressure.

Dr. Ade Wentzel said, “The epigenetic upregulation of IDO will determine the amount of quinolinic acid. Quinolinic acid comes from the kynurenine pathway. If the viscosity of the whole middle ear is increased then the ability to equalize will be less… same as having a cold. So, the ear isn’t equalizing correctly on increasing pressure. The same as when you land in a plane. If the viscosity in the semicircular canals is increased, the otoliths may well be lagging causing the vertigo. The otoliths usually “Float” in the semicircular canal and trigger tiny sensory hairs that allow you to detect position.”

“IDO (Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase) is an immune checkpoint molecule in the sense that it is an immunomodulatory enzyme produced by alternatively activated macrophages and other immunoregulatory cells. IDO is known to suppress T and NK cells, generate Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and also supports angiogenesis.’ (Wikipedia)

It is possible that changes in the weather that cause changes in atmospheric pressure (Lows and Highs) may result in the same problems. This happened to me with weather systems over the weekend (August 22, 2021.) A very low pressure system (hurricane Henri) passed by followed by a high pressure system. The following 2 days I suffered from brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, ear aches, vertigo, and pressure in the ears.

ELEVATION II — Oxygen Desaturation
People that go to higher elevations — above 4,900 feet — start to have more problems with High Altitude Oxygenation. “High altitudes can cause low oxygen saturation levels or desaturation of an individual’s blood.” Changing elevations at higher than 4,900 feet might cause both oxygen desaturation and atmospheric pressure problems.

COVID causes a decrease in the “rate of oxygen uptake into the lung to the oxygen gradient between the capillary blood and the alveoli.” Dr. Ade Wentzel said, “We know that the Lung Diffusion co-efficient is increased [by optimizing NAD+ levels].”

TEMPERATURE
The sweet spot is between 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit. The further below 50 degrees the more severe the symptoms. Lower temperatures appear to be a linear relationship. On the other hand, temperatures above 70 degrees appear to have an exponential relationship. That is to say, if 80 degrees causes symptoms to be twice as bad, 90 degrees causes symptoms to be four times as severe.

CONCLUSION
Mountain hiking in 90 degree temperatures (exercise at higher elevations in the heat) causes unnecessary stress on your system and dramatically increases your chances of a negative outcome.

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

bookmark_borderPost-Acute COVID-19 — COVID Long Haulers Syndrome

Guy A. Richards1, Adrian Wentzel2, Robert Miller

Post-Acute COVID-19 Sequelae
Post-Acute COVID-19 Sequelae


 

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

Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 induced pneumonia with NAD+ in a mouse model Jiang, Deng, Ma, Pang, Hu, Qin, Xu
COVID-19 in Mice / NAD+ (PDF)

Post-Acute COVID-19 Sequelae

COVID Sequelae
COVID Sequelae
AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid - Part 1: Prof. Guy Richards - Clinical perspective
AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid – Part 1: Prof. Guy Richards – Clinical perspective

AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid – Part 2: Dr. Ade Wentzel – Pathophysiology and Treatment of Long-Covid + Q&A

AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid - Part 2: Dr. Ade Wentzel - Pathophysiology and Treatment of Long-Covid + Q&A
AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid – Part 2: Dr. Ade Wentzel – Pathophysiology and Treatment of Long-Covid + Q&A

MORE ON COVID
The Vitamin Stack / Long Haulers Treatment

COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

 

bookmark_borderCOVID-19: A Survivor’s Story

by Daniel Brouse

(Also see the update: 3 Years of Living With It)

I am a scientist and journalist publishing articles and papers since 1994. As part of a collective of scientists, we have been working on the greatest threat to humankind — humans. Much of my effort has been spent on Anthropogenic Climate Change. In addition, I have specialized in pollution, diseases, health and wellness.

In late December 2019 and early January 2020, I started studying a novel coronavirus discovered in Wuhan, China. My first paper on the subject was published in March 2020 entitled “COVID-19 and Air Pollution”.

In late January of 2020, I had been very ill with an upper respiratory illness. The same illness killed my father. At the time, COVID-19 had not been known in the USA. Since there was no test for COVID, the doctors could not diagnose the specific virus that caused my father’s death. It wasn’t until my recurring symptoms were diagnosed as “COVID Long Haulers” in May of 2020 that I knew I was suffering the aftermath of COVID-19.

The recurring symptoms were so concerning that I devoted all of my resources to studying COVID-long and searching for a cure. Every couple of weeks I went through a wave of symptoms. Though not as severe as the original illness, the symptoms still would render me useless. The symptoms did not come on all at the same time, rather they would cycle through over two weeks (not necessarily in the same order) and then repeat. Exercise and exertion would cause the symptoms to be more severe. The symptoms included:

* 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)

My concerns were several. Would the symptoms go away over time? As the months went on, the answer was no. Would the long term recurrence of systems cause a permanent disability? The answer is probably yes. My organs were sustaining progressive damage. Respiratory, circulatory, neurological, and renal damage, as well as, blood clots, thinning and leaky blood vessels in the brain tissue, and death have all been attributed to COVID and COVID-long.

In my pursuit of answers, I found another long hauler scientist, Dr. Ade Wentzel. Ade proved to me that my hypothesis of “COVID-19 Long Haulers: autoimmune response due to inactive particles of the virus” was incorrect. Rather, he demonstrated that sars-cov-2 causes COVID-19 Induced Secondary Pellagra (CISP).

The main culprit is believed to be COVID’s genetic change to our production and utilization of NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). NAD+ is involved in cell creation, maintenance, metabolism, and regulating cell processes. COVID can chronically increase the breakdown of NAD+ and simultaneously decrease the production of NAD+.

Ade added, “The biggest function of NAD+ is as a cofactor for energy(atp) production via the citric acid cycle. NAD+ is essential for carbohydrate metabolism. The brain being highly dependent on carbs.”

NAD+ and the Citric Acid Cycle
NAD+ and the Citric Acid Cycle

Ade introduced me to one of the co-authors of his research, Robert Miller. In October of 2020, Ade and Robert started me on “the stack”. The vitamin stack helps correct the NAD+ malady by treating COVID-19 Induced Secondary Pellagra. Finding the correct form and dosage of Niacin was the most challenging part.

Within days of starting the stack, my COVID-long symptoms dissipated. Since that time, I have remained relatively symptom free EXCEPT when I tried reducing the Niacin dosage. On three separate occasions, I experimented with reducing the dosage of Niacin. All three times my symptoms returned; therefore, I would call the stack a treatment not a cure.

Since that time, I have successfully helped thousands of other COVID-long victims with the stack.

At the end of April, I received my first dose of the Moderna vaccine. Loss of taste and muscle soreness symptoms returned for 24 hours and then disappeared. My overall wellness appears to have improved. Now, I’m experimenting with reducing my Niacin dosage again to see if the vaccine helped my body recover its ability to produce and retain NAD+.

After several days of reduced Niacin (nicotinic acid dosage was reduced from 300-500mg/day down to 0-30mg day), symptoms returned: neuropathy, fatigue, brain fog, muscle soreness, difficulty breathing, GI track / stomach issues, ear aches, and allergy-like symptoms. The most notable symptom to return — headaches. Prior to COVID, I did not experience headaches. Within days of decreasing the dosage, a chronic headache returned. I increased the Niacin dosage back to 500mg/day and supplemented the stack with resveratrol. Symptoms immediately dissipated.

After the second shot, side-effects were slightly worse. The metallic taste returned within a couple hours. For the 12-24 hours post-vaccination, there was dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. Then, all the side-effects disappeared. Three months after being fully vaccinated all of my presenting symptoms dissipated. Other “silent” post COVID conditions have persisted since the initial infection.

See the update: 3 Years of Living With It

CISP and The Stack

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

bookmark_borderPollen and Increased SARS-CoV-2 Infection Rates

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America published the study Higher airborne pollen concentrations correlated with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates, as evidenced from 31 countries across the globe.

The research showed that airborne pollen on average accounts for 44% of the variation in infection rates in addition to humidity and air temperature.

Pollen exposure weakens the immunity by diminishing the antiviral interferon response.

“Our large-scale retrospective data analysis based on 80 individual time series from 130 regions in 31 countries in all inhabited continents across the globe (8,019 data points) enabled us to reveal a robust and significant positive correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and airborne pollen concentrations, which was halved under lockdown.”

COVID-19 and Air Pollution

COVID-19 Index

bookmark_borderPost-COVID Can Cause the Body to Attack Itself

In the study Musculoskeletal involvement of COVID-19, imaging showed evidence the body can attack itself. “There have been emerging reports, however, of an array of neuromuscular and rheumatologic complications related to COVID-19 infection and disease course including myositis, neuropathy, arthropathy, and soft tissue abnormalities. Multimodality imaging supports diagnosis and evaluation of musculoskeletal disorders in COVID-19 patients.”

“In some patients, the nerves are injured and in others, the problem is impaired blood flow,” said Dr. Swati Deshmukh of Northwestern University.

The severity of the COVID illness does not appear to determine these post-COVID conditions. Some of the subjects of the study did not even know they have had COVID-19.

“In some instances, musculoskeletal imaging may even suggest otherwise unrecognized SARS-CoV2 infection.”

“Musculoskeletal disorders can have dire short- and long-term consequences.”

Many post-COVID cases have really high levels of inflammation in their body. It is believed the inflammation is caused by the body’s autoimmune system attacking itself.

“I think it’s important to differentiate between what the virus causes directly and what it triggers the body to do,” Deshmukh said.

COVID-19 Scientific Based Information

bookmark_borderCOVID Mortality Rate, Recovered, or Survived

COVID
by Daniel Brouse
February 4, 2021

There have been discussions about how the COVID-19 mortality rate is declining.

I said:
The mortality rate is probably not declining. In fact, the new variants are likely increasing the mortality rate. The graphs that appear to show the mortality rate declining have more to do with how we are calculating the mortality rate. Compared to how we calculate the flu, the COVID mortality rate is actually around 10-15%. The published numbers are lower because we started including asymptomatic screenings instead of only symptomatic diagnostics.

You asked:
Are you saying the world CHANGED the way it calculates the mortality rate en masse and in a coordinated fashion? Or, are you saying it was and still is calculated wrong?

I replied:
It was not coordinated. It was/is because of the way COVID behaves, so we should not be talking about the mortality rate without making it clear. Traditionally, “a case” is a person showing up at their medical facility (doctor’s office or emergency room) WITH symptoms. “A case” is a doctor’s sick patient case. It has the doctor’s case number, etc. Flu screening tests are not counted in the flu’s mortality rate because they don’t screen for the flu. The more COVID testing of asymptomatic people, the lower the mortality rate will appear to be. It’s not that one way is right / wrong. It is that they are not the same formula.

You asked:
I guess what you’re saying is the flu does not report asymptomatic cases and therefore skews the comparison?

I replied:
Yes. Plus, since last March, screening tests have sky rocketed, so the appearance on the graphs is that the mortality rate is declining. It is not. In fact, the new variants appear to be more deadly. I agree we should identify all asymptomatic cases. I do not agree we should conclude the mortality rate is declining. It is not.

They are testing (screening) more and more people. The more people they test that are not symptomatic, the more it skews the mortality rate. Right now, it is believed the mortality rate is going up. UK, South Africa, Brazil, and California variants are causing more deaths.

You say:
The asymptomatic are just immune, so that certainly REDUCES the true mortality of the disease.

I replied:
No. Asymptomatic are not immune. And, the more asymptomatic people that are tested positive, the more the mortality rate will appear to fall — a false impression. If you want to look at the true mortality rate, it is about 10% in PA (and holding steady.) However, it is more important than ever to test for asymptomatic cases, because 1) asymptomatic cases are spreading the virus 2) asymptomatic cases often result in death or permanent disabilities as a result of COVID side-effects. For instance, many younger people develop multiple inflammatory syndrome, myocardial inflammation, or other deadly conditions.

You asked:
So how is it that asymptomatic cases are not immune?

I replied:
COVID is unlike any other virus we have ever seen… asymptomatic people appear to be just as contagious as symptomatic people. They also appear to develop heart, lung, and brain damage.

Another adds:
I don’t think we have Clarity regarding immunity from having had the disease. There are various studies about the amount of time the antibodies last as well as the variation in the number of antibodies that a person who suffered covid-19 has. Thinking that having the disease creates immunity to the disease is simply basing it on our previous experience of other viruses.

I added:
The original strain of COVID gave immunity on average: antibodies for 90 days and memory T-cells for 5 months. There does not appear to be any immunity to the new variants. And, the longer the virus remains out-of-control ANYWHERE in the world, the more variants will develop.

The worldwide mortality rate went from about 14% (last spring) down to 10% (last summer) and is now on the rise. The decline was likely do to “stay at home”, masking, and other mitigation efforts that helped slow the spread. The more the spread, the more the variants.

To put it another way: Last spring we needed immunity in about 60-75% of the population to reach herd immunity. Now, we need 90% of the world to have immunity to develop herd immunity. (And we have 30% of health care professionals refusing to get vaccinated. in the USA)

Asymptomatic cases should be identified, isolated, and all contacts traced. There currently is no good way to report a mortality rate. Let’s just say it’s way worse than anything we’ve ever seen…. and appears to be getting worse.

You asked:
My understanding regarding the r rate for measles is that it is 15. I thought that the r rate for the original strain of covid-19 is 2.4 and I read that the UK variant has a rate of 2.9. Why are you defining this is the worst we’ve ever seen?

I replied:
With all other viri (including the measles and the flu), the virus is obvious. If you get symptomatic, you are too sick to walk about. Also, knowing you have it, you probably feel it is your moral obligation not to spread it. However, with COVID, many people do not know they are shedding the virus. The result is it’s the worst ever seen. This can be observed in the real world. More drastic measures have been taken to control this virus than any other in history…. yet, more chronically ill victims have resulted. Another way to demonstrate it is: given the drastic change to our lifestyle and economics, this virus has caused more damage than any other… ever. It looks like COVID will have cost the USA 8 trillion dollars for the year. The cost of the flu for the year was $11.2 billion. I think the measles was about $10 million. No other illness, nor war, nor act of god has cost us as much as COVID.

You asked:
Do you have any other articles (perhaps the updated version of the one you attached above) that I might use?

I responded:
I don’t think I’ve written anything else about the problems with COVID mortality statistics. The mortality rate is the lessor of my concerns. My larger concern are people thinking surviving COVID means you recovered from COVID. Or inversely, comparing mortality to “recovered”. Though we don’t know the long term impact until the long term is over, it looks like many millions of Americans (and probably 80 million worldwide) will now have a preexisting condition (such as, Long Haulers Syndrome)… and the pandemic is far from over. Most of my articles o COVID are indexed here: http://membrane.com/COVID-19.html.

And another voice:
And one more thing. Thank you for pointing out that the people “recover“ from COVID-19 there is still so much morbidity out there post infection. We have people that are requiring pacemakers because of myocardial effects, as well as, extensive pulmonary damage due to this virus. I have several friends and colleagues who have had difficulty with their lungs post infection. What we don’t know is the long-term effects that will occur. I myself have no post infection sequelae, but I still don’t know how this could affect my body in the years to come.

I lament:
That is my fear. 1 year out, and I’m still treating my long haulers. My fear is… I could be killing myself over time.

COVID-19 Scientific Based Information

bookmark_borderCOVID-19 Testimonial Update — 1 Year Later

January 19, 2021
Today is my one year anniversary of catching COVID-19.
* 24 hours later I started feeling weird — upset stomach and vertigo. Difficulty in falling to sleep with the “spins”.

* Woke up the next morning feeling like I had a severe hangover — headache, body ache, fatigue.

* 72 hours later I could not get out of bed and went 3 or 4 days without a memory.

* For the next 2 weeks I had severe symptoms including nightmares, night sweats, loss of smell and taste, difficulty breathing, cough, fatigue, muscle aches, and then finally diarrhea.

* On February 9, COVID took my father’s life.

* Over the next several months I noticed a recurring pattern of symptoms that would come in waves.

* On May 15, I was diagnosed with COVID Long Haulers Syndrome. My doctor informed me there was no known treatment.

* August of 2020, I met Dr. Ade Wentzel and debated the cause of long haulers — autoimmune response due to inactive particles of the virus Vs. COVID-19 Induced Secondary Pellagra (CISP). I started the Vitamin stack but was taking the wrong type of B3.

* October 15, 2020 I start taking the right type of B3 — nicotinic acid. Immediately, I was relieved of my severe symptoms.

* January 19, 2021:
I’m doing well. I keep pushing myself too hard and some mild symptoms return. Also, I tried reducing the nicotinic acid to 35mg a day and severe symptoms returned. So, I’m sticking to 400mg/day and trying not to push too hard. I am thinking there must be some serious long term cell damage?

The main mild symptom is GI related. Kind of hard to explain… sort-of a feeling of lack of control… like I might piss or poop my pants (but I don’t). I still get muscle soreness that seems more sore than I should from mild exertion. Of particular concern is my lower back and my kidneys.

I also seem to get partial night sweats. Unlike when I had COVID and got it all over my body, now it just happens to my head or parts of my body (last night it was behind my knees.) It’s weird… similar weirdness with my preexisting peripheral neuropathy. I’ve seen much improvement on the stack with virtually no pain nor pins-and-needles. But, sometimes pins-and-needles show up in parts of some fingers (not the entire hands and feet like before.) So, it seems the NAD+ regulation is not uniform over my entire body.

Overall I’m actually better than I was before getting COVID. However, when I tried reducing the nicotinic acid, I got diarrhea and headaches and fatigue (much more like when I was severe long hauling.) So, I guess I’m being treated but not cured. Now, I wonder if I will ever be cured?

Ade says, “You will be cured.” …and, is helping me tweak the Vitamin Stack.

Original COVID Testimonial

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

bookmark_borderGood Gut Bacteria

Your good gut bacteria is essential to a healthy immune system. “The gut microbiota that resides in the gastrointestinal tract provides essential health benefits to its host, particularly by regulating immune homeostasis. Moreover, it has recently become obvious that alterations of these gut microbial communities can cause immune dysregulation, leading to autoimmune disorders.” [1]

Gut Bacteria Metabolic Activity and Vitamins
* Thiamine, folate, biotin, riboflavin, panthothenic acid are also synthesized by gut bacteria
* It has been estimated that up to half of the daily Vitamin K requirement is provided by gut bacteria
* B vitamins are synthesized by plants, yeasts, and bacteria… and their metabolized by intestinal bacteria

We also know: NAD+ controls the metabolism of Vitamin C and D.
* Autoimmune diseases tend to share a predisposition for vitamin D deficiency, which alters the microbiome and integrity of the gut epithelial barrier
* Metabolic syndrome can prompt imbalances in the gut microbiome, with impaired gut function contributing to toxins in the bloodstream, resulting in vitamin C depletion, which subsequently impairs the trafficking of vitamin E

Healthy Gut Bacteria and COVID-19
There is a connection between COVID-19 and healthy gut bacteria. A recent study demonstrated the connection between gut and SARS-CoV-2 virus’ however, it couldn’t be determined if the lack of healthy gut bacteria resulted in more severe COVID-19, or COVID-19 inhibited healthy gut bacteria. It is possible that both occur.

“Although COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory illness, there is mounting evidence suggesting that the GI tract is involved in this disease. We investigated whether the gut microbiome is linked to disease severity in patients with COVID-19, and whether perturbations in microbiome composition, if any, resolve with clearance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.” [2]

NAD+ Plus Immune System Diet

1. The role of gut microbiota in immune homeostasis and autoimmunity (NIH)

2. Gut microbiota composition reflects disease severity and dysfunctional immune responses in patients with COVID-19 (British Society of Gastroenterology)

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

bookmark_border76% of Patients Suffer from COVID-long Haulers

The Lancet published a peer reviewed study entitled “6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital: a cohort study”. The study found 76% of patients reported at least one symptom at 6 months after symptom onset. The proportion was higher in women.

The most common ailments were:
fatigue or muscle weakness
sleep difficulties
anxiety or depression
strain in walking or shortness of breath
diffusion impairment

“I am most worried about the unknown future for these patients’ recovery. At six months after symptoms onset, a considerable proportion of Covid-19 patients had physical and psychological problems,” study co-author Lixue Huang of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and Capital Medical University said. “We still do not know how long it takes for these patients to recover fully from Covid-19 or whether complete recovery is possible in every case.”

“In another complication, 13% of patients who had normal kidney health when they were in the hospital later had reduced kidney function, the study found. That’s a red flag for people who already have potential risk factors for kidney damage, such as high blood pressure and diabetes,” reported STAT.

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