Health Benefits of NAD+ Supplements

Health Benefits of NAD+ Supplements

NAD+ is a molecule that’s found in every cell of your body that plays many key roles in energy production, health, and longevity. Exciting research has uncovered why NAD+ is so essential and has led to many clinical applications, addressing everything from the signs and symptoms of aging to treating and preventing chronic disease.

In this article, you’ll learn more about:

  • What NAD supplement is
  • The two forms of NAD, namely NAD+ and NADH
  • The role NAD+ plays in health and disease
  • Why increasing levels of NAD+ is important
  • What sirtuins are and how they require NAD+
  • The role sirtuins and NAD+ play in vascular aging
  • Health conditions that benefit from increasing NAD+
  • The three ways the body produces NAD+
  • Natural ways to increase NAD+ levels in the body

What is NAD+?

A fair amount of attention has been given to NAD+, particularly for its ability to slow down the effects of aging. NAD+ stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and it’s used as a coenzyme in many molecular processes that keep your cells and body alive. A coenzyme is like an enzyme helper or assistant and needs to be available for the reaction to take place.

Adequate intracellular NAD+ levels don’t just prevent hastening of cellular aging. They also help to prevent the visible signs of aging that become apparent on the skin. The use of NAD treatment for addiction relies on the speedy delivery of NAD IV therapy and there are numerous NAD+ addiction clinics operational in the United States.

The NAD+ molecule is found in every cell in the body, enabling the conversion of food we eat into energy and chemical products that the body needs to sustain itself. This is very important, since the health and function of every cell relies on this tiny molecule.

NAD+ also plays a critical role with enzymes that regulate gene expression involved in the repair of damaged DNA. Through these pathways, NAD+ influences a variety of processes involved in every cell in your body, improving mitochondrial efficiency, enhancing cell viability, down-regulating inflammation, increasing the antioxidant capacity of cells and tissues, and activating SIRT1, a sirtuin enzyme that plays a role in longevity.

NAD+ and NADH are two different forms of the same molecule, picking up and dropping off electrons. This energy exchange of electrons is what allows the Krebs cycle and electron transport chain to produce ATP, the energy currency in humans. When it picks up an electron, this is NADH, while without the electron it is known as NAD+.

The role of NAD+ in health and disease

Several of these critical roles have already been mentioned, but let’s take a closer look at some of the life-sustaining benefits of NAD+ .

NAD+ is a cofactor for hundreds of enzymatic reactions, such as chromosomal stability and DNA repair. DNA damage is linked to deteriorating chronic health problems, as recently discussed by Robert Naviaux and his theory of the Cell Danger Response.

NAD+ also plays a vital role in energy production, in the Krebs cycle conversion of macronutrients including protein, fats and carbohydrates, and micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, to ATP. This is the energy molecule that’s crucial to the running of all the body’s essential functions.

In addition, NAD+ is also a cofactor for hundreds of similar enzymatic reactions that are involved in:

  • Immune cell signaling and immune strengthening
  • Decreasing inflammation
  • Decreasing oxidative stress and ‘rusting’ of cells
  • Telomere production, with longevity enhanced by longer telomeres
  • Neurotransmitter production
  • A healthy circadian rhythm and sleep cycle
  • Increased activity of sirtuins, which play a role in longevity (see more on this below)
  • Prevention of blood vessel damage that reduces the risk of heart disease
  • Healthy aging

The importance of increasing levels of NAD+

NAD+ plays a central role in every one of the body’s functions. We simply can’t do without it. In addition, if we boost its levels, we can further optimise cell functions and energy outcome. Unfortunately, as we age levels of NAD+ decline, leading to signs and symptoms of aging.

Low levels of NAD+ are associated with:

  • Accelerated aging
  • Increased sunburn and skin cancer
  • Decreased cellular antioxidants
  • Decreased metabolism along with thyroid hormones
  • Harmed immune function
  • Increased inflammation
  • Impaired brain function
  • Hypoxia (low levels of oxygen) intracellularly

When NAD+ levels are higher and more robust, we see the following:

  • Improved mitochondrial health
  • Improved cellular metabolism and energy production
  • Improved production of sirtuins
  • More NAD anti-aging benefits
  • Improved DNA repair and recovery
  • Increased immunity, with NAD+ stimulating CD38 that’s present on T-cell immune cells, effectively boosting the immune response
  • Stimulation of CD38 activity increasing oxytocin, a hormone associated with social intimacy and bonding
  • Increased autophagy or cellular recycling
  • Increased redox potential, with more antioxidant action protecting cells
  • Improved insulin sensitivity, decreasing the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes
  • Improved protection of brain cells from oxidative stress, rescuing neuronal loss and improving myelination
  • Improved skin health by boosting levels of collagen, keratin, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, a compound found in many skin rejuvenating creams
  • Increased stem cells
  • Improved exercise performance

NAD+ provides these benefits through several key mechanisms, including:

  • Promoting AMPK activity, an enzyme that improves metabolism and helps protect against obesity and diabetes.
  • Modulating p53, a tumor suppressor gene that repairs damaged DNA and protects against cancer initiation
  • Inhibiting NF-kB or nuclear factor-kappa B, a protein that induces the chronic inflammation tied to many diseases and premature aging
  • Inhibiting mTOR, a molecular complex whose abnormal activation contributes to many chronic diseases of aging

Sirtuins and NAD

Sirtuin is an acronym for ‘silent information regulator’. This refers to any family of enzymes, made up of proteins, that occur in all living organisms. They’re thought to regulate a wide array of cellular processes such as cellular aging, apoptosis, and stress resistance in more complex organisms. It’s been demonstrated that increasing sirtuin activity leads to longer life and reduction in age-related loss of function. It also protects against DNA damage. NAD levels decline with aging, which also results in reduced sirtuin activity. Boosting NAD+ helps to ramp up this activity.

Seven sirtuins have been identified and play different roles in the body.

  • Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) repairs DNA and vascular tissue and is highly dependent on NAD+ levels
  • Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) reduces body fat and oxidative stress
  • Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) influences longevity
  • Sirtuin 4 (SIRT4) can repress tumors and autophagy
  • Sirtuin 5 (SIRT5) reduces fatty acids in the liver and oxidative stress
  • Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) regulates blood sugar and decreases insulin resistance
  • Sirtuin 7 (SIRT7) benefits the heart

NAD+, sirtuins, and vascular aging

As we age, our small blood vessels die off. This compromises blood flow and the oxygenation of organs and tissues that are fed by these small vessels. Vascular aging is responsible for a constellation of disorders, such as cardiac and neurological conditions, muscle loss, impaired wound healing, and overall frailty.

Dr. David Sinclair, a researcher at the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and a co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at Harvard Medical School, has discovered a way to reverse vascular aging by boosting the presence of naturally occurring molecules in the body that augment the physiological response to exercise. He states that, “The approach stimulates blood vessel growth and boosts stamina endurance in mice and sets the stage for therapies in humans to address the spectrum of diseases that arise from vascular aging.”

Dr. Sinclair’s study revealed that NAD+ and SIRT1 enable the conversation between endothelial cells in the walls of blood vessels and muscles, but specifically the cells in young mouse muscles, activating SIRT1 signaling generating new capillaries that supply oxygen and nutrients to tissues and organs. Conversely, the study demonstrated that as NAD+/SIRT1 activity diminished over time so did blood flow, which left muscle tissue deprived of nutrients and starved of oxygen.

Dr. Sinclair gave an NAD supplement, as an NAD+ precursor, for two months to a group of mice that were twenty months old, roughly equivalent to seventy in human years, to test its effect on SIRT1 signaling. The treatment worked and restored the number of blood capillaries and capillary density to those seen in younger mice. Blood flow to the muscles also increased and was more significantly higher than blood supply to the muscle seen in mice of the same age that didn’t receive the NAD+ precursor.

The most striking effect emerged in the aging mice’s ability to exercise. These animals showed a 56 to 80 percent greater exercise capacity when compared to that of untreated mice. It was concluded that this observation underscored the notion that age plays a critical role in the crosstalk between blood vessels and muscles. This points to a loss of NAD+ and SIRT1 as the reason behind the reduction in exercise effectiveness after middle age. The researchers believe that their findings might pave the way to therapeutic advances that might be able to help the millions of older people for whom regular physical activity is no longer an option.

“Even if you’re an athlete you eventually decline,” Sinclair says. “But there is another category of people – what about those who are in a wheelchair or those with otherwise reduced mobility?”

Dr. Sinclair’s mouse study suggests that NAD+ may support exercise performance in humans. In a study involving elderly men, supplementation with an NAD+ precursor resulted in improved exercise performance. The men had an 8 percent improvement in peak isometric muscle torque, which is a measure of muscle force, and a 15 percent improvement in lessening of fatigue associated with exercise.

Health conditions that benefit from increased NAD+

Considering what we’ve explored regarding NAD+ energy production in every cell and the importance of this molecule in all aspects of health and longevity, it’s no surprise that NAD+ may benefit a number of health conditions, including chronic disease. Conditions that may benefit from increased levels of NAD+ in the cells include:

  • Addiction
  • Allergies
  • Neurological deficits
  • Depression
  • Brain injury
  • Cholesterol metabolism issues
  • Cancer
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Diabesity spectrum, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and Type 2 diabetes
  • Systemic inflammation
  • Lyme disease
  • Malabsorption syndromes
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Huntington’s disease
  • ALS
  • PTSD
  • Autism spectrum
  • Small bowel overgrowth syndrome (SIBO)
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Hearing loss
  • Renal disease

NAD+ pathways of production

There are three major pathways that our body employs to synthesize in NAD+. Influencing and activating these pathways are a way to increase NAD+ within the cells of the body.

The first pathway is the de nova synthesis from the amino acid tryptophan from food protein sources, which also intersects with vitamin B3. This is the long way round.

The second is a salvage pathway, used by the supplement company PRICERA, that our body uses daily to recycle nicotinamide (NAM) according to circadian rhythms. This is the dominant and most robust path for any NAD+ synthesis.

The third pathway is specialized for nicotinamide riboside (NR) reactivation. NR is a shunt product in NAD+ synthesis.

The supplement company claims that PRICERA is the only available compound that utilizes the naturally dominant pathway to generate NAD+ efficiently and robustly. This product is said to improve the tissue distribution of NAD+, maintain and enhance mitochondrial health and creation, and plays a key role in calorie restriction for increased lifespan and exercise response. PRICERA is also said to prevent neurodegeneration and reduce age-related cognitive decline. In addition, it’s claimed that PRICERA increases ATP and maintains antioxidant levels including glutathione, which generally becomes depleted with higher energy requirements or when we’re under stress.

PRICERA differs from other NAD precursor products in that it includes D-ribose, a known source of energy for the mitochondria in the heart, brain, and muscles. Other NAD precursor products need ATP to prime the pathway. However, since PRICERA spares the body’s own energy, one of its key applications may be to serve individuals with compromised mitochondrial function. This can actually hamper performance under oxidative stress.

How To Raise NAD+ Naturally

Fasting, calorie restriction, exercise, and NAD boosters increase the intracellular levels of NAD+, activate SIRT1, and have other physiological benefits. There are a number of ways to boost your NAD+ levels naturally through lifestyle change, diet, and supplementation.

When we exercise, we use up NAD+ and replenish it rapidly. As a result exercise can help us to build up our reserves.

When we burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, we preserve adequate levels of NAD+ and increase levels of NAD+ in the brain. This reduces DNA damage in the hippocampus, which is the location of memory storage. Ketosis is achieved by following a ketogenic diet. In addition, ketosis might be enhanced for part of the day through practices such as intermittent fasting, fasting mimicking, or periodic longer fasts. Calorie restriction and intermittent fasting will also increase NAD+ levels.

Vitamin B3 or niacin supplements, along with foods rich in vitamin B3, such as green vegetables, chicken, portabella mushrooms, rice, nuts, tuna, although you need to be careful of mercury, will benefit the body’s NAD+ production. Niacin is believed to act as a building block for NAD+ levels. Lycopene-rich foods, such as tomatoes, also help to prevent NAD+ depletion.

You can take a NAD+ supplement orally or apply it to your skin. When taking an oral preparation you have to take a precursor molecule, as NAD+ will break down in your gut without being absorbed. Nicotinamide riboside (NR) is this type of NAD+ precursor.

NAD IV may be an option for individuals with certain conditions such as addiction, who have access to this type of therapy. NAD+ bypasses the gut and is delivered directly to the bloodstream, where it can enter cells.

NAD repletion strategies, such as those outlined above, have shown therapeutic potential as a means to restore a healthy metabolism and physiological function. Many health conditions are multifactorial and require a root cause approach. Bearing in mind the robust and expanding research on NAD+ I’m often considering NAD+ depletion as a factor in patient’s cases, working with them to restore these pathways and reap all of the physiological and anti-aging benefits.

To work together one-on-one, please contact my office for an appointment.

COVID Vaccine Update and Vaccination Safety Concerns

COVID Vaccine Update and Vaccination Safety Concerns

As TV programs show clips of FedEx planes taking off from various airports delivering these all-important Covid vaccines to cities in the USA and Canada, many people remain confused regarding the safety and efficacy of receiving these vaccines. In fact, during the whole of last week, I’d say every single patient who left my office would ask, “What do you think about the Covid vaccine?” As I’m an integrative, functional medicine practitioner, many patients assumed that I’d be cautious about advising vaccines in general and possibly this vaccine specifically. Nothing could be farther from the truth. 

However, I do have a rather cautious approach to discussing anything to do with vaccines due to a rather unfortunate experience I had ten years ago. On my website I had a ‘recommended reading’ page. On the subject of autism, I’d included an article written by another doctor concerning his general views on autism causation. I was unaware that he’d included a line describing his experience with mothers of autistic children who could swear that, in their particular case, their child’s autistic features had begun around the time of the MMR vaccine. 

A blogger working for the Huffington Post had come across this other doctor’s article on my website and notified the Alberta College of Physician and Surgeons, based on this other doctor’s article, that I was an anti-vaccine doctor! Well, after many legal letters and at great cost, I eventually achieved a retraction of sorts but I was permanently scarred and extremely reluctant to say anything for or against vaccines. 

Soon after that incident, my nineteen-year-old son was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis. He hadn’t been vaccinated against this potentially deadly disease. He presented with a mild flu-like illness but twelve hours later was in a coma in ICU, where he stayed for three days on IV antibiotics. The doctors weren’t sure whether he’d survive. Consequently, for these reasons I’m now very cautious about taking an ill-informed stance on the subject of vaccines and always attempt to explore the literature before adopting a position regarding the topic. I always encourage my patients to do the same before they adopt a particular position one way or another.

The Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines

So, what do we currently know about the Pfizer vaccine? We know that approximately 44,000 people were studied in the company’s trial and that the adverse outcomes were low, with the vaccine having approximately 95 percent efficacy. Initially published data on November 8 stated that the vaccine was 90 percent effective, which was upgraded to 95 percent on November 18. Fifty million doses of this vaccine are due to be administered in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses will be available in 2021, with two doses per person. This would mean approximately half a billion out of 7.6 billion people.

The second vaccine just authorized by the FDA, developed by Moderna, published their data on November 16, saying that their vaccine was 94.5 percent effective. There were ninety-five cases of infection in the study population of 30,000 patients and of those, only five had received the Moderna vaccine and had only mild symptoms. Many susceptible population groups were excluded, such as pregnant women, the very elderly, the immune compromised, and children.

Vaccine Ingredients

With regards to the medicinal ingredients of the vaccine contents, each dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine contains 30 mcg of a nucleoside-modified messenger RNA (modRNA) encoding the viral spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2.

The non-medicinal ingredients are as follows:

  • 0.43 mg of ALC-0315 = (4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl) bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate)
  • 0.05 mg of ALC-0159 = 2-[(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide
  • 0.09 mg of 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine
  • 0.2 mg of cholesterol
  • 0.07 mg of dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate
  • 0.01 mg of monobasic potassium phosphate
  • 0.01 mg of potassium chloride
  • 0.36 mg of sodium chloride
  • 6 mg of sucrose
  • Water for injection

The diluent (0.9 percent sodium chloride Injection, USP) contributes an additional 2.16 mg sodium chloride per dose.

The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine doesn’t contain preservative. The vial stoppers aren’t made with natural rubber latex. We also aren’t aware of the vaccine containing some of the usual adjuvants that are added, such as thimerosal or aluminum.

How These Vaccines Work

Both the Moderna and the Pfizer vaccines are a new type called mRNA vaccines. Previous vaccines, such as the flu vaccine and the Hep B vaccine, are entirely different types of vaccines. They contain neutralized viruses or multiple viruses, as in the case of the flu vaccine. Consequently, we can’t extrapolate the same data concerning their safety and side effects profile onto these new vaccines, although some general principles can be observed (see later). Furthermore, we have no long-term studies related to these new vaccines, only animal studies and short-term human studies.   

This vaccine works by providing genetic code in terms of computer, laboratory derived mRNA sending information to your own cells on how to temporarily, not permanently, manufacture what’s known as the spike protein, which is found on the outside of the coronavirus. Your cells receive this mRNA genetic code that’s wrapped in polyethylene glycol or PEG, and yes, that is the main ingredient found in anti-freeze, along with phospholipids from the vaccine. They then absorb it and send it to an organelle inside your cell called the ribosome that then manufactures the spike protein. Your cells then release the spike protein for which your own immune cells called T cells and B cells (antibodies) are developed, attacking these spike proteins. 

The first dose, referred to as ‘priming the immune response’, is where your immune system learns to recognise the virus and this process takes from two to three weeks. The second dose is when your immune system does the main work of building your long-term defenses against the virus. 

If you should get the Covid viral infection at a later date, your body will have readily prepared T cells and B cells that will attach to the outer covering spike proteins of the actual virus and thus neutralize it. These manufactured spike proteins won’t be permanently embedded in your DNA, at least as far as we know, and won’t be permanently turning on your immune system. Thus, the effect of the vaccine won’t be long lasting.

Some estimates calculate that the effect will only last for between six and twelve months, with the possibility existing that yearly vaccinations will be necessary. 

Many vaccines, like the measles vaccine, confer lifelong immunity, but respiratory infections like Covid-19 do not and neither will the vaccines. Naturally occurring immunity seems to start to fall off after two to three months, with the possibility of getting a second infection rising after that period, especially as the virus appears to be mutating into more virulent forms. The first known case of reinfection was noted on April 25 and the first known case of a second infection causing death was published in October 9, 2020. (1)

Potential Side Effects and Symptoms

After the first dose you’re likely to feel a little pain and minor swelling around the injection site, with some stiffness in the arm muscle that usually disappears by the next day. 

After the second injection, most of the immune defense building takes place and one may feel a flu-like illness with low-grade fever, fatigue, and chills. This only usually lasts a day and is gone by the morning. 

With the future single dose vaccines, the side effects experienced may be similar to those after the second dose vaccine as mentioned. 

If you don’t develop these side effects, it may mean that your immune system isn’t adequately primed. This has been seen in the elderly, as the competency of their immune response may wane with age, as well as with the immune-compromised. 

It’s important to note that with these symptoms, you’re not getting a mild case of Covid. This is impossible as there’s no actual virus in the vaccine. This is your immune system responding to a foreign antigen as it should by raising your metabolism and mobilizing all your immune cells to the site though a protein called the heat shock protein (HSP90). 

How the Moderna and Pfizer Vaccines Differ

There are differences between the Moderna and the Pfizer vaccines. Moderna’s vaccine encodes for the entire spike protein on the surface of the virus, whereas Pfizer’s vaccine only encodes for a part of the spike protein called the binding domain. The spike protein is what a virus uses to attach to your cells, inject its DNA, and thus turn your cells into a factory for virus replication that spreads throughout your body. As the vaccine is targeted against a small aspect of the virus and isn’t the entire virus, the risk of getting sick from the entire injected or dead vaccine is nil. The Pfizer vaccine appears to elicit a slightly stronger response than the Moderna vaccine.

The Moderna version is given twenty-eight days apart, whereas the Pfizer vaccine is administered twenty-one days apart. 

Moderna uses a different propylene glycol liposomal encapsulation and the Moderna vaccine appears to be almost 100 percent effective against long-haul chronic disease. 

Moderna is authorized for people eighteen years and older, while Pfizer’s vaccine was authorized for people ages sixteen and up.

Pfizer’s vaccine needs to be stored at ninety-four degrees below zero. After it thaws, it can be stored in a normal fridge for five days but must be used with six hours if kept at room temperature. Moderna’s vaccine still needs to be kept cold, but at a standard freezer temperature of negative four degrees. After it thaws, it can be refrigerated for thirty days.

Moderna’s vaccine’s side effects were found to be more common after the second dose. Some experts are advising that people may want to consider taking the day off work after getting the second shot.

In September 2020, Pfizer published a study in Nature (2) showing that the two doses elicited a very strong immune T and B cell immune response. Concentrations were above those seen in serum from patients who had been naturally infected with Covid-19 and then recovered. It was therefore noted that those who received the vaccine had a much stronger response than those who acquired the immunity from the infection. 

Moderna also published similar data on November 12 in the New England Journal of Medicine (3) showing that their vaccine induced a robust immune response in all their patients and protected against viral replication in lung and nose cells without evidence of harm. 

Another advantage of these mRNA vaccines is that they can be made very quickly. However, a disadvantage is that they can also break down very quickly. As a result, certain precautions need to be in place. For example, the building blocks of the mRNA have to be modified so that they’re more stable. The building blocks are coated with certain materials, such as polyethylene glycol (4) and phospholipids, so that they’re less likely to be degraded.

Mast Cell Activation and Allergic Reactions

Pfizer’s and Moderna’s Covid vaccines appear to be the only lipid nanoparticle encapsulated vaccine for use in humans. The implication is that there may be a mechanism whereby these nanoparticles can incite allergic or pseudo-allergic reactions, including activation of mast cells. (5) The question then arises whether it’s the covering of the vaccine rather than the vaccine itself that causes the mast cell reaction, hence placing individuals at risk for anaphylactic type reactions. 

Were any tests run on the nanoparticle lipid carrier to secure FDA approval? At this point, we simply aren’t sure. 

However, side effects from this method of delivery have been known for some time. (6) Conjugation of polyethylene glycols (PEGs) to proteins or drug delivery nanosystems is a widely accepted method to increase the therapeutic index of complex nano-biopharmaceuticals. Nevertheless, these drugs and agents are often immunogenic, triggering the rise of anti-drug antibodies (ADAs). 

It may be possible in the future to measure antibodies to PEG and we may be able to predict an individual’s susceptibility to adverse immune reactions to PEGylated drugs and vaccines and thereby increase their efficacy and safety.  

However, Dr. Lawrence Afrin, one of the leading theorists/clinicians in the world of mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) has the following comment to make about the use of PEG: “Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is such a ubiquitously used excipient in such an extraordinary array of products (medications and otherwise) that I would think one would be hard-pressed to find a first-world (or, probably, second-world or third-world) patient who has not been exposed to it. Perhaps — and I wouldn’t even bet on it, so I’ll just say ‘perhaps’ — one could find members of remote tribes (Amazon, African, New Guinea, etc.) who have never been exposed, but it would be a challenging search.” (7)

The most important step in the manufacture of these vaccines is to freeze the vaccine so that all enzyme activity is stopped. This extreme freezing won’t be available in developing countries and thus the more traditional vaccines such as AstraZeneca vaccine or the Russian vaccine will be used in those areas. (8)

The AstraZeneca vaccine is much cheaper to produce and doesn’t require refrigeration. Early data published on November 23 indicated that the vaccine at full dosage produced 62 percent effectiveness but surprisingly, when only half the recommended dose was accidentally used, there was 90 percent efficacy. (9)(10)

What We Recommend

What we don’t have are any long-term results or any results regarding people with chronic autoimmune disease or those with chronic infections, like many of the patients we see at our clinic with chronic Lyme disease and/or co-infections. Therefore, we can offer some advice. 

If you’ve ever had a severe or anaphylactic allergic reaction to anything or have severely uncontrolled mast cell activation syndrome, you’re discouraged from getting this vaccine.

We do have previous data on people who have had some form of autoimmune disease and had a severe reaction or worsening of their autoimmune disease when exposed to a vaccine of any kind, for example the flu vaccine or hepatitis B vaccine. These people should be cautious before getting this vaccine. 

There’s also a slight risk, perhaps 0.1 percent, that you may trigger an autoimmune reaction or illness from the vaccine. Getting a vaccine of any kind may trigger an autoimmune disease. You have to balance the risk of autoimmune disease against the risk of dying from Covid. 

Basically, this is your individual risk and you’re the one that has to make the decision. 

Not everyone with chronic infections like Lyme disease also has autoimmune disease. In fact, the majority don’t have autoimmune features. If you have active infections or Lyme disease, and you’ve had severe worsening of your Lyme disease or co-infections from any kind of previous vaccination, you may not want to get the vaccine.

Safety and Side Effects: What We Know from Flu Vaccinations

Some people succumb to anaphylaxis and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) as a result of flu vaccinations.

Anaphylaxis is a severe life-threatening reaction to any antigen, which usually responds to an epi-pen injection, but if left untreated can lead to death. Guillain-Barre is an ascending paralysis from your legs and up your torso that can affect the respiratory centres in the brain, leading to death if left untreated. Usually, patients with this severe form are intubated for prolonged periods. 

The reported incidences by the CDC for anaphylaxis are 1.31 cases per million and one to two people will develop Guillain-Barre. 161 million Americans get the flu shot each year, thus around 210 cases of anaphylaxis are reported with a fatality of between 0.25 and 0.33 percent, the death rate being approximately one death every two to three years.(11) Around three to five percent of people with GB will die and a small number of people are permanently affected. 

Consequently, between four and fifteen people die every year and between three and four hundred suffer severe injury from the flu vaccine. However, approximately 55,000 people die every year from the flu itself, with most of the deaths occurring amongst the unvaccinated. 

It appears that Covid-19 vaccinations may have fewer side effects than flu vaccinations for the following two reasons.

  1. With the flu vaccination, more flu viruses are included as opposed to the one in Covid-19, thus having fewer potentially harmful antigens. 
  2. Although mRNA viruses haven’t been used in humans before, they contain even fewer proteins that the virus found on flu vaccines and so have less propensity to trigger an immune response altogether.

However, it’s worth noting that the total compensation paid out over the life of the USA government’s National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) is about $3.6 billion. The flu vaccine tops the list of the most common list of claims paid out by the NVIC for vaccine side effects. (12)

So, is the vaccine as injurious to your health as is often proclaimed? Or is it as safe as medical statistics proclaim? The subject is extremely difficult to unravel. 

We’re constantly making trade-offs between one set of statistics and the other. Many deaths occur every year from motor vehicle accidents. Approximately 39,000 deaths occur as a result of accidents in the USA every year and many more people are maimed permanently, but we all make the choice of driving to get us from A to B, knowing full well what the risks can be. 

Furthermore, we’re also aware of how diet and lifestyle play a huge role in the advent of cardiovascular disease but many choose to make no changes to their toxic food choices or lobby against the business practices of fast-food companies in order to mitigate their risks of dying of a heart attack. 

We’re therefore faced with a choice. Are we willing to make the trade-off of a few hundred people suffering long-term injury and a dozen or so dying every year from Covid-19 vaccinations in exchange for preventing a projected 500,000 or more deaths and possibly returning to normal life? Around 40 percent of the population of the United States believe it’s a bad trade-off at present, with the numbers increasing daily as radicalized right-wing and left-wing media channels and public personalities jump into the fray.

For Further Consideration

There are some further issues for consideration for those of you who wish to explore aspects of this controversial fray.

Many people are hesitant to have the vaccine as the long-term effects of these synthetic mRNA vaccines haven’t been studied in the humans. 

Animal studies using mRNA over the past twenty years have shown significant side effects, especially autoimmune disease. Hence mRNA vaccines weren’t implemented years ago because of these potential safety concerns. 

It’s important to note that all liabilities for vaccine damage have been waived for the companies producing them. 

PCR testing also has a high number of false positives.

Many people are vehemently opposed to all vaccines, not just this one, and no amount of medical reassurance and statistics will convince them otherwise. Other individuals believe that the entire Covid-19 pandemic is a hoax. Many patients are known to have denied that Covid-19 was real even as they were dying from the virus. Others have cursed the doctors who have diagnosed them and left hospitals in order to die at home. 

Many medical doctors have also adopted controversial stances. They claim that Covid-19 isn’t a real epidemic or that the Covid-19 vaccine will negatively alter your DNA. They state that the real epidemic is fear and hysteria, accelerated by corporations who gain from flawed testing, dangerous antiviral drugs, and flawed vaccines; therefore, this whole epidemic is driven by profit and hysteria. 

Others believe that the vaccine will be used as a method of population control. They think that Bill Gates is behind this epidemic so that he can make more profits from the vaccination program and that tracking chips will be embedded in people to enact some kind of population control as the world’s population increases. 

The problem that arises if between forty and fifty percent of the population are skeptical about getting the vaccine is that vaccines, no matter how effective, may not be able to turn this epidemic around. Those who get vaccinated will be temporarily protected, but approximately 128 million people who don’t get vaccinated still represent a huge part of the population that’s still susceptible to the virus. And we have no way of knowing who they are. 

Another concern is that pro-life individuals worry that the vaccine was made from the cells of aborted babies.

It’s true that traditional vaccinations use dead or altered viruses, which have to be grown in cell lines and those cell lines originated with aborted fetal cell lines. The cell lines in question did indeed originate from embryonic kidney tissue acquired from a handful of human abortions performed in the 1960, 1970, and 1980s. These cells were then grown in the laboratory multiple times for decades. 

However, no cell lines on which the viruses were grown make their way into the vaccines. The two vaccinations grown from synthetic genetic material called mRNA don’t use cell lines at all. They’re developed using genetic sequencing on computers. These mRNA vaccines are thus considered ‘ethically uncontroversial’. 

However, AstraZeneca’s vaccine is produced from a modified virus grown on cellular material that was derived from this original fetal cell line. Purists may want to consider their options with this knowledge in mind. 

Vitamin D, Vitamin C, zinc, ivermectin, and famotidine confer some immunity. I’ve previously written on this subject and will revisit it in my next blog post.  

Please make up your own mind regarding whether or not you’re going to choose to get this vaccine. 

While as a licensed physician with the Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons I must strongly encourage you to obtain the vaccine, I’m aware and sensitive to many of the dissenting points of view.

Health Canada and the American College of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology (ACAAI) Guidelines

The following guidelines are published by Health Canada and the ACAAI.

What’s known and reported by Health Canada is as follows: 

Health Canada has conducted a rigorous scientific review of the available scientific evidence to assess the safety, efficacy and quality of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. No major safety concerns have been identified. Based on the current information, Health Canada has assessed that this vaccine’s benefits outweigh its risks. The side effects observed during clinical trials of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine are similar to those experienced with other vaccines, including pain at the site of injection, body chills, feeling tired and feeling feverish. These side effects will resolve on their own and do not pose a risk to health. According to Health

Canada,(13) they have followed up on the two reports of anaphylactoid reactions to Pfizer BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine in the U.K. These reactions occurred on December 8, 2020.

Both individuals in the U.K. had a history of severe allergic reactions and carried adrenaline auto injectors. They both were treated and have recovered.

As vaccine roll-out begins in Canada, Canadians may be wondering about the risks of allergic reactions. In Canada, all vaccines carry a warning about the risk of serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, and immunization clinics are equipped to manage these rare events.

People with allergies to any of the ingredients of the vaccine are currently cautioned against receiving it. This caution is already noted in the Canadian Product Monograph (prescribing information) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. (14) Health Canada has reviewed the available evidence and has concluded that the current Product Monograph and available public health guidance are appropriate, and is not recommending any changes to the product’s use at this time.

If you know you have allergies to any of the ingredients in the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, you should not receive it.

If you have experienced a serious allergic reaction to another vaccine, drug or food, you should talk to your health professional before you receive the vaccine.

Health professionals should follow guidance and recommendations related to identifying and managing serious allergic reactions following immunization. This includes ensuring that appropriate medical treatment and supervision are in place at all vaccination sites, as indicated in the Product Monograph.

The ACAAI published their guidelines on the risk of allergic reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine on December 14, 2020 (15):

Allergic reactions to vaccines, in general, are rare with the incidence of anaphylaxis estimated at 1.31 in 1 million doses given. With the emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine by the FDA on December 11, 2020, the ACAAI COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force recommends the following guidance for physicians and other providers related to risk of an allergic reaction on vaccination. These recommendations are based on best knowledge to date but could change at any time, pending new information and further guidance from the FDA or CDC.

  1. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should be administered in a health care setting where anaphylaxis can be treated. All individuals must be observed for at least 20-30 minutes after injection to monitor for any adverse reaction. All anaphylactic reactions should be managed immediately with IM epinephrine as the first line treatment. 
  2. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should not be administered to individuals with a known history of asevere allergic reaction to polyethylene glycol as it is a component of this vaccine known to cause anaphylaxis. 
  3. Data related to risk in individuals with a history of allergic reactions to previous vaccinations and/or mast cell activation syndrome/idiopathic anaphylaxis is very limited and evolving. A clinical decision to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should be undertaken by the physician or other provider administering the vaccine using their professional judgment and in consultation with the patient, balancing the benefits and risks associated with taking the vaccine.
  4. Individuals with common allergies to medications, foods, inhalants, insects and latex are no more likely than the general public to have an allergic reaction to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Those patients should be informed of the benefits of the vaccine versus its risks.
  5. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is not a live vaccine and can be administered to immunocompromised patients. Physicians and other providers should inform such immunocompromised patients of the possibility of a diminished immune response to the vaccine.
  6. Anyone with questions related to the risk of an allergic reaction to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should contact their local board-certified allergist/immunologist.

References

  1. Mulder M. et al., Reinfection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in an immunocompromised patient: A Case Report. Clinical Infectious Diseases https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa1538
  2. Sahin U, et al., Covid-19 vaccine BNT162b1 elicits human antibody and TH1 T cell responses, Nature 2020 Oct; 586 (780): 594-599.
  3. Jackson LA., An mRNA Vaccine against SARS-COV-2- Preliminary Report N Engl J Med 2020 Nov 12; 383(20): 1920-1931.
  4. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a petroleum-derivative compound that is made from ethylene glycol (ethane-1,2-diol), the main ingredient in antifreeze. PEG can be found in a number of other products, including skin creams and personal lubricants, and as a food additive for anti-foaming purposes. *THIS IS NOT A REFERENCE
  5. Pseudo-anaphylaxis to Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)-Coated Liposomes: Roles of Anti-PEG IgM and Complement Activation in a Porcine Model of Human Infusion Reactions – PubMed (nih.gov)
  6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169409X20301083
  7. Personal email correspondence
  8. Voysey M, Clemens SAC Madhi SA et al. Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK. Lancet. 2020; (published online Dec 8.) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32661-1
  9. Nanoparticles Vaccine against Infectious Diseases. Pathi R, Frontiers in Immunology 4th October 2028
  10. Vaccine Injury Table National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/vaccine-compensation/vaccine-injury-table.pdf 
  11. https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2020/74543a-eng.php
  12. https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2020/74543a-eng.php
  13. American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) Guidance on Risk of Allergic Reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine December 14, 2020

A Positive Outlook During the COVID-19 Outbreak

The vast majority of the world’s population that has access to any source of media outlets is currently under the collective fear-driven news cycles of an upcoming apocalypse due to the emergence and spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19.  As I write this, a CCN alert flashed across my screen stating that there were 3,000 cases of coronavirus in the United States with 62 deaths. This number was updated six hours later to 3,155 cases. No doubt by this evening, this number will be adjusted upwards, a trend that will probably increase for the foreseeable future, the exact end-point being entirely unknown.

While all due caution is absolutely imperative and all medical guidance should be strictly followed, as I stated in my other pieces regarding coronavirus, parts one and two, I couldn’t help but reflect on what appears to be an innate tendency of all living systems to trigger homeostatic mechanisms that force self-correction whenever one side of its expression become too polarized to either extreme. It appears that evolution itself has to adjust course in light of new information by self-correcting evolutionary realignments.

We know from history that disasters are often followed by tremendous gains and achievements. The extreme horrors of World War II were followed by an extraordinary period of increased economic, social, and political global growth and relatedness, rather than nationalism, which was unprecedented in history. It was the same with 9/11. Immediately following those events, murder rates plummeted, and kindness and appreciation were unleashed upon civil servants, hospitals, demolition crews, and emergency medical services. Out of control real estate, airline, and hotel prices were corrected, and there was increased dedication to global causes. The list is much more extensive but undoubtedly real, when previous issues and statistics were assessed through this lens. 

One of the greatest and most well remembered political speeches of all time was delivered at the first inauguration by Franklin D. Roosevelt as the 32nd President of the United States. At that time, the nation was at the peak of the Great Depression and the speech was heard by tens of millions of American citizens.  

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves, which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.”

He went on to say, “There is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. There are many ways in which it can be helped, but it can never be helped merely by talking about it. We must act and act quickly.”

So, while we’re currently in the grip of the downward, fear-driven spiral that’s mostly emphasizing the potential catastrophic consequences that may or may not result from CoVID-19, how can we best compensate for those fears and reflect on the potential upside of this situation? And most importantly, what can we do to mitigate this fear-driven spiral into ennui, inaction and a potential sense of hopelessness?

What follows are some compensatory ideas that are in no way meant to downplay or minimize the suffering that many people have gone through or are about to go through. However, if we’re to embrace the homeostatic principles that there are no crises without blessings and we don’t live in a one-sided world where there are only losses without gains. So, let’s examine a few potential consequences that might arise from this present situation. 

  1. Global warming. The global warming crisis seemed to be almost impossible to reign in, despite the most well-meaning attempts by a subset of global political and environmental leaders. With all kinds of global travel grinding to a halt, it’s inevitable that at least a pause to the upward tend of global warming, primarily due to the carbon footprint induced by travel, will be inevitable. When climate change experts examine this effect in months or years to come, maybe their statistics can be used to convince others of the need for a more sustained and ambitious action regarding this omnipresent threat.
  2. Exotic animal trade. China stopped the trade in wild animals for the purpose of consumption such as dogs, rodents, yaks, snakes, porcupines, and bats when the link between animals and the coronaviruses was discussed. Officials from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said they isolated the virus taken from a seafood and wildlife market in Wuhan believed to be the source of the outbreak. The coronavirus that caused the 2003 SARS outbreak was traced to the civet cat, a wild animal considered a delicacy in parts of South China. The civet is used in the popular dragon tiger phoenix soup, which is believed by locals to help with arthritis, stimulate poor blood flow, and revive decreased libido. The movement of humans toward recognizing animals as sentient beings may be assisted, a movement initiated and kept alive by the PETA president and founder Ingrid Newkirk and written about in her best selling book, Animalkind.   
  3. Consumerism. Our western culture is an extroverted and consumer driven one. Perhaps by sitting at home for extended periods, with the stores, at least at present, bare of many types of consumer goods, we can reflect on our impulse to seek emotional consolation outside of ourselves by buying new items that we may not need. I do realize that the beast of online shopping may be unleashed but here’s hoping that the online stores may not be able transport unnecessary consumer goods due to the transport channels being slowed down. 
  4. Possibility of increased relatedness. A series of recent posts by Rebecca Arendell Franks, who along with her husband and child has now been on forced quarantine in China for over 50 days, is quite illuminating. She said that, “Our family life has never been better. Usually, one weekend is long enough before I’m ready to send each of us back to school or work. But for SEVEN weeks, we’ve been home together with very little outside influences or distraction, forced to reconnect with one another, learn how to communicate better, give each other space, slow down our pace, and be a stronger family than ever before. I encourage you to read the link regarding this at the end of this article. 
  5. Nature emerging from the technological and human encroachment upon its domain. It’s been observed in Wuhan that the sound of birds singing has been heard for the first time in a long time since the crisis began. In Wuhan, Rebecca Arendell Franks commented, “Right now, I hear birds outside my window (on the 25th floor). I used to think there weren’t really birds in Wuhan, because you rarely saw them and never heard them. I now know they were just muted and crowded out by the traffic and people. All day long now I hear birds singing. It stops me in my tracks to hear the sound of their wings.”
  6. Learning new technologies for virtual relatedness. How does ZOOM actually work and can I teach my grandfather to hook up? 
  7. Learning to cook. Maybe we can now, instead of ordering food in or going out to a restaurant, learn to cook for ourselves and make that tasty, healthy recipe that we’ve always been meaning to get around to. 
  8. Examination of our national leader’s skill set in crisis management. 
  9. Exercise. Finally, the Peloton bike or treadmill can be put to good use!
  10. Non-drug based medicine. Examination and renewed interest, along with a certain amount of respect given, of alternative methods for treating symptoms of coronavirus, and indeed other viral related illnesses such as the three studies currently underway in China on the use of IV vitamin C for the treatment of corona related pneumonia. See blog posts part one and two for further details. 
  11. Lifestyle factors. An awareness of how lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, sleep, and stress play an extraordinary role in immune efficiency.
  12. Business awareness. Small business will become aware of cash flow issues, staffing needs, and unemployment issues.
  13. US Federal Reserve slashing interest rates. Maybe now is the time where one can afford the mortgage on a new home that seemed out of reach a few years before. Or maybe people with fixed student loan payments can borrow money at a lower rate to pay those off. 
  14. Learning to connect with others non-locally. There’s a common misconception that in order to benefit from the full experience of another human being we have to be in their physical presence. Yet if we truly love someone and see both sides, the dark and the light, of their being, we can sit quietly, hold them in our hearts, and send deep love and appreciation to them for being in our lives. It helps if we have an understanding of the Einstein-Podolsky- Rosenberg paradox (EPR paradox) in quantum physics that showed that if one particle had ever been in contact with another particle, if they were separated across the full expanse of the universe in space and time, they’d be eternally intertwined or entangled. Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance.”  

(Please note this is a very simplistic explanation for quite a complex issue.)  

A few more quick positive outlook possibilities:

  1. Increased revenues for the medical device industry.
  2. Increased revenues for the supplement industry.
  3. Increased connection to neighbours to assist with grocery runs.
  4. Appreciation for the media and their updates.
  5. Appreciation for our doctors, nurses, and miscellaneous healthcare workers and politicians for rising to the occasion and setting minute by minute guidelines
  6. Appreciation for mobile device apps, Google, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for keeping us informed.
  7. Appreciation and understanding of our own vulnerability.
  8.  Resetting of values and personal reflection on what is truly meaningful, including a reorganization of values and priorities.  

So, as we step back, reassessing our priorities both personally and collectively, these are a few thoughts I’ve had in these troubling and somewhat frightening times. If Nobel Prize winning chemist Ilya Prigogine is to be believed, even insentient material systems have an inherent drive to self-organization. When physical systems get pushed too “far from equilibrium” they escape this chaos by leaping into higher level states of organized order, referred to as “order out of chaos”. My challenge to all of you is, what inherent dynamic force may be at play in your life, driving you toward greater and greater wholeness, complexity, and consciousness in the midst of these very challenging times? What thoughts of this nature have come to your mind in these times?

While you contemplate having a positive outlook and these deeper thoughts, stay safe, follow your governmental and health directive guidelines, and do what you need to do to get through these times. We must attempt to move beyond the greatest fear, which is that of fear itself. 

See part one and two for specific coronavirus updates and treatment suggestions. 

Preventive and Treatment Strategies for COVID-19: Part 2

Keep Fighting Fit

It’s only common sense to keep our bodies as healthy as we can to help us to fight off all kinds of illnesses. Obviously, we’re always going to encounter germs in our daily lives but keeping our immune systems in good condition is an excellent defense strategy. 

Follow these steps: 

  • Get enough sleep, ideally seven or eight hours each night. 
  • Try to reduce stress where you can in your life. 
  • Make sure you’re on a diet that contains plenty of plant-based antioxidants, minerals and vitamins and eat healthy food to keep your body and immune system in good shape. 
  • Make sure that you always get enough exercise whenever you can to keep everything in working order. 
  • Stop consuming all sugar
  • Stop smoking or vaping immediately. 

Get some N95 facemasks before supplies are gone. 

  • An N95 respirator is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles.
  • The ‘N95’ designation means that when subjected to careful testing, the respirator blocks at least 95% of very small (0.3 micron) test particles. If properly fitted, the filtration capabilities of N95 respirators exceed those of facemasks. However, even a properly fitted N95 respirator doesn’t completely eliminate the risk of illness or death.

N95 respirators aren’t designed for children or people with facial hair. Because a proper fit cannot be achieved on children and people with facial hair, the N95 respirator may not provide full protection.

A full list of FDA approved respirators is provided below. These might already be out of stock everywhere but put orders in regardless of the backorder. 

  • 3M™ Particulate Respirator 8612F
  • Pasture Tm F550G Respirator
  • Pasture Tm A520G Respirator

Transmission through the eye is a common vector for the aerosolized virus. One of the common transmissions is touching public items then touching your face and transmitting it through the eye. Frequent hand washing and excellent hygiene are paramount.

Drug treatments

It’s important to be aware that there are at present no antiviral treatments that are effective for the treatment of Covid-19. There are currently no vaccines available for SARS-CoV-2. The present treatment approach is for supportive care and symptom management only. If people become severely ill, vital organ function support is necessary, usually in a hospital or ICU setting. 

Here’s a link to the number of drugs that as of February 2020 were being studied for the treatment of Covid 19. . 

The CDC also has a site discussing antiviral medications for the flu here

A Chinese multicenter collaboration group suggested this malaria drug might be useful for the treatment of Covid-19 pneumonia. In another recently published paper, the use of hydroxychloroquine, 400 mg twice daily followed by a maintenance dose of 200mg twice daily for four days, was found to be more potent than chloroquine to inhibit SARS-CoV2. Hydroxychloroquine was also shown to have fewer side effects than chloroquine while still addressing the inflammatory cytokine storm induced by the virus. 

The recommended dose of chloroquine phosphate was 500mg twice daily for ten days. 

This drug is traditionally is used as an antiparasitic and has been studied for the treatment of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus. This drug has been shown, in test tube studies at least, to have activity against MERS-CoV and other coronaviruses. Further studies are being undertaken to determine its true efficacy. The recommended dose was 1000mg twice daily for 10 days.

A 62-year-old man who became Spain’s first coronavirus patient is believed to have made a full recovery after being treated with an HIV drug called Kaletra or lopinavir-ritonavir. Miguel Ángel Benítez was admitted to the Virgen del Rocio Hospital in Seville, where he received an antiretroviral drug, which has been used to treat HIV and AIDS for over ten years. The drug was combined with interferon beta, which is a protein that prevents cells from becoming infected and is administered to multiple sclerosis patients. Santiago Moreno, head of infectious diseases at the Ramón y Cajal hospital in Madrid, said that the “SARS-CoV-2 protease is very similar to that of HIV,” using a name that sometimes refers to the novel coronavirus.

In this February 2020 article it was discussed that “Coronavirus infection (regardless of the various types of corona virus) is primarily attacked by immune cells including mast cells (MCs), which are located in the submucosa of the respiratory tract and in the nasal cavity and represent a barrier of protection against microorganisms. Virus activate MCs which release early inflammatory chemical compounds including histamine and protease; while late activation provokes the generation of pro-inflammatory IL-1 family members including IL-1 and IL-33.” The article proposes for the first time that inflammation by coronavirus may be inhibited by anti-inflammatory cytokines belonging to the IL-1 family members. 

It may be that individuals with MCAS are at higher risk for developing the serious consequences of this infection and thus may benefit from much stricter control of the mast cell activation syndrome if infected. Nebulized cromolyn and/or glutathione or n-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and/or IV Benadryl may be extremely helpful in these conditions.

In addition to the previous suggestions, there are a number of natural substances and supplements that can be of help in lowering your risk of becoming infected with the current coronavirus. Many of these approaches are not specific treatments for the coronavirus but have been studied and referenced in the literature as having antiviral effects.

It’s common knowledge that vitamin C is good for us but there have been clinical trials in China regarding the intravenous use of vitamin C to help treat patients suffering from Covid-19. A dose of between 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight (this is equal to quite a low dose of between 7.5 and 15 grams for a 180 lb person) was given to patients intravenously for three consecutive days and was very effective. There are currently three clinical trials sponsored by the Chinese government studying vitamin C. Dr. Tom Levy and Dr. Jeanne Drisko from the integrative U.S. medical community are involved in the Chinese studies. Dr. Richard Cheng MD PhD, who has been studying IV vitamin C, is suggesting the use of oral vitamin C.  The one study can be found at the clinicaltrial.gov website. High dose vitamin C at 20 grams has been used in ICUs for some time in an attempt to reduce mortality from septic shock, in one study from 40% to 4%. However, most hospitals refuse to administer IV vitamin C for viral infections since it’s not considered standard of care. It’s quite likely that these Chinese studies will place high dose IV vitamin C therapy for viral infections a part of mainstream treatment in the future.   

In the United States, doctors who have pioneered vitamin and mineral therapies have also been studying the effects of intravenous vitamin C, with a February 2020 paper being published. “Early Large Dose Intravenous Vitamin C is the Treatment of Choice for 2019-nCov Infected Pneumonia” recommends this for the treatment for pneumonia resulting from the virus. 

A recommended minimum oral daily dose of vitamin C is 2,000mg. Twice daily dosing is recommended due to the water-soluble nature of vitamin C and the fact that it’s quickly metabolized. If one wants a liposomal formulation, certain brands do provide this option or you can make your own by adding https://klinghardtinstitute.com/one or two teaspoons of Body Bio PC (phosphatidyl choline) to 2 grams of powdered vitamin C and stirring it vigorously. Divide your dose and take twice daily. Watch for diarrhea if your dose is excessive.

This is also very important. It’s recommended that we have a minimum of 2,000 IU and a maximum of 10,000 IU per day. The usual daily dosage for vitamin D is 1000 IU per 25 pounds of body weight. It’s best to get vitamin D levels measured and to have serum levels in Canada between 150 and 200 nmol/l. People tend to have lower vitamin D levels in the fall and winter months due to fewer hours of sunlight. However, our bodies need vitamin D to support our immune system so we need to make sure that we’re getting enough of this vital ingredient. All the cells in our bodies have receptor sites but only two types are in every cell. These are thyroid hormone receptor sites, which are responsible for metabolism, and vitamin D receptor sides. This gives you some idea of the importance of vitamin D in maintaining our overall health and wellbeing. Research indicates that vitamin D may even be more effective than the flu vaccine when it comes to flu prevention. Consequently, it’s a good idea to include vitamin D in the fight against Covid-19.

It has been reported by many clinicians that high doses vitamin D of 50,000 IU over three days is highly effective in treating acute viral infections. This dosing is contraindicated in any person with lymphoid malignancies and in any patient with granulomatous diseases such as sarcoidosis, where high calcium levels are an issue. Also, a relative contraindication is pregnancy. This is by no means an approved treatment for Covid 19.   

This has been shown to be effective in fighting infections and also supports the immune system. Zinc can help to prevent coronavirus and other viruses multiplying in the throat and nasopharynx, which is the space above the soft palate at the back of the nose connecting the nose to the mouth and allowing us to breathe through our nose. When you begin to exhibit symptoms of the illness zinc capsules can be taken several times a day. The recommended dose for zinc is between 40 and 50mg per day.

This has also has some antibacterial and anti-viral properties. If you use an official product such as Argentyn 23 you have a clear idea of how much silver you are putting into your body and don’t run the risk of taking too much. If you have viral symptoms, the recommended dosage is one teaspoon seven times per day. However, this is only a short-term solution as there are side effects such as skin discoloration if silver is used for too long.

This herb has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda for a long time. It’s been shown that the herb’s compounds have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antioxidant benefits. The herb boosts the immune system and is often employed to fight cold and flu symptoms. As a result it does have a role to play in treating the latest version of coronavirus, at least in the short term. One capsule twice a day is the recommended dose of the herbal supplement if you exhibit symptoms of the virus. There are a number of referenced articles that demonstrate its effectiveness against the influenza virus, particularly with regards to respiratory symptoms. Lyme patients with active disease may have a Herxheimer reaction as it increases lymphocyte proliferation and interleukin -2. 

Another natural short-term solution if you have typical flu symptoms, such as a cough, sneezing, and a runny nose, is elderberry extract taken up to six times a day. Elderberries come from the European elder tree, which is not the same as the American Elder, Elderflower, or Dwarf Elder. People believe the extract helps with the common cold, influenza, boosts the immune system, and reduces inflammation.

Is also known as marigold and has been used as a medicinal herb for a very long time. The plant’s extracts have antiviral, antigenotoxic, and anti-inflammatory properties that can be used to treat some of the symptoms of Covid-19. 

Also known as dandelion, this can also be used as an anti-inflammatory supplement. Dandelion also has antioxidant properties and some studies indicate that it has antiviral benefits and is good for our immune system. 

This is known to be a potent antiviral, particularly in animal models infected with corona virus. Dr. Ramzi Asfour, an infectious disease physician, suggests Beekeeper’s Natural propolis spray. Propolis increases cellular immune responses and has antiviral properties. Propolis can also be dispensed in a vaporizer (available from Ki Science) and has been shown to neutralize circulating mycotoxins in the air. 

Most commonly known as skullcap, this is another flowering plant with medicinal qualities. It has been used to treat conditions such as respiratory infections and inflammation and have antibacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties. 

Also referred to as sweet wormwood this has been used in traditional medicine for some time and has been employed in medicines to treat malaria. There are some indications that the plant may also be used to treat some coronavirus symptoms, particularly the SARS related coronavirus.

Dr. Klinghardt, in his extremely informative PowerPoint presentation, has recommended placing calendula, licorice, scutalaria, andrographis, artemisia, and dandelion tinctures, calculated for their weekly dose, in a blender with 100mls of clean water and 14 grams of vitamin C powder. Add two tablespoons of liquid Body Bio PC phosphatidyl choline and blend for a few minutes. Put this mixture in a glass and keep in the fridge. Each day, drink one seventh of the dose.

This product contains 19 different herbs with antiviral and immune modulating effects, including licorice, skullcap, dandelion, and rosemary.

Some patients have access to peptides with immunomodulating effects. I recently returned from a peptide conference in Los Angeles and the following peptides were suggested for their antiviral and immune modulatory effects.         

  • Thymosin alpha 1 – This is the most recommended peptide for immune stimulation. This should be used as a treatment adjuvant and a prophylactic and can help with many conditions beyond viral illness. The recommended daily dose in 450mcg.
  • Thymosin beta 4 – Natural killer cells are essential for defense against tumors and virus-infected cells. The cells are activated in by ONF-Gamma. This is activated by IL-18, which TB4 upregulates. Therefore, TB4 has ben studied for many Immune related diseases. Caution is warranted with cancer patients as it can increase the growth of cancers.
  • LL 37 (cathelicidin) – This peptide has broad spectrum antiviral/microbial, fungal effects. Peptides such as LL 37 are key components of innate defenses against infection, with both microbial and host defense modulatory functions. In addition to their well documented bactericidal potential, CHDP have more recently been shown to have antiviral properties. LL 37 has ben shown to be highly effective in preventing viral attachment to cells. It’s been used in several virus studies and has been anecdotally reported to work well with respiratory tract viruses.
  • Pentosan polysulfate – Polysulfates are highly potent and selective inhibitors of the in vitro replication of HIV and other enveloped viruses such as coronavirus. The anti-viral activity of polysulfates is a result of their shielding of the positively charged sites in the V3 loop of the viral envelope glycoprotein gpl120, which inhibits viral entry into cells and allows for immune clearance. The usual dose is 2mg/kg.
  • Selank – This is a variant of the immune molecule tufstin and has potent antiviral properties in addition to its neurological effects. The antiviral characteristics of Selank were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo against the influenza virus strain H3N2 and H5N1 and the type 1 and 2 Herpes virus. It was revealed that Selank might have a prophylactic effect during influenza infection and a therapeutic effect during a herpes virus infection. It could also be helpful with Covid-19.

The Hoffman Centre Programs for cold and flu treatment

We have developed a number of potential programs for acute cold and flu treatment. While the details aren’t specific to coronavirus many of the recommendations are applicable to dealing with virus that commonly infect us in the winter months. These recommendations are in no way a substitute for quick and rapid communication with your healthcare providers and the guidelines as issued via websites (like this one), previously mentioned at the beginning of this article.

Any treatment that you decide to undertake should start at the first onset of symptoms. The following instructions are to be followed for the duration of symptoms unless otherwise stated. 

Immediately stop consuming any sugar, since this paralyzes your white blood cells, the body’s first defense against illness. Make sure you also get plenty of sleep, at least between 7.5 and 8.5 hours per night. Hot apple cider vinegar baths twice a day will help to speed up the progression of the cold and reduce your fever, potentially halving the amount of time you may have symptoms. Add two cups of apple cider vinegar to a full bath of hot water and soak for twenty minutes, remembering to fully submerge your body. If the illness has affected the chest, you can steam water over the stove, add eucalyptus drops, and breathe in the vapor for some relief from your symptoms.

Please note that this treatment program is not to be undertaken if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Adult Dosage (age 16 and up)

Oscillococcinum is the first supplement to take at the first sign of a cold or flu. This works better for flu like symptoms (not cold symptoms) and you simply need to follow the directions on the package.

  • Vitamin D – 50,000 IU for three days. Contraindication to use of high dose vitamin D is lymphoid malignancies, pregnancy, and granulomatous diseases such as sarcoidosis
  • Mycelized vitamin A – 100,000 IU for three days. Contraindicated in pregnancy. 
  • Vitamin C – 1 to 2g two to three times daily (titrate dose upward to bowel tolerance)
  • Astragalus Tincture – 1 dropper three times daily
  • Echinamide Anti-Cold tincture – 2ml three times daily
  • Probiomax probiotic – 1 capsule two times daily 
  • Saccharomyces Boulardii – 2 capsules twice daily
  • Garlic/allicin – 2 capsules three times daily after meals. Open the capsule in 6oz of water and let sit for two minutes before drinking.
  • Argentyn 23 colloidal silver  – 1 teaspoon three times daily in water
  • Andrographis – 2 dropperfuls twice daily in water
  • Transfer Factor Multi Immune – 2 capsules twice daily
  • DHEA – 50mg per day for two to three days will boost the immune system and fight infection. Note that this is for adults only.
  • For muscle aches take arnica and/or magnesium malate – 2 caps three times daily
  • Add anti-viral supplements such as olive leaf extract – 2 capsules three times daily, oil of oregano (brand name ADP) 2 capsules three times per day and lysine 500mg 2 capsules three times daily

IV Treatment for 3 days

  • IV vitamin C – 15 to 35g once per day. Check for G6PG enzyme deficiency first
  • Alternatively – IV Hydrogen Peroxide, once per day

Child Dosage (2 years and older)

  • Mycelized vitamin A – 10,000 IU for three days
  • Vitamin D – 10,000 IU for three days
  • Vitamin C – Between 250 and 500mg three times daily (to bowel tolerance)
  • Echinamide Anti-Cold – Between an third and a half a dropper three times daily 
  • Probiomax probiotic  – Half a capsule twice daily
  • Saccharomyces Boulardii – Half to a full capsule twice daily
  • Garlic – Half to a full capsule twice daily after meals. Open capsule in 6oz of water and let sit for two minutes before drinking. Note that it is difficult to get a child to take this.
  • Argentyn 23 colloidal silver – Half a teaspoon three times daily in water
  • Transfer Factor Multi Immune – 2 capsules daily

Maintenance and Prevention 

Remember to stop consuming any sugar immediately, since sugar paralyzes your white blood cells, which provide your body’s first defense against sickness. Make sure you get at least 7.5 to 8.5 hours of sleep each night as well. This treatment program is not for women that are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Throat Infection

  • Zinc – 30 to 50mg lozenges. The topical antimicrobial effect can be important in infections of the throat.
  • Biocidin throat spray – 2 sprays three to five times daily
  • Propolis throat spray – 5 sprays three times daily
  • Argentyn 23 throat spray- 3 sprays three times per day
  • See your doctor for a throat swab to exclude strep throat and/or mononucleosis

Nasal Irrigation

Use a Neti Pot, particular with upper respiratory infection, for three days. 

  • Place one dropper full of Nasya wash into your Neti Pot with warm water and a heaping quarter teaspoon of pure non-ionized Neti Pot Salt. 
  • Stir until salt is dissolved. 
  • Add three drops of Echinacea Anti Cold and Core Phyto Lavage to the solution. Use this to perform the nasal wash as directed by the Neti Pot instructions on the bottle.

Air Spray

  • Add a quarter teaspoon of salt to the bottom of an empty spray bottle. 
  • Add five drops of Thieves, an essential oil by Young Living, on top of the salt as this will help to dissipate it, 
  • Fill bottle with warm water. 

Now you now have an air spray that will assist in lowering counts of viruses, bacteria, and molds in the air. 

  • Spray your home, office, and other areas a couple of times a day. 
  • You can also put Thieves drops into your palms and cup your hands over your face then inhale five or six times. 
  • This will prevent you from contracting a sinus or lung infection, especially during long distance flights.

Dr. Alex Vasquez Recommendations

Dr. Alex Vasquez is an internationally recognized author, presenter, and teacher, particularly with regards to immune related disorders. He earned three doctorate degrees from fully accredited universities in the United States and has worked in various clinical facilities ranging from private boutique clinics to inpatient hospital settings. Dr. Vasquez has published 120 books, articles, letters and editorials in various magazines and peer-reviewed medical journals, including British Medical Journal, Journal of the American Medical Association, Nature Reviews Rheumatology, and Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

What follows are his recommendations for viral infections and are not meant to be specific treatments for any infections, particularly coronavirus. I’ve included these references for those curious patients who are always checking out protocols online.  

Antiviral

  • Powdered Glycyrrhiza Glabra – 1.5g BID for a maximum of four weeks. Works as a tea. This is a great expectorant but avoid in heart failure patients, monitor BP and potassium
  • Zinc – Between 20 and 50mg a day
  • Selenium – 400 to 600 ug per day
  • Iodoral Iodine/Iodide – 12.5mg a day for two weeks
  • Melissa officialis – Dose variable depending on formulation
  • Carica papaya leaf extract
  • Grape seed extract (see Biotics Research Bio-Cyanidins below)

Viral Anti-replication

  • SAMe – 400mg TID plus Betaine TMG 3g BID for one week
  • Methyl-Folate – 1.6mg od for one to two weeks
  • Alpha Lipoic Acid – 300 to 400mg TID plus Thiamine 100mg (or B Complex High Potency)
  • NAC – 600mg BID to TID between meals

Immunonutrition

  • Paleo-Mediterranean Diet with no refined carbohydrates 
  • Protectamin Whey Protein – 45g a day for immune dipeptides, if dairy tolerant
  • L-Glutamine powder – 9g TID between meals 
  • Vitamin A – 100,000 IU load for three to five days, then 25,000 to 50,000 IU for two weeks (not during pregnancy)
  • Vitamin D3 – 100,000 to 300,000 IU load for one dose, then 10,000 IU for ten days to increase endogenous antimicrobial peptides
  • Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil without vitamin D – One teaspoon TID with meals
  • Selenium – 600-800mcg/d plus 800 IU vitamin E per day
  • Melatonin – 20mg qHS
  • Ubiquinol CoQ10 – 300mg od to protect the mitochondria
  • Biotics Research KappArest – Three capsules BID as NFKB hijacked by viruses for replication
  • Biotics Research Bio-Cyanidins – One tablet BID (contains marine pine bark and grape seed extract)
  • Biotics Research UltraVir-X – One capsule TID (Red-rooted sage, Boneset, Actratylodes, Sweet Violet, Wheat Grass, Bupleurum, Astralagus, Bee Propolis, Maitake, Black Walnut, Hesperidin, Rutin)
  • Biotics Research POA-Phytolens (Cats’ Claw, Lens esculenta extract) – One capsule TID
  • Consider broad spectrum multi such as Metagenics PhytoMulti at two tablets per day (adjust dosage of Zinc and Selenium above)

Treatment and Vaccines

  • There is no vaccine currently available to combat the current coronavirus outbreak. 
  • The best advice is to protect yourself in some of the ways outlined above and avoid contact with infected individuals or locations where you might encounter potential carriers of the virus. 
  • There’s no specific antiviral treatment that’s recommended for patients with the Covid-19 virus. 
  • Those infected should receive the medical treatment required to deal with their symptoms, including care of vital organs in the most severe cases. 

In Conclusion

  • While we still don’t know everything about the current Covid-19 virus, common sense and taking precautions and preventative measures will be a great help. 
  • The feeling in the medical community is that the virus is likely to become less aggressive and less dangerous over time, as many viruses do, although this is far from certain. 
  • Many viruses adapt, mutate, and continue to live with us everyday. Time will tell if the latest threat will follow the same pattern in the coming weeks and months.

As a final note, in the current circumstances, if you’re suffering from what you’d describe as symptom similar to flu such as a cough, fever, chills, or an aching feeling in the body, please don’t visit the office. If you have an appointment we can do a phone consultation instead or even connect via zoom online. Staying at home will allow you the opportunity to recover and also reduce the likelihood that you’ll pass on the virus to others.

Resources

 Expert consensus on chloroquine phosphate for the treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za ZHi 2020 Feb 20. 43:E019
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32150618
 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034116300181
https://nypost.com/2020/03/05/coronavirus-patient-in-spain-reportedly-recovers-after-being-treated-with-hiv-drug/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32013309/
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04264533
 http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v16n11.shtml
 Epidemic Influenza and Vit D. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16959053
 https://www.argentyn23.com/
 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00705-016-3166-3
 Biol Pharm Bull. 2009 Aug; 32 (8) : 1385-91
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-434/elderberry
 http://insajournal.in/insaojs/index.php/proceedings/article/view/305
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28480383
 Ferreira L, Effect of the ethanolic extract from green propolis on production of antibodies after immunization against canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine coronavirus (CCOV). Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Research and Animal Science 49.2 (2012):116-121. http://www.revistas.usp.br/bjvras/article/view/40267
Dr Horowitz newsletter 
 https://kiscience.com/product/propolair-propolis-diffuser-therapy-model/
 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383520302999
http://www.hdbiosciences.com/Download/Identification%20of%20natural%20compounds%20with%20antiviral%20activities%20against%20SARS-associated%20coronavirus.pdf
 Antiviral Research 67, No 1 (2005): 18-23
 https://klinghardtinstitute.com/
 Courtesy of Tailor Made Pharmacy.
 https://www.inflammationmastery.com/

What You Need to Know About COVID-19: Part 1

Every day brings a new update about the spread of coronavirus. There are more cases all around the world every day and naturally people are very concerned. There’s certainly not a shortage of stories in the media but is the virus as dangerous as it’s being portrayed? And is the hysteria that’s being generated potentially more damaging than the threat posed by the virus?

In Canada, you can get the very latest updates courtesy of the federal government, including the current situation in different parts of the country, the risk to Canadians, how the government is monitoring the virus, travel advice, and the symptoms, treatment, and risk factors here.

A similar range of information is available for Alberta residents here. For those of you in the U.S. you can access pertinent information here

Mass panic is certainly not going to help the situation but neither will complacency. Despite the fear being whipped up on social media and in the traditional media reports, it’s perfectly natural to be anxious about this situation. This outbreak isn’t to be casually dismissed as it is very serious and everyone needs to accept that and not be in denial. We all need to work together to get through this. We may not know everything about the coronavirus yet and vaccines, treatment and indeed cures are still some way off, but we need to determine strategies that are going to work to protect ourselves and prevent the spread of the virus. So what exactly is coronavirus?

The Virus

Coronavirus is an illness that mostly affects our respiratory system. Doctors are still learning about the virus but it is thought to primarily be airborne, which means that it can be spread from one person to another. When a person coughs or sneezes they produce what are known as respiratory droplets. These can be breathed in by other people that are nearby or left on your hands if you touch your face after coughing or sneezing. In China, the fact that the illness seems to be mainly transmitted to family members, healthcare workers and others in close contact with an infected person strongly indicates the transfer of the virus is by respiratory droplets. The droplets can also remain on objects that have been touched, such as door handles, keyboard, elevator buttons, and many other everyday items. The virus can then spread if a person comes into contact with a surface that’s been contaminated. 

It has been suggested by recent studies that asymptomatic patients are also able to transmit the infection. This means that isolation might not be as effective a weapon against the virus as was previously thought. Researchers followed viral expression through infection through throat and nasal throat swabs in a small select group of patients. The researchers discovered that there were increases in viral loads at the point when the patients became asymptomatic. Doctors in Wuhan, China, studied 425 patients that had the virus. Many of the earliest cases were linked to direct exposure to live animal and seafood markets. However, later cases were unconnected to the animal markets, reinforcing the theory that the virus is transmitted between humans. 

There are believed to be many different types of coronavirus but only 7 of them can cause disease in humans. Some of the coronaviruses that usually affect animals are also able to infect people. The diseases Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) are also caused by coronaviruses that moved to people from animals. Like MERS and SARS, COVID-19 is believed to have originated in bats. Before the illness was brought under control in 2003, SARS infected more than 8,000 people and almost 800 died. 2,465 cases of MERS have been reported since 2012 and 850 people have died. The mortality rate for SARS was around 10%, whereas for MERS the mortality rate is around 34.5%.

The coronavirus that is currently in the news is called SARS-COV-2 (formerly called 2019-nCOV). The disease that it causes has been called Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Once someone has the virus, the symptoms can be very mild but for some people they can be very serious and endanger life. Although we’re still learning about COVID-19 it does seem to be milder in its effects than SARS or MERS, with only a 2% mortality rate. Initially, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the worst severe cases in China were mostly in adults over 40 years old with significant comorbidities. This means that the patient has more than one chronic medical condition. The illness also seemed to affect more men than women, although this could change as the outbreak continues. As of March 12, 2020, COVID-19 had been confirmed in more than 128,343 people, mostly in China. To date 68,324 people have recovered from the infection. By this date, the virus had caused more than 4,720 deaths and has spread to more and more countries. These websites have information on the global situation that is updated regularly. Keep in mind that an estimated 291,000 to 646,000 people die worldwide from flu every year.

Symptoms of Coronavirus

A person that has Covid-19 might not show any symptoms at all for between 2 and 12.5 days, with the average time being 5.2 days. This one can easily pass it on to others without even knowing that they are infected in the early stages. The average time from infection to symptoms appears to be 12.5 days. The pandemic worldwide appears to be doubling every 7 days and every infected person appears to infect an average of 2.2 others.

Symptoms can include:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Breathing difficulties and shortness of breath.

While some of the symptoms are similar to colds and flu that people suffer from throughout the year, there are important differences. With the common cold we suffer from a runny nose and there is sputum or phlegm. This is the mixture of mucus and saliva that we cough up from our lungs when we get sick. With the coronavirus there’s a dry cough but no runny nose. This may occur in a small percentage of patients (4%) but it’s thought this is because they already have some form of flu or cold symptoms.

If nasal congestion does occur with this virus, it is usually very severe. If there is an associated sore throat, it can last for three or four days. The virus might then move to the trachea and lungs, resulting in pneumonia that can last for five or six days. Breathing difficulties and a high fever are also likely at this stage of the illness. People infected might have one or more other symptoms including headaches, muscle pain and stiffness, fatigue, loss of appetite, chills and sweats, a rash, dizziness, stomach upsets, or nausea. Numbers do vary but around 90-98% of people have a fever, 80% a dry cough, and 30% have trouble breathing and extreme fatigue. Acute respiratory distress syndrome developed in about 29 % of patients infected. Even though pneumonia is involved, 80% percent of these cases are mild and the person doesn’t need to go to a hospital. About 15 % had severe infection and 5 % were critical. The Chinese CDC analysis of 44,672 patients reported that the fatality rate on healthy people with no reported comorbid conditions was 0.9%.  

In general, children, younger people, and young adults seem to get mild versions of the illness. Those at the highest risk are people aged 70 to 75 or older that have existing medical conditions such as cardiac problems or pulmonary issues such as emphysema. The virus is also more likely to affect people with weakened immune systems, kidney disease, diabetes, hepatitis B, and cancer.

Protecting Yourself

There are a number of ways that you can protect yourself from being infected by the Covid-19 virus. Many of these are things should be part of our daily routines to prevent the spread of germs and keep our bodies healthy.

  • Washing your hands regularly throughout the day with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds each time will help to keep infection at bay. 
  • All surfaces of the hands need to be cleaned, front and back, between the fingers and under the nails. You can use an alcohol-based non-toxic hand sanitizer (60% alcohol-based) if there’s no soap and water available. However, always use soap and water rather than hand sanitizer whenever possible. 
  • Always wash your hands before eating and touching your face. This is something you may have heard quite often recently, but infection can be spread via the nose, mouth, or eyes if your hands aren’t clean. Admittedly, the virus can only survive on your hands for between and ten minutes but although that may not seem long you could touch another part of your body in that time and spread the virus. 
  • Things that are frequently touched in the home, workplace or other locations must be regularly cleaned and disinfected with wipes or cleaning sprays. The virus can survive for up to twelve hours if it falls onto a metal surface. On fabric it lives for between six and twelve hours but regular laundry detergent will destroy the virus.
  • Gargling can work to protect your throat from the virus. You can use a standard solution from the drugstore but really one made from salt in warm water is all you really need. 
  • It’s also a good idea to drink plenty of warm liquids such as tea rather than cold drinks, either with or without ice. 
  • Some people have also found bee propolis mouth spray to work well. Propolis is a substance created by bees to protect their hives against bacteria. As a spray it helps to relieve a sore throat or other mouth issues and strengthens the immune systems. It also encourages antioxidants in our bodies. Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules cause cell damage. CAUTION: Propolis is not to be taken if you have a Honey or Bee allergy.
  • If you’re showing no symptoms and remain healthy, avoid contact with others that are sick since the virus is considered to be airborne and spreads very quickly. It’s believed that the virus can travel between six and eight feet when it’s airborne. 
  • If you are sick with the virus, avoid contact with other so that you don’t help the virus to spread. Stay away from work or school and isolate yourself at home until you can recover. 
  • If you’re coughing and sneezing, try not to do this into your hands but into the crook of your arm or use a tissue to cover your nose and mouth and ensure that tissues are safely disposed of in the garbage. 
  • If you’re sick and have no choice but to go outside your home, wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth. This will stop you from infecting others while you’re out. However, bear in mind that if you don’t already have the virus a mask this will not protect you from catching the virus from an infected person that isn’t wearing a mask.

Resources

#.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2001737
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001316
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMONnSecl445zOPy7-KXJKw?utm_source=Klinghardt+Institute+Newsletter&utm_campaign=72be1085f0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_09_05_16_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e85a79fc40-72be1085f0-154835213&mc_cid=72be1085f0&mc_eid=980e013edf 
 https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/924268.
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/locations-confirmed-cases.html
http://cdc.gov/media/releases/2017p1213-flu-death-estimate.html
Li Q, Guan X, Wu P, et al. Early Transmission Dynamics in Wuhan, China of Novel Coronavirus-infected Pneumonia. N Engl. J Med. 2020 Jan 29 
 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html

Natural Treatments for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

I have recently returned from a most stimulating conference/think tank with Dr. Afrin and 30 other leading clinicians on Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) at Commonweal—a cancer retreat centre in northern California.

MCAS is a type of mast cell activation disorder (MCAD) characterised by an abnormal activation of mast cells resulting in chronic multisystem polymorbidity of a general inflammatory nature, with or without an allergic nature. Mast cells are white blood cells that are concentrated at the entrances to body tissues (ears, ears, nose throat, skin, genitalia, rectum), and when activated, they release over 200 signalling chemicals (e.g. histamine, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, cytokines and chemokines). These chemical mediators trigger inflammation in response to the invasion of foreign toxins, infections or chemicals, resulting in a range of chronic symptoms. With MCAS, this function becomes upregulated and chronic, occurring at inappropriate times in response to substances that are not necessary a threat. This can lead to widespread symptoms in many different body organs and systems.

Mast cells are located throughout your body in many different tissues, primarily including dermatological, gastrointestinal, neurological and respiratory tissues.  While we need mast cells to protect us from threats, they become a problem when they are overactive and hyper-responsive and will not ‘turn off’. Dr. Afrin, a leading mast cell researcher, believes that between 15 and 20% of the North American population may be affected  by MCAS. The symptoms of MCAS vary greatly. As a result, many people spend years, even decades, in search of a correct diagnosis, visiting many different subspecialists. What is more frustrating for patients is that many doctors are not familiar with the multiple ways in which MCAS may manifest.

MCAS is often found in individuals with hypermobility syndromes (Ehlers–Danlos syndrome), postural orthostatic hypotension (POTS) as well as chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) and tick-borne illnesses (Lyme disease and co-infections).

The most common symptoms of MCAS include:

  1. Feeling as though you have been sick forever
  2. Trouble with allergies and asthma
  3. Overreaction to insect bites, bee stings and chemical intolerances
  4. Facial and chest flushing
  5. Skin rashes that come and go, including hives and angioedema
  6. Itchiness and a burning feeling
  7. Brain fog and headaches
  8. Poor wound healing and easy bruising
  9. Waxing and waning of symptoms

The condition may be mild in some people and only exacerbate in response to a significant life stressor, which may be either physical or psychological in nature (divorce, bankruptcy, loss of job, travel, infection, death of a loved one, exposure to novel infections, occupying a water damaged building, exposure to cold or heat). In others, symptoms may develop from a young age and slowly become worse over time. People with MCAS are likely to experience a few of the most common symptoms. Because mast cells are located throughout the body, symptoms can affect the eyes, nose, ears, throat, skin, heart, blood, lungs, gastrointestinal tract and the nervous, endocrine and musculoskeletal systems.

The symptoms of MCAS are often confusing. For a long time, many people with MCAS have been told that their condition was psychosomatic or ‘in their head’. Fortunately, awareness of this frustrating and debilitating condition is spreading. Testing for MCAS is somewhat complex and confusing, as positive biomarkers may only be observed when a patient has a flare up. Incorrect collection of specimens may also lead to false negative testing. Many specimens need to be chilled with a refrigerated centrifuge, which is not available in every lab or doctors’ office.

If you need a comprehensive overview MCAS, I encourage you to read my article: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine: When Your Immune System Runs Rampant.

The most common drugs that are prescribed for treating MCAS include:

  • Histamine 1 blockers – Hydroxyzine (Atarax), Doxepin (Silenor), Cyproheptadine (Periactin), Loratadine (Claritin), Fexofenadine (Allegra), Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), Ketotifen (Zaditen) and Cetirizine (Zyrtec, Reactine).
  • Histamine 2 blockers – Famotidine (Pepcid, Pepcid AC), Cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB) and Ranitidine (Zantac). Famotidine is chosen most often because it has fewer drug interactions than Tagamet.
  • Mast Cell Stabilisers – Cromolyn (Cromolyn Sodium, Gastrocom—oral form, Nasalcrom—nasal spray, Opticrom—eye drops, and there is a nebulised form and a cream can be made from a bottle of Nasalcrom and Eucerin or DMSO cream), Ketotifen (both a mast cell stabiliser and an H1 blocker) and Hydroxyurea (Hydrea).
  • Mast Cell Inhibitors – Montelukast (Singulair), Zafirlukast (Accolate) and Zileuton (Zyflo). Pentosan (Elmiron) is used in the genitourinary tract for perineal pain and interstitial cystitis.
  • Antibody neutralisers – Omalizumab (Xolair).
  • Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor – Imatinib (Gleevac).
  • Stimulants – Mixed salts amphetamine (Adderall XR), Methylphenidate (Ritalin) and Ephedrine (Epipen provides an acute rescue injection when experiencing an anaphylactic episode).
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS) – Helpful in some, a trigger in others.  Aspirin is the most commonly used NSAID. COX 2 selective NSAIDs—Celecoxib (Celebrex)—are also used.
  • Low-dose Naltrexone (LDN) – Used in a step-up dosing at night.
  • Cannabinoids – Drobaninol downregulates neurons and mast cells via inhibitory cell-surface cannabinoid receptors (not available in Canada). CBD is more helpful than THC.
  • Benzodiazepenes – Addresses the inhibitory mast cell benzodiazepine receptors. Use short-acting varieties. Lorazepam (Ativan) and Clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril) are best when used three times daily. Valium and Midazolam are also sometimes used.
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors – may occasionally be of benefit.
  • IV Immune Globulin (IVIG) – this treatment is sometimes used in MCAS.

While your doctor may prescribe you some of these mast cell stabilizer drugs to help your symptoms, there are also several natural treatment options. A benefit of using natural treatments for MCAS is that you can take these on your own and they do not require a prescription. However, because most patients with MCAS present differently, it is a good idea to implement these with the guidance of a functional medical doctor who is experienced in MCAS.

Although there is a good possibility that you will eventually find the right therapeutic combination of treatments that will help alleviate many of your symptoms, the fact is that there are no specific biomarkers that will predict which therapy will be the most effective for your specific manifestation of this condition. Trial and error with both drug- and non-drug-based options is often the name of the game.

Also, if you opt for natural treatments for MCAS and mast cell activation disorder, always be sure to disclose everything you are taking to your doctor so he or she has a clear idea of what is going on. It is also important that you make only one change at a time when attempting different combinations of treatment options.

Advantages of Using Natural Treatments for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

There are many advantages of using natural treatments for MCAS, including:

  1. Lower cost
  2. No need for a prescription
  3. MCAS patients are often sensitive to pharmaceuticals, particularly the excipients (bulking agents, binders, fillers, dyes) within the products. Patients will have to work closely with their compounding pharmacists to help identify a list of offending ingredients in drug formulations. If a patient has a strange reaction to medications (e.g. insomnia while using a typically sedating antihistamine), it is likely a flare up of mast cells in the CNS causing the problem and not the drug itself.
  4. Some drugs block DAO—an enzyme in the gut that breaks down histamine
  5. Many patients prefer natural treatments
  6. May have benefits beyond mast cell stabilisation

Disadvantages of Using Natural Treatments for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

  1. Supplements are bioactive compounds that may have unacceptable effects
  2. They may interfere with known medications
  3. They still have to be processed through the same liver detoxification enzymes as pharmaceuticals and thus may have unacceptable side effects
  4. Supplements may also contain excipients that produce unacceptable side effects

Many of my patients find that these natural treatments are sufficient when it comes to treating their MCAS. For others, these natural treatments allow them to reduce the number or amount of drugs they need. When it comes to natural treatments for MCAS and mast cell activation disorder, the most effective work in the following ways:

  1. Stabilising mast cells
  2. Increasing histamine breakdown
  3. Reducing histamine levels
  4. Stabilising the immune system and reducing inflammation

With that in mind, here are some of the best natural treatments for MCAS according to the mechanisms they influence. These recommendations were presented at the think tank by Dr. Brian Bouch, a leading integrative medical doctor from California.

1. Stabilising Mast Cells

One of the best things you can do for MCAS is add natural treatments that stabilise your mast cells. Such therapies work by inhibiting the inflammatory mediators mast cells release and can be broken down into three groups (A, B, and C) based on how helpful and potent they are.

The “A” Team:

  1. Quercetin  – 2000 mg daily, dose divided
  2. Green tea (EGCG, L-Theanine) – 2 to 3 cups daily. Supplement with 500 mg (175 mg of ECGC) twice daily
  3. Curcumin (Meriva is a common brand name) – 1 to 4 g daily, dose divided
  4. Chamomile tea (Apigenin, luteolin) – 1 to 2 cups before bed
  5. Resveratrol – 20 mg twice daily
  6. Diamine oxidase enzymes (DAO) – 2 capsules with each meal
  7. Vitamin C – may need a non-citrus source such as rose hips – 1 to 3 g daily

The “B” Team:

  1. Luteolin – 100 mg twice daily
  2. Ginkgo biloba – 500 mg daily
  3. Silymarin – 500-1000 mg daily, doses divided
  4. Shea oil – 3 capsules daily
  5. Ellagic acid – 500 mg daily
  6. Pycnogenol – 500 to 1000 mg daily
  7. Magnolia/Honokiol – 200 to 250 mg twice daily
  8. Parthenolide (Feverfew) – 200 to 400 mg twice daily

The “C” Team:

  1. Fiestin – 100 mg twice daily
  2. Rutin – 200 mg daily
  3. Genistein (isoflavone)
  4. Mangostin (often taken as a juice) – 500 to 1000 mg daily
  5. Xanthium (dihydroleucodeine, also known as cocklebur) – 6 to 9 capsules daily
  6. Isatis (indoline) – 6 to 9 capsules daily

Here is some further information about select products that are used most often

Quercetin

  • Found naturally in stinging nettle, grapefruits, onions, apples, black tea, leafy green vegetables and beans
  • Downregulates the enzyme that converts the protein histidine to histamine—histidine decarboxylase
  • Inhibits the release of histamine, prostaglandins and leukotrienes— three of the most common inflammatory mediators found in MCAS
  • Decreases the production and release of inflammatory cytokines—the inflammatory mediators responsible for many of the symptoms of inflammation related to MCAS
  • Often used as a primary therapy—has been shown to be more effective than the pharmaceutical Cromolyn
  • Treats allergies, contact dermatitis, photosensitivity and inflammation
  • The dihydrate form has the best bioavailability
  • Dr. Theoharides, a top mast cell researcher, has produced a product called NeuroProtek, which contains quercetin, luteolin and rutin. At least 8 capsules must be taken daily for maximum effect.

Green Tea – EGCG

  • EGCG is the most common polyphenol found in green tea
  • Inhibits calcium influx into mast cells, thus preventing their degranulation
  • Inhibits mast cell production of inflammatory mediator leukotriene C4.
  • Has other benefits: improves brain function, improves dental health, lowers risk for cardiovascular disease, combats skin aging
  • Lowers risk for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and diabetes mellitus

Curcumin 

  • Widely used in popular supplements for lowering inflammation
  • Best found in phospholipid forms such as Meriva
  • Has antiallergic activity—inhibits the degranulation of mast cells in a dose-dependent manner
  • Inhibits inflammatory molecules—interleukin-4 and tumour necrosis factor -?
  • Widely used in cancer and joint inflammation

Resveratrol

  • Found in grapes, berries and peanuts
  • Reduces the expression of inflammatory markers IL-6 and IL-8
  • Inhibits IgE allergy reactions

Vitamin C

  • Research has shown that when Vitamin C levels fall in the blood, histamine levels increase exponentially. When Vitamin C is reintroduced, histamine levels fall exponentially
  • There is very little evidence in the literature, however, to support its use as a natural antihistamine
  • It is frequently combined with quercetin in supplements—a popular supplement is Natural D-Hist by Ortho Molecular Products. Take 2 three times per day for maximum effect
  • Be careful of citrus-based Vitamin C and be aware that high does can cause diarrhoea. It is best to take smaller amounts more frequently
  • Slow-release formulations may be better

Silymarin

  • Silymarin, an extract of milk thistle, which has been shown to attenuate mast cell-mediated anaphylaxis-like reactions
  • It also prevents the release of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor, interleukin 6 and nuclear factor–kappa B.
  • Also known to have hepatoprotective, anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory effects. Widely used to protect against drug- and chemo-induced liver toxicity

Other supplements that have been used in MCAS:

  • Lipoic acid
  • N-acetylcysteine
  • Ashwagandha – an Ayurvedic remedy known as an adaptogenic herb that modulates the body’s response to stress. Withaferin A is a compound found in ashwagandha that has been shown to prevent mast cells from releasing histamine and other inflammatory mediators
  • Vitamin D – usually best at higher doses. Need to test blood levels

Important Caveat:

Both quercetin and green tea extracts may inhibit the COMT enzyme. If you have a COMT ++ enzyme (slow function) on your 23andme, be careful when using these two supplements. The COMT gene determines your ability to process catechols, oestrogen and the major neurotransmitters adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine. Your anxiety, insomnia and pain may increase due to further slowing down of the excretion of these excitatory chemicals plus the excitatory catechols, substances found in green and black tea, coffee, chocolate, green coffee-bean extracts and quercetin.

Other things to consider in MCAS patients:

  1. Ensure you have sufficient magnesium levels, as a deficiency has been shown to induce the emergence of mast cells, particularly in the liver. Magnesium also has hundreds of other important functions in a healthy body.
  2. Zinc is another mineral you should ensure you’re getting enough of because it is important in appropriate mast cell signalling.
  3. Stress reduction is also important in stabilising mast cells. When you’re stressed, your body releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which is associated with the activation of skin mast cells. Incorporate meditation, yoga, breathing exercises and other stress-reducing techniques into your daily life.
  4. Maintaining a schedule is a great way to help stabilise your mast cells because they exhibit circadian rhythm patterns. Try to wake up and go to sleep at the same time each day. Also, avoid electronic screens before bed or wear a pair of blue-blocking glasses for better hormone regulation.

2. Increasing Histamine Breakdown

Diamine oxidase (DAO) stabilises mast cells, but more importantly, it is the predominant enzyme that breaks down histamine. To increase your DAO levels, you can take DAO enzymes. I recommend taking two capsules with each meal. You can also increase your DAO levels with high doses of vitamin C.

You should also avoid anything that blocks the release of DAO. First and foremost, this includes any form of alcohol. Histamine and alcohol metabolic pathways share common enzymes—aldehyde oxidase and aldehyde dehydrogenase. When you drink alcohol, histamine is released from your mast cells and DAO is simultaneously inhibited. This can cause a runaway chain reaction, which results in greater sensitivity to alcohol and worsening histamine intolerance. Aged cheese and wine together may induce a major mast cell activation.

3. Reducing Histamine Levels

To reduce histamine levels in your body, you should adopt a low histamine diet. Avoid the following:

  • Alcohol
  • Smoked and cured meat
  • Seafood
  • Pickled foods
  • Fermented foods
  • Leftovers
  • Canned fish or meat
  • Berries, especially strawberries
  • Nightshades, including tomatoes and potatoes
  • Preservatives
  • Vinegar

Try to eat foods as fresh as possible, and stick to anti-inflammatory foods. Adding rosemary oil to fish reduces histamine formation as the fish ages.

For a comprehensive resource on low-histamine foods, diets and recipes, I recommend my guide on the Low Histamine Diet as well as Healing Histamine.

4. Stabilising the Immune System and Reducing Inflammation

Calming the immune system and reducing inflammation is a critical part of any MCAS protocol. The recommendations above mainly help to stabilise the immune system and reduce inflammation, though there are a few other effective methods:

  1. Check and treat any underlying infections – These can contribute to a widespread inflammatory response in the body if left untreated. These may include H. pylori, Epstein Barr and herpes simplex.
  2. Correct gut dysbiosis – Correcting the balance of your gut microbiome has been shown to reduce inflammation and improve immune system health. Specifically, there are certain strains of probiotics that have been shown to help breakdown histamine, including:

Many patients will need to experiment with various therapeutic options at different doses until they find the right combination of medications that helps with their particular symptoms. If unusual side effects are experienced with known medications, remember that the excipients contained within the medications may be the problem, not the medications themselves.

While there is no cure for MCAS, there is a lot you can do to minimise the condition’s impact on your life. The good news is that most of the natural treatments for MCAS are recommendations for a healthier life that anyone would benefit from. To read more about living with MCAS, check out 12 Tips for Living With Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.

With a chronic illness such as MCAS, it is possible to live a full life—the treatment just requires a careful, comprehensive approach. If you believe you have MCAS or have already received a diagnosis and need a functional medical doctor who specialises in MCAS in Calgary, Alberta, you can request an appointment here or call 403-206-2333.

[embed_popupally_pro popup_id=”5″]

Resources:

https://hoffmancentre.com/2017/11/mast-cell-activation-syndrome-histamine-immune-system-runs-rampant/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22470478
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24477254
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28458279
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9421440
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep39934
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17490952
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25095772
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10344773
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4315779/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12793960
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21390145
https://hoffmancentre.com/2017/11/12-tips-living-mast-cell-activation-syndrome/

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine: When Your Immune System Runs Rampant

There is undoubtedly an escalating epidemic of chronically unwell people in North America. The present method of looking at illness is geared toward a single organ, a single specialty, a single drug, and voila! – let’s hope for a cure. Often patients go from pillar to post to see various medical consultants according to specialty (gastroenterologists, dermatologists, etc.), only to discover there isn’t one underlying syndrome or root cause that explains all the assorted symptoms the patient is experiencing. Patients may be given multiple diagnoses with multiple treatment options or medications, often with conflicting interactions and side effects that are worse than the underlying condition they are meant to treat.

Recently, a number of new ways of looking at chronic multisystem, multisymptom diseases has emerged as pioneering physicians connect previously disconnected dots and make sense of disparate symptoms that were never understood as components of a single syndrome. The first is the trailblazing work of Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker on chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS). This syndrome is induced primarily by mold biotoxins and the inflammagens of water-damaged buildings, ciguatera or pfiesteria infestations, or Lyme disease and co-infections. The second is the pioneering work of Dr. Lawrence Afrin on mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). Dr. Afrin is a board-certified hematologist/oncologist who recently wrote a book, “Never Bet Against Occam: Mast Cell Activation Disease and the Modern Epidemics of Chronic Illness and Medical Complexity.”

Two important books that address the complex syndromes that may underlie many chronic, multisymptom, multisystem disease conditions are:

  • Surviving Mold: Life in the Era of Dangerous Buildings, by Ritchie C. Shoemaker, M.D.
  • Never Bet Against Occam: Mast Cell Activation Disease and the Modern Epidemics of Chronic Illness and Medical Complexity, by Lawrence B. Afrin, M.D.

What is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?

What is MCAS? Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) refers to a group of disorders with diverse causes presenting with episodic multisystem symptoms as the result of mast cell mediator release, often without causing abnormalities in routine laboratory or radiologic testing. Most people with MCAS have chronic and recurrent inflammation, with or without allergic symptoms. This occurs when an aspect of the innate immune system becomes overactive and releases a flood of inflammatory chemicals, which may affect every organ in the body. The symptoms of MCAS will wax and wane over time. Another way to think of this is the symptoms will flare up and go into remission, affecting different organs and body parts, over and over again throughout a person’s life, without a common unifying theme or established diagnoses to account for the patient’s presentation of symptoms.

MCAS can present subtly but may become more serious as an individual ages. If you were to chart the symptoms of MCAS on a timeline, beginning at birth you can often identify symptoms that began at a very young age.

For some, MCAS becomes a highly probable diagnosis when they notice that they have had various symptoms of an inflammatory nature over the years. Mast cell activation syndrome symptoms may include:

  • Allergies as a toddler
  • Various skin rashes that came and went
  • Disturbed gut function (possibly diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO))
  • Unexplained anxiety
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia
  • Poor wound healing

Any of these symptoms could indicate MCAS.

Dr. Afrin believes that MCAS is an epidemic with as many as 14 to 17 percent of the US population having MCAS – one out of every six to seven individuals. It has been said that it may take up to 10 years and numerous doctor visits before someone is adequately diagnosed and treated by a knowledgeable physician-or the patient figures it out for themselves!

What are Mast Cells, Mast Cell Mediators, and Histamine?

Mast cells are types of white blood cells that release up to 1000 signaling chemicals, or mast cell mediators, into the body as part of an immune system stabilizing defense response against foreign invaders (parasites, fungi, bacteria, or viruses), allergens and environmental toxins.
We need mast cells to protect us from infection, heal wounds, create new blood cells, and develop immune tolerance. However, in conditions in which these cells are dysfunctional or overactive, they can cause serious issues.

Mast cells are found in most tissues throughout your body. In particular, they are found in tissues that are in close contact with the environment such as your skin, airways, and gastrointestinal tract. Mast cells are also found in your cardiovascular, nervous, and reproductive systems.

Mast cell mediators are the preformed granules secreted by mast cells in response to an outside stimulus, which can occur very quickly, in milliseconds. Mast cell mediators include histamine, proteases, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, chemokines, and cytokines. Their job is to signal and guide other cells, tissues, and organs to respond to the hostile invaders. These mast cell mediators provoke potent inflammatory responses that can include urticaria (AKA hives-skin rash and swelling), angioedema (swelling beneath the skin surface), bronchoconstriction (airway constriction), diarrhea, vomiting, hypotension (low blood pressure), cardiovascular collapse, and death, all within a matter of minutes.

Detailed Symptoms of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Patients who come into my office with MCAS usually have multisystem, multisymptom inflammatory responses. These symptoms have often caused them to trudge from doctor to doctor, undergoing rounds of testing, causing them to feel extraordinarily confused as to what’s happening to their body. Because the symptoms of MCAS have so broad a reach and differ so considerably from person to person I’d like to break them down by nonspecific, general clues, and organ system signs.

See Keith Berndtson’s (http://havenmedical.com/) slide below: Permission to use slide given by author.

  • “I’ve been sick for as long as I can remember”
  • “I overreact to bee stings, mosquito bites, penicillin and most medications”
  • “I can’t take a full breath”
  • “Whenever I stand up I get lightheaded”
  • Insomnia/sleep disorders starting early in life
  • Tinnitus/ringing in the ears from a young age
  • Vomiting as an infant
  • Abdominal pain as an infant
  • Facial and chest flushing ( a red flush when embarrassed or stressed)
  • Dermatographism-a red line appearing on the skin when scratched with a blunt object
  • Frequent infections, cold, viruses, gut viruses as an infant, adolescent or adult
  • Fatigue and malaise
  • Frequent fevers
  • Edema-“water” accumulation in different parts of body
  • Waxing and waning of symptoms
  • Food, drug, and chemical intolerances (especially fragrances). This is a very common symptom which may be exacerbated by phase 1 and phase II liver detoxification problems as identified by gene testing
  • Sense of being cold all the time
  • Decreased wound healing
  • Hypersensitivity to much in environment, including medications
  • Weight gain or loss
  • Heat intolerance
  • Frequent family history of cancer, especially intestinal or bone marrow (hematologic)
  • Generally feeling inflamed
  • Generalized lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes)

MCAS Symptoms by Organ System

Eyes – Red eyes, irritated eyes, dry eyes, burning eyes, difficulty focusing vision, and conjunctivitis (pink eye).

Nose – Nasal stuffiness, sinusitis, postnasal drip, hoarseness, laryngitis, nose bleeds (epistaxis), and intranasal sores.

Ears – Ringing in ears (tinnitus) and Eustachian tube dysfunction (blocked, popping ears).

Throat – Vocal cord dysfunction, throat swelling, sores on tongue/mouth, itchy throat, burning mouth, and difficulty swallowing

Skin – Hives, angioedema (swelling of the skin), skin flushing, itching, skin rashes, dermatographism (when scratched skin causes a red welt), chronic itching, urticarial pigmentosa (legion/hive-like spots on the skin), flushing, bruising easily, reddish or pale complexion, cherry angiomata (skin growths), patchy red rashes, red face in the morning, cuts that won’t heal, fungal skin infections, and lichen planus.

Cardiovascular – Fainting, fainting upon standing, increased pulse rate (tachycardia), palpitations, spikes and drops in blood pressure, high pulse or temperature, high triglycerides, lightheadedness, dizzy, hot flashes, and postural orthostatic hypotension syndrome (POTS).

Respiratory – Wheezing, asthma, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing deep, air hunger, dry cough, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic interstitial fibrosis.

GI Tract – Left upper abdominal pain, splenomegaly (enlarged spleen) epigastric tenderness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and/or constipation, abdominal cramping, bloating, non-cardiac chest pain, malabsorption, GERD/acid reflux, cyclic vomiting syndrome, colonic polyps, and gastric polyps.

Liver – High bilirubin, elevated liver enzymes, and high cholesterol.

Neurological – Numbness and tingling (especially in the hands and feet), headaches, migraines tics, tremors, pseudo-seizures, true seizures, waxing and waning brain fog, memory loss, poor concentration, difficulty finding words, and spells of cataplexy (suddenly becoming disconnected from and unresponsive or unreactive to the world around).

Musculoskeletal – Muscle pain, fibromyalgia, increased osteopenia, osteoporosis, weakness, and migratory arthritis (joint pain).

Coagulation – History of clots, deep vein thrombosis, increased bruising, heavy menstrual bleeding, bleeding nose, and cuts that won’t stop bleeding.

Blood disorders – Anemia, increased white blood cell count, platelets, decreased white blood cell counts, decreased neutrophils, decreased lymphocytes, decreased platelets, reductions in CD4 helper lymphocytes, reductions in CD8 positive suppressor lymphocytes, reductions or excesses of IgA, IgG, IgM, IgE, a known condition called MGUS, myelodysplastic syndrome (reduced red cells, white cells, platelets), and increased MCV (mean corpuscular volume).

Psychiatry – Anxiety, panic, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), decreased attention span, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), forgetfulness, and insomnia.

Genitourinary – Interstitial cystitis, recurrent bladder infections, sterile bladder infections, and frequent urination.

Hormones – Decreased libido, painful periods, heavy periods, infertility, and decreased sperm counts.

Dental – Deteriorating teeth.

Anaphylaxis – Difficulty breathing, itchy hives, flushing or pale skin, feeling warm after exposure, weak and rapid pulse, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and fainting.

Illnesses Associated with MCAS

There are a number of illnesses and conditions that can exacerbate MCAS, including chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), poor methylation as determined by genetic MTHFR defects (leading to low SAMe, which degrades histamine intracellularly), deficiencies in histamine-N-methyltransferase enzyme (HNMT; degrades histamine in the liver) and deficiencies in the gut-based diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme, which degrades histamine found in food. Histamine is one of the many inflammatory mediators released by individuals with MCAS. For those with healthy DAO levels, nearly all the histamine derived from food sources are broken down by their DAO enzymes.

But when there’s a lack of DAO, a DAO deficiency, histamine can assist in creating intestinal permeability and upregulated inflammation. If a person suffers from small bowel intestinal overgrowth (SIBO) or has significant small intestinal issues (called dysbiosis), the lining of the small intestine may be disrupted. This leads to even lower levels of the DAO enzyme and hence, intestinal permeability.

A woman who struggles with chronic fatigue and malaise throughout her life gets pregnant and suddenly feels energetic and wonderful throughout her pregnancy. Studies suggest this could be because DAO levels are up to 500 times higher than normal during normal pregnancies.

Alternatively, a person who was previously quite healthy develops a bacterial infection, is prescribed a 10-day course of antibiotics and suddenly develops severe reactions to certain foods. When looked at closely, these foods are found to contain high histamine levels. The current fads of consuming bone broths and fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kombucha only help to exacerbate this condition.

Histamine can have a powerful effect on a person’s wellbeing, making it important to be aware of the symptoms that indicate MCAS.

Histamine Intolerance is a Subset of MCAS

Mast cell activation syndrome (also referred to as mast cell activation disorder (MCAD)) is sometimes confused with histamine intolerance. The major difference is that with MCAS and mast cell activation disorder, a person’s mast cells secrete many mediators of inflammation, such as leukotrienes and prostaglandins, not just histamine-although histamine is an important component. Histamine intolerance is considered a subset of MCAS where too much histamine is released from mast cells, too much histamine is taken in by consuming histamine-containing foods, histamine is not broken down in the gut because of DAO gut enzyme deficiency, or not broken down in the liver because of HNMT deficiency.

However, histamine is not all bad; it serves useful functions as a neurotransmitter, helps to produce stomach acid, and is an important immune mediator when not in excess.

Diagnosis of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

A proper diagnosis of mast cell disorder requires the presence of several symptoms from the above list. In addition, other disorders should be ruled out by a specialist in functional medicine.

MCAS is so difficult to diagnose because it may present in so many varied ways that traditional health care providers are not always trained to assess. There is a tremendous range of possible presentations, with local and remote effects which wax and wane over time.

If MCAS is suspected at our office, I send patients home with Chapter 6 of the book Mast Cells – Phenotypic Features, Biological Functions and Role in Immunity by David Murray. This chapter was written by Dr. Afrin, entitled Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. It describes, system by system, most of the symptoms that can be attributed to this diagnosis. Patients then return the symptom check list, which we review together slowly in order to establish the clinical diagnosis. I then order the lab tests to prove its existence.

In Dr. Afrin’s own words, “The general presenting motif of MCAS is chronic multisystem polymorbidity, generally of an inflammatory theme and with assorted elements waxing and waning over time, sometimes in synchronization with one another but more often cycling with different periods and amplitudes. The range of mast cell mediators and their effects is so great that “unusual” presentations actually become de riguer.”

Lab tests can be done to check for mast cell mediators. Tryptase is one of the most common mediators released by mast cells in those with mastocytosis (abnormal numbers of mast cells), but not for those with MCAS (abnormal release of proinflammatory mediators by mast cells, but not an increased number, as in the much rarer mastocytosis). Lab tests can also check for other mediators, such as histamine and prostaglandins; however, most doctors and many labs, particularly those in Canada, will not run the tests that are required to make the diagnosis.

Sometimes patients are able to identify triggers of their MCAS. These may be food or non-food triggers. Pay close attention to what you’ve eaten and have been exposed to when symptoms worsen.

After symptoms have been identified, other conditions have been ruled out, lab tests have been analyzed, and some treatment techniques have proven to relieve symptoms, an official diagnosis of MCAS is made.

10 Non-Food Triggers of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

If you’re struggling or suspect you have MCAS, it’s in your best interest to reduce your exposure to these triggers, including:

  1. Extreme temperatures – either hot or cold
  2. Exposure to mold or Lyme disease and coinfections
  3. Emotional stress
  4. Insect bites
  5. Chemicals in personal products
  6. Medications that liberate histamine or block DAO
  7. Sodium benzoate -a common food preservative
  8. Airborne smells from chemicals or smoke
  9. Heavy metal toxicity – aluminum, mercury, lead, cadmium, bismuth and arsenic are known to be mast cell destabilizers
  10. Anesthetics

10 High Histamine Foods that Should be Avoided

Studies have shown that eliminating foods high in histamine and other triggers can significantly improve symptoms. Ten of the highest histamine foods include:

  1. Yeast and alcohol
  2. Dairy (especially fermented dairy like kefir)
  3. Gluten
  4. Fermented foods, especially sauerkraut, kombucha, miso
  5. Cured and smoked meats and fish
  6. Shellfish
  7. Citrus foods – lemon, lime, orange
  8. Vinegar
  9. Leftover and aged food – especially if left in the refrigerator and not frozen immediately
  10. Berries – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries

Conditions Associated with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Because MCAS is a chronic, multisystem, multisymptom condition with an inflammatory theme, it’s been associated with a number of conditions and diseases, including:

  • Chronic inflammatory response syndrome
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Gut dysbiosis – the gut is rich in mast cells and home to over 70% of the immune system. Parasites, bacteria, fungi, and parasites can all trigger gut mast cells.
  • Obesity
  • Diabetes
  • Asthma and allergies
  • Autism
  • Autoimmune diseases (such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto’s)
  • Candida overgrowth
  • Celiac disease
  • Parasite infections
  • Skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis
  • Food intolerances and allergies
  • Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
  • Infertility and endometriosis
  • Chemical and medication sensitivities
  • Postural orthostatic hypotension (POTS)
  • CIRS – exposure to mold mycotoxins is a potent stimulator of mast cell activation
  • Migraines
  • Depression
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Fungal infections
  • Tinnitus
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Cancer

In general, inflammation accompanies MCAS and most of its coinciding or associated illnesses. If you are struggling to get one of these illnesses under control, there’s a possibility MCAS could be causing further complications.

It’s a good idea to check for MCAS if you have any of the above conditions and vice versa.

You can take our Hoffman Centre for Integrative Medicine MCAS Questionnaire HERE.

Ask Your Doctor for Lab Work

MCAS can be difficult to diagnose because lab test results may fluctuate as symptoms wax and wane. Many tests may need to be repeated during times of symptom flare-ups. Poor handling of specimens by the laboratory is also a real issue affecting results. Lab testing may thus result in false negatives despite a clinical history highly consistent with MCAS. Furthermore, MCAS doesn’t always cause abnormalities in lab work, adding to the complexity of diagnosis. Positive lab work is obtained only 20% of the time.

If you’re interested in getting lab work done to check for MCAS, I recommend the tests listed below. The top five, in bold, are the most important and necessary to establish a diagnosis:

  1. Histamine – plasma – Quest 36586 – must be chilled. Normal range – 28-51 ug/l.
  2. N-Methylhistamine – 24-hour urine – must be chilled. Normal range – less than 200 mcg/g.
  3. Prostaglandin D2 – plasma – must be chilled. Must be off NSAIDS (Motrin, Advil), aspirin, ASA, anything containing aspirin, for 5 days.
  4. Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) – 24-hour urine – chilled. Must be off NSAIDS (Motrin, Advil), aspirin, ASA, anything containing aspirin, for 5 days.
  5. Chromogranin A – Quest 16379 – must be off proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and H2 blockers (Pepcid and Zantac) for 5 days before tests, since they can falsely elevate chromogranin A.
  6. Prostaglandin 11-beta F2 Alpha (PGF2alpha) – 24-hour urine – chilled. Must be off NSAIDS (Motrin, Advil), aspirin, ASA, anything containing aspirin, for 5 days.
  7. Serum Tryptase – Quest 34484. Rarely elevated in MCAS. NR less than 11.5 ng/ml. Positive if increase over baseline of 20% or baseline greater than 15.
  8. Leukotriene E4 – 24-hour urine – chilled. Must be off NSAIDS (Motrin, Advil), aspirin, ASA, anything containing aspirin, for 5 days.
  9. Plasma heparin Anti-XA (must be off heparin products) – chilled. Degrades quickly.
  10. Blood clotting profile – Thrombin/PT/PTT/INR.
  11. Anti-IgE Receptor antibody.
  12. Neuron Specific Enolase – Quest 34476.
  13. Plasma pheochromocytoma workup.
  14. Porphyria workup.
  15. Factor VIII deficiency.
  16. Plasma free norepinephrine – Quest 37562.
  17. Urinary metanephrines – can b done in normal Calgary labs.
  18. Immunoglobulins – IgG, IgM, IgE, IgA
  19. Bone marrow biopsy looking for the following markers: CD117/CD25; CD117/CD2.
  20. Gastrin
  21. Ferritin
  22. CBC – eosinophils, basophils.
  23. Antiphospholipid antibodies.
  24. Genetic testing looking for Phase 1 and Phase II liver detox and methylation defects.
  25. Dunwoody Labs – test zonulin, histamine, DAO enzyme deficiency.

Many of these tests require specimens that are chilled by using a special centrifuge as the mast cell mediators are fleeting and degrade very quickly if not handled properly.

Further tests that may be of help:

  1. MTHFR gene mutations
  2. MAT gene mutations
  3. DAO gene mutations
  4. HNMT gene mutations. The liver plays a role in histamine intolerance. Histamine is not just disassembled in the gut by diamine oxidase (DAO). It is also disassembled in the liver, where it is in high concentrations, by HNMT.
  5. Glutathione levels. If glutathione levels are depleted, the inflammatory mediators released by mast cells may not be adequately neutralized by glutathione, the master antioxidant. This can lead to a vicious circle where oxidative stress results in mast-cells releasing inflammatory chemicals, which need to be detoxified by Phase 1 of the liver. If glutathione is low, the liver will be unable to neutralize them, resulting in further inflammation and oxidative stress.

These tests can help you identify whether MCAS is the cause of your mysterious and seemingly unrelated symptoms.

Treatments for Lowering Histamine and Reducing MCAS Symptoms

Now, you might be thinking, “Why can’t I just take an antihistamine?”

Antihistamines don’t actually reduce histamine release. They only block histamine receptors, preventing you from feeling the symptoms. You may need a round-the-clock blockade of the H1 and H2 receptors, every 12 hours.

  • Histamine 1 blockers – hydroxyzine, doxepin, loratadine, fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, ketotifen, and cetirizine.
  • Histamine 2 blockers – famotidine (Pepcid, Pepcid AC), cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB), ranitidine (Zantac). Famotidine is chosen most often as it has fewer drug interactions than Tagamet).
  • Mast cell stabilizers – cromolyn, ketotifen (both a mast cell stabilizer and an H1 blocker), hydroxyurea, quercetin.
  • Leukotriene inhibitors – montelukast (Singulair), zafirlukast (Accolate)
  • Tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

H1 and H2 blockers must be taken every 12 hours for maximum effect. It may take up to 12 months to achieve maximum therapeutic effect. The doses may need to be increased to up to three times the recommended over-the-counter dosing.

  • Eat a low-histamine diet: Remove alcohol, smoked and cured meat, tinned fish, pickled and fermented foods, berries (strawberries being one of the worst culprits), citrus, nuts, chocolate, dairy, spinach, yeast, soy sauce, tomatoes and tomato products, preservatives, and vinegar. Stop eating leftover food. This will only reduce the incoming histamine and won’t affect the mast cell overactivity within the cells of the body. A comprehensive guide regarding the low-histamine diet can be found here.
  • Promote good gut health: Cut back on gut-damaging and inflammatory foods, and increase probiotics. Use a DAO enzyme, which goes under the generic name Umbrellux DAO – two tablets, 20 minutes before each meal.
  • Stabilize mast cell release of histamine with quercetin and vitamin C 500 mg – two tablets three times daily. We use a product called Natural-D Hist from Ortho Molecular Products.
  • Use H1 and H2 blockers every 12 hours – I use, on average, levocetirizine 5 mg twice daily and famotidine 20 mg twice daily.
  • Block nighttime histamine release with ketotifen or zaditen – 0.25-1 mg at night. Excellent sleep aid, mast cell stabilizer, H1 antihistamine. Excellent treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis.
  • Treat any existing infections: Have a thorough examination done to identify and treat any potential infections in the body which are powerful mast cell triggers. Stool testing by Genova labs and Cyrex Lab Pathogen Testing (array 12) can be of assistance in identifying pathogens.
  • Identify and remove toxins and allergens: This could be heavy metals, mercury fillings, cosmetics, and household cleaners.
  • Nutrients that assist in the treatment: This includes vitamin B6, alpha lipoic acid, vitamin C and E, selenium, omega-3s, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), methylation donors like methyl-folate, SAMe, and riboflavin.
  • Herbs: Nigella sativa, butterbur, turmeric, ginger and peppermint.
  • Get into a solid routine: Getting high quality sleep and staying on schedule helps keep mast cells in check.
  • Reduce stress: Stress, through the action of corticotropin hormone, can activate your mast cells and cause them to destabilize and release mediators.
  • One of the best resources for how to deal with histamine and mast cell activation through nutrition and supplementation is the website and Facebook posts by Yasmina Ykelenstam www.healinghistamine.com.

It can be incredibly discouraging to feel so sick for so long and not find any answers. It is my hope that we continue to learn more about multisystem conditions such as MCAS and spread useful information so it may end up in the hands of those suffering.

Share this article with friends and family to help spread the word about MCAS symptoms. They may discover it’s more than allergies that’s keeping them down.

Resources

Yasmina Ykelenstam – excellent resource:  www.healinghistamine.com.

Dr. Afrin’s website – the main researcher:  www.mastcellresearch.com. Many links to mast cell information are available on this website.