2 June 2020
You will have your head bashed in with everything written about, claimed about, and talked rubbish about COVID-19. What to believe, what not to believe? Is this some weird virus that kills people in a way never seen before? Why are children developing a strange widespread inflammatory condition that looks like Kawasaki’s disease? And suchlike.
What I am going to tell you here are my thoughts on what I have learned about COVID, incorporating a great deal of previous knowledge from clever people. This is not the Gospel according to Dr Kendrick, but I am going to present what I believe to be a coherent hypothesis about how COVID kills people. Everyone can feel free to attack it from all sides. [This is going to get quite technical at times].
The hypothesis here is that, the way the COVID kills people is, primarily, by damaging the endothelial cells that line all blood vessels, and also the lung endothelium facing the atmosphere.
This endothelial damage then triggers a widespread ‘inflammatory’ response that triggers the development of blood clots – not just in the lungs – but also everywhere else in the body. The endothelial damage is, in effect, the body attacking itself, through an immune response – the so-called ‘cytokine storm’. Some of the resulting clots that result are small, some big. This overall process is known as Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC).
DIC, by blocking and damaging a high percentage of small blood vessels in the lungs, hampers gas exchange, driving down oxygen levels, and can lead to death through oxygen desaturation.
Other organs can also become seriously damaged, because DIC can block up blood vessels anywhere in the body. Larger blood clots can cause strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure and suchlike. Clots forming in veins, in the legs, can break off and travel into the lungs where they create pulmonary embolism. Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) is a common cause of death.
Essentially, people die as a result of blood clots.
Diabetes and COVID
The probable reason why diabetes has been found to be an important risk factor for dying from COVID is that, in diabetes, hyperglycaemia (excessively high blood sugar level) specifically damages the glycocalyx (a protective glycoprotein layer covering all endothelial cells). This exposes the endothelial cells to greater damage and will lead to a greater and more widespread level of DIC1.
An additional problem with diabetes is that the glycocalyx layer is primarily where nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized. Nitric oxide is a potent anticoagulant factor and helps to protect endothelium from damage by Reactive Oxide Species (ROS) a.k.a. super-oxides.
NO also stimulates the production of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in the bone marrow. EPCs will cover areas of endothelial damage, growing into mature endothelial cells, to form a new layer of endothelium. This can reduce both the inflammatory response and DIC.
COVID-19 does nothing unique – it just does more of it
The idea of a virus causing and inflammatory response, followed by DIC is not new. Influenza A has also been shown to do this. As highlighted in the article ‘Aberrant coagulation causes a hyper-inflammatory response in severe influenza pneumonia.’
‘Influenza A virus (IAV) infects the respiratory tract in humans and causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide each year. Aggressive inflammation, known as a cytokine storm, is thought to cause most of the damage in the lungs during IAV infection. Dysfunctional coagulation is a common complication in pathogenic influenza, manifested by lung endothelial activation, vascular leak, disseminated intravascular coagulation and pulmonary microembolism. Importantly, emerging evidence shows that an uncontrolled coagulation system, including both the cellular (endothelial cells and platelets) and protein (coagulation factors, anticoagulants and fibrinolysis proteases) components, contributes to the pathogenesis of influenza by augmenting viral replication and immune pathogenesis.’ 2
As you can see, this is much the same sequence of events as happens with COVID infection. The additional, major problem with COVID is that, because it enters cells through the ACE2 receptor, it specifically disables/damages this receptor.
This, in turn, blocks a key pathway pathway to NO synthesis. Instead of NO being synthesized, a ‘super-oxide’ is created, which causes more endothelial damage. In this way COVID has a dual damaging effect. There is less NO being made, with additional ‘super-oxide’ production. This effect was also seen with SARS 3.
Kawasaki’s and COVID
It seems that in the midst of COVID far more children are developing Kawasaki’s than has been seen before – although it remains very rare. This has led to the question, can COVID cause Kawasaki’s. I think this is almost certainly the case, because these conditions have very similar clinical manifestations.
Although the agent, or agents, that can cause Kawasaki’s have never been identified, Kawasaki’s disease is essentially a widespread vasculitis (damage/inflammation in blood vessels). It seems that an infective agent may alter endothelial cells in such a way that the body feels they are ‘alien’ and then decides to attack. A delayed immune response.
‘A new hyper-inflammatory disease seen in children is now thought to be a delayed immune reaction to COVID-19, as experts say there could have been up to 100 cases in the UK so far.
Last week, the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Professor Russell Viner, said the number of cases across the country stood between ’75 and 100?, and said the evidence pointed to the syndrome being the body’s delayed overreaction to the virus.’4
This delayed reaction is probably why the infective agent(s) causing Kawasaki’s have never been found. The agent causes the problem, then is gone, then the antibodies become active two or three weeks later.
In support of this concept, in Kawasaki’s Anti-Endothelial Cell Antibodies (AECA) can be detected 5. These almost certainly coordinate the immune attack on the endothelium, causing the secondary cytokine storm, and the other forms of organ damage that have also been seen in COVID.
In essence, the parallels between COVID and Kawasaki’s are very close, and both can be related directly to endothelial damage. So, I think it can probably be said that COVID does cause Kawasaki’s.
COVID as a form of viral sepsis?
Another way to look at this is as COVID as a form of viral sepsis. Sepsis is due to a bacterial infection, not viral infection. In sepsis, bacteria get into the bloodstream and multiply.
As they multiply, they secrete (waste product) ‘exotoxins’. These exotoxins strip off the glycocalyx and seriously damage the underlying endothelial cells. This, in turn leads to widespread clotting (DIC). As with COVID you end up with organ failure and death. There can also be loss of fingers, toes, entire limbs, due to the blockage of smaller blood vessels.
‘Deviations from normal endothelial barrier function can lead to or be caused by various internal or external stresses and pathologic conditions. Sepsis and septic shock, as recently redefined, are associated with pulmonary edema caused by increased permeability to proteins across pulmonary endothelial and epithelial barriers, and recovery from septic shock is associated with a reduction in edema, consistent with restoration of vascular function.’6
The treatment regime
Looked at in this way, the treatment regime for COVID (support treatment) should consists of three prongs
1: Anticoagulants – e.g. low molecular weight heparin (to prevent DIC)
2’: Immunosuppression to reduce the assault on the endothelium by the immune system. The most powerful immunosuppressants are corticosteroids (to stop the immune attack on the endothelial cells)
3: Agents to help protect/stabilise the endothelium and/or increase nitric oxide synthesis
COVID kills the endothelium
Many people have been baffled by the manifestation of COVID:
‘In April, blood clots emerged as one of the many mysterious symptoms attributed to COVID-19, a disease that had initially been thought to largely affect the lungs in the form of pneumonia. Quickly after came reports of young people dying due to coronavirus-related strokes. Next it was COVID toes — painful red or purple digits.
What do all of these symptoms have in common? An impairment in blood circulation. Add in the fact that 40% of deaths from COVID-19 are related to cardiovascular complications, and the disease starts to look like a vascular infection instead of a purely respiratory one.’ 7
In fact, COVID is both a respiratory and cardiovascular disease. However, I believe that its many manifestations, and the way that it kills people can be explained by the unifying observation that it damages endothelial cells.
Can Vitamin C be beneficial?
There have been many studies demonstrating the vitamin C can help to support nitric oxide synthesis and reduce super-oxide damage. As described below:
‘Circulating levels of vitamin C (ascorbate) are low in patients with sepsis. Parenteral administration of ascorbate raises plasma and tissue concentrations of the vitamin and may decrease morbidity. In animal models of sepsis, intravenous ascorbate injection increases survival and protects several microvascular functions, namely, capillary blood flow, microvascular permeability barrier, and arteriolar responsiveness to vasoconstrictors and vasodilators. The effects of parenteral ascorbate on microvascular function are both rapid and persistent. Ascorbate quickly accumulates in microvascular endothelial cells, scavenges reactive oxygen species, and acts through tetrahydrobiopterin to stimulate nitric oxide production by endothelial nitric oxide synthase. A major reason for the long duration of the improvement in microvascular function is that cells retain high levels of ascorbate, which alter redox-sensitive signalling pathways to diminish septic induction of NADPH oxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that microvascular function in sepsis may be improved by parenteral administration of ascorbate as an adjuvant therapy.’8
I am aware there have been many attacks on the use of Vitamin C in COVID with various experts stating that it does not protect against becoming infected with COVID, nor does it boost the immune system. However, that is completely beside the point, we are looking at endothelial damage here.
If it is true that COVID attacks and damages the endothelium – and the evidence seems strong that it does – we must protect it. Nitric oxide can do this, as can Vitamin C. Even if it does no good, vitamin C certainly does no harm. I would strongly support its use in COVID, even if the mainstream view is to dismiss it as nonsense.
Summary
COVID is a virus that, because it forces entry to cells through the ACE2 receptors, which are found in high concentration in both lung and circulatory endothelium, causes specific damage to these cells. Due to the addition, specific action of knocking out ACE2 receptors, NO synthesis is greatly reduced, and ROS/super/oxide compounds are formed. This greatly amplifies the endothelial damage.
This damage, and the resultant ‘cytokine storm’, leads on to DIC. This in turn causes deaths through organ failure and/or large blood clot formation which can block blood supply to the lungs, the heart, the brain, the kidneys etc.
Supportive treatment requires the use of agents that can increase NO/reduce ROS, slow or stop the cytokine storm, and anti-coagulants. Oxygen is required when there is significant lung damage.
That’s it. Attack away.
2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4947825/
3: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC544093/
5: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1906533/
Dr. Malcolm Kendrick 
Thank you. Can you explain why most people are not seriously affected?
Pvh: Those with good metabolic health seem to be relatively unaffected, even among the elderly. Most people have reasonably good metabolic health.
Thankyou. So out there not just with your medical knowledge but your common sense . I so agree with your posts . The sooner the medical profession see that Vitamins are VITAL . The better for us all .. Take care
What are your thoughts on wearing masks?
While the question wasn’t addressed to me, the answer is: empirical evidence suggests the masks (both surgical and N95) are useless at protecting the wearer [1]; and the HSE did a study back in 2008 where they found that surgical masks hardly (reduction factor of 2!) protect the others from the spread, and only *properly fitted* FFP3 respirators provided a 145 reduction factor in detected active viruses in a simulated sneeze [2], which is in line with [1] to say that they are useless.
1. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2749214
2. https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr619.pdf
Well put IMoz, thank you.
@IMoz – So your suggesting that hospital workers should throw away their masks?
Here’s a recent literature review of masks – https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1435 – plus a rebuttal of anti-mask sentiments – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jep.13415
Summary – masks work.
That’s funny how those two meta-reviews seem to omit incovenient emirical studies (can you spell “selective evidence” and “confirmation bias”). *Unlike* qualitative studies, emirical studies don’t lie unless you can fault methodology, and the methodology of neither of the HSE nor the ResPECT studies has never been brought into question!
Before we start, here’s a counter-point to you: why despite the protection do the health-care workers get infected still?
First, you have to understand that not 100% of the population is susseptible to this disease, in fact, for any disease, there are those who are immune to it, this might come as news to you, but there are people who are even immute to HIV infections (those with CCR5-delta 32 mutation). Back to SARS-CoV-2, a new study just out suggests that specific group types play a role in infection: with A+ having a higher risk of infection and a protective effect of type O [4].
But let’s be homest and accurate here, and do some maths. I’ve done the maths for an eariler article on here so I’ll just copy and paste:
The size of SARS-CoV-2 virion is under 100nm [1]. Given that the trainsmission is not airborne but aerosolised, we need to consider resiratory droplets. A sneeze generates ca. 40k “droplets” of 0.5–12 microns in size, while a caugh—about 3k droplets (same number as talking for five minutes!) [2] (Let’s take a moment to consider what breating through a filter medium less than 0.5 micron might be like, given that people have beed murdered or accidentally asphyxiated with pillows over their faces, and the particle gap in feather-filled pillows is way greater than 0.5 microns!)
Now, let’s do some more fun maths! There are 10 lots of 100nm in 1 micron, and given the viruses burst cells to saturate the surrounding (unlike parasites that individually crawl to inhabit, or bacteria that expand colonies to consume), it’s plausible that a 0.5 micron droplet nucleus would have at least 1–3 viruses in it (recall the virus size is sub-100nm). Let’s suppose the 0.5–5 micron droplet nuclei account for about 20% of the expelled droplets (5+ microns droplets are uninteresting because they rapidly drop down under gravity [2]). That’s “a lot!” (term of art 😉 ) of viruses from one infected person who is caughing and intermittenly likely to sneeze, yet they are not infecting every single passer by (and that after the uncubation period)! In fact, SAGE estimated that being “locked down” with an infected member of your household merely increased the risk of infection by 20% (to 70% from 50%, with “50%” I am guessing meaning “can’t really say, could go either way”) [3].
Now, the important question: why are people (especially those who ought to know better) obessing over the arbitrary 2m “social distancing” and the utterly useless face masks???
1. https://www.rt.com/news/479057-chinese-authorities-share-coronavirus-photos/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143281/
3. para 9 of https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/888784/S0384_Sixteenth_SAGE_meeting_on_Wuhan_Coronavirus__Covid-19__.pdf
4. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.31.20114991v1
seems I can’t spell “empirical” perhaps mods could correct the first para of the above
There you go, I knew I read it somewhere before:
“Of the confirmed cases in China, 3.8% (1716/44672) were healthcare workers. Of those, 14.8% were severely or critically ill and 5% of the severe cases died[45]. Latest figures reported from Italy showthat 9% of COVID-19 cases are healthcare workers,with Lombardy region reporting up to 20% of cases in healthcare workers[46,47]. In Spain, the latest COVID-19 situation overview from the Ministry of Health reports that 26% ofCOVID-19 cases are in healthcare workers[48]. In a Dutch study,healthcare workers were tested voluntarily for COVID-19 and 6% tested positive [49]. In a report on 30 cases in healthcare workersin China, all cases had a history of direct contact (distance within 1metre) with COVID-19 patients, with an average number of 12 contacts (7, 16), and the average cumulative contact time being two hours (1.5, 2.7)[50]. In the Dutch study, only 3% of the healthcare workers reported being exposed to hospital patients with COVID-19 prior onset of symptoms and 63% had worked while asymptomatic[49].”
— https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/covid-19-rapid-risk-assessment-coronavirus-disease-2019-eighth-update-8-april-2020.pdf
So the reason why you think the facemasks etc work so well is because most healthcare workers are more than 1m away from the face of the infected patient (thereby severely limiting the amount of aerosol that reaches the worker [1]), and naturally, they know how to properly remove and dispose of contaminated gloves and garments where the respiratory droplets settle, and in cases where they are within 1m, well, the mention of China above… and in the Netherlands, 63% of healthcare workers didn’t even know they were infected!
1. “Currently, the term droplet is often taken to refer to droplets greater than 5 [microns] in diameter that fall rapidly to the ground under gravity, and therefore are transmitted only over a limited distance (e.g. less than or equal to 1 m).”— https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143281/
IMoz, thanks for attempting to clarify this. I say “attempting” because no matter what information is available, as Malcolm has pointed out more than once, the most difficult thing to deal with is an idea. Facts don’t matter.
AhNotepad, you’re spot on:
“Once a false claim that something awful might happen gets put into the community’s mind it is almost unshakeable, regardless of how clear the science is for the contrary view. A scary claim’s echo bounces around the community and gets heard again from different angles, reinforcing the claim’s grip (“many independent people, including the celebrity witch doctor, think that the rock is a lion, so that’s clearly what it is”)”
— https://web.archive.org/web/20160404011911/http://www.geol.utas.edu.au/geography/EIANZ/Ignorance_is_contagious_(July_2008).pdf
IMoz, the webarchive link did not work, but I found it here https://www.scribd.com/document/71286368/Ignorance-is-Contagious-July-2008-Dr-Ian-Woodward
IMoz,from the document, It’s very easy to convince people that a false claim of safety (“lions could never harm us”) is untrue.
This doesn’t seem to be working with masks. It appears people have latched onto a possible small benefit, while dismissing any effects that may be detrimental, and which could positively harm people who have just become infected.
AhNotepad, the reason you’re observing that effect is that it isn’t “a false claim of safety,” at least not one that stands in isolation by itself (as in your example)… It’s more of a false mitigation of a false claim of harm; turn it around to appreciate how the brain perceives it (unless you have toxoplasma gondii (and probably there are others) muching on your brain, you brain is likely “a pessimist” when it comes to survival instincts). You will see what I mean; keep reading continuation of the same sentence:
“… but it’s very hard, and sometimes impossible, to convince people that a false claim of harm (“that rock is a lion”) is untrue.”
Therein lies the problem: “COVID-19 is [universally] deadly!” blasted by “celebrity witch doctors” (in our case, mostly the media and politicians—they weren’t presenting objective evidence they were just “proclaiming” at the same time when WHO was saying “test-test-test” so we get closer to the true IFR). Just recall how often the media was repeating “the deadly virus in China” mantra (harm-harm-harm-harm-harm) even before it got anywhere near this continent! Followed by “unless you wear a mask, you will get infected,” “unless you keep two metres from each other, you will get infected.” Now you have the innate lizard brain kicking in and saying “don’t ask any questions just `run'”… And of course, there was the giant whopper of “unless we quarantine everyone, huge numbers of *you* will die!” They all “promise” harm unless an some action is taken (if you look around, a lot of discourse when someone is trying to get you to do something that you ordinarily wouldn’t is actually based on the same premise).
“@IMoz – So your suggesting that hospital workers should throw away their masks?”
The above rhetorical question ignores the gist of what IMoz actually said in favor of a cheap shot. This is not suprising given one of the statements of your chosen authority:
“I challenge my critics’ apparent assumption that a particular kind of systematic review should be valorised over narrative and real‐world evidence, since stories are crucial to both our scientific understanding and our moral imagination.” (MORAL IMAGINATION?!!)
“Narrative and real-world evidence” does not adjust for bias, confounders, or innumerable other potential issues. The idea that empirical evidence should take a back seat to moral indignation and shaming impedes true understanding of viral spread. It gives people a false sense of security, which can ironically be more dangerous “in the context of the perilous threat the world is now facing” as your scaremonger puts it.
Can someone please tell me what “valorised” means? I keep visualizing paraffin heaters. I bet it’s some buzzword bingo backformation.
KJE, something to do with price. Here is one reference https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/valorize
KJE: in this context, to ascribe validity by artifical means
You can usually type “define:valorize”, for example, into google without the quotes, of course, and it’ll give you a definition, sometimes the definitions are not quite spot on, but you can get the gist, in this case it’s not too bad.
Under the Bridge, for viruses, masks are just about as good as no mask. https://youtu.be/SLPRBCNIkCY
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext
From the article: “…Our search identified 172 observational studies…” you can pretty much stop reading there… but if you must “… Transmission of viruses was lower with physical distancing of 1 m or more, compared with a distance of less than 1 m…” there’s a confounder that isn’t even then correlated back to the mask “observation”. And, of course, the real problem is that it’s not only a *multi-variable* but an *observational* survey.
Curiously they didn’t bother setting out an objective criteria which they used to “identify” the 172 *observational* studies (one such criteria could be, for example, “discard all empirical studies that show masks are useless”). Their data collection section is, well, but a waffle. The only thing that can be said of their survey is that it is consistent with the studies they look over; and adds no new understanding or break through.
And you didn’t read the “interpretation” section either, did you?
Can you find any empirical (cf. observational or meta-analyses) studies that show the effectiveness?
IMoz, for someone who likes to pontificate in long posts that suggest that you, and you alone, are the final authority on scientific methodology, distancing, masks and any other measures to reduce transmission of viruses, you certainly have a strange way of dealing with papers that other people post: “You can pretty much stop reading there…but if you must…”
How arrogant of you to suggest that people not even bother to do their own reading because the almighty IMoz has already deemed it worthless. That’s not very open-minded of you. And to condescendingly assume that I didn’t read the interpretation section: “And you didn’t read the “interpretation” section either, did you?” is just laughable.
You have a right to your opinions, but your imperious manner reveals a character that is too off-putting to waste any time on.
teedee126, please stop attacking people. You did it with me and you’ve done it with IMoz. You may not agree with the style of posts, but just deal with the facts and avoid the personal attacks. Some people post long, some short. Sometimes things get written which, with hindsight, might be better if reworded. Unfortunately we don’t have an edit facility
I do have an edit facility, and I was getting near to using it. I shall, again, request a bit of calmness in these non-calm times. I do not want anyone to feel that cannot post something for fear of personal attacks. I encourage debate, often robust debate. But rule one is ‘no personal insults’ and I think we are (I fear we are) crossing that line. The only person you are allowed to insult on this blog, is me. Because I have become completely immune to personal attacks over the years. I have trained myself to laugh about it.
One of the best similes you’ve used, “like water off a duck,” has become my guiding principle in life, too.
Dr Kendrick,
The overly permissive parents are the ones that foster little self-discipline in their children.
(The Little Terrors!)
Masks are important for the economy. Think about it, they need to be manufactured in huge quantities, then thrown away and replaced regularly. I ever so slightly expect there is a huge markup on them. Since we are no longer manufacturing or selling much, they make a good substitute for cars. Ignore the effect on the environment of all that garbage, that doesn’t count.
Since they are medical waste does that mean they can’t be put in the garbage? They certainly can’t be recycled.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/08/more-masks-than-jellyfish-coronavirus-waste-ends-up-in-ocean
“Divers had found what Joffrey Peltier of the organisation described as “Covid waste” – dozens of gloves, masks and bottles of hand sanitiser beneath the waves of the Mediterranean, mixed in with the usual litter of disposable cups and aluminium cans.
“The quantities of masks and gloves found were far from enormous, said Peltier. But he worried that the discovery hinted at a new kind of pollution, one set to become ubiquitous after millions around the world turned to single-use plastics to combat the coronavirus. “It’s the promise of pollution to come if nothing is done,” said Peltier.”
Which wouldn’t be the first retraction as a result of political pressure rather than scientific evidence. Would it?
It would be better if you tried to read past the headline on the retractionwatch website: “Effectiveness of Surgical and Cotton Masks in Blocking SARS-CoV-2. A Controlled Comparison in 4 Patients.” Now read it again, HOW MANY PATIENTS?!
Really, what cretin thought it was a valid study in the first place, and more interstingly what moron thought it was a study worthy of publication? The only reason why I could think it would be worthy of publication is to make a specticle of the well-foreseable subsequent retraction!
Nonetheless, the HSE nor the ResPECT studies have been faulted on methodology nor sampling.
The last para should read:
Nonetheless, neither the HSE nor the ResPECT studies have been faulted on methodology nor sampling.
Hi
No mention of vitamin D and yet it seems to have a relationship with ACE 2.
According to the Standard –
Diagnosis rates Per 100,000 population
Black Ethnic 486 in women and 649 in men
white ethnic groups 220 in females and 224 in males
Deaths per 100,000
Black ethnic groups were 119 in women and 257 in men
Asian ethnic groups 78 in females and 163 in males
White ethnic groups 36 in females and 70 in males
Am I being too simple in suggesting vitamin D deficiency may have a part to play, IE darker skin = less vitamin D synthesis?
Cheers
We are getting sensible sun exposure without sunscreen or spectacles. Are we all UV deficient? I like John N Ott’s book Health and Light.
No, it makes perfect sense to suggest that. It’s probably a factor. Higher levels of melanin in the skin lead to lower levels of vitamin D absorption.
If genetics played a major part then surely we’d have seen South Asia and Africa ripped apart by this disease but it hasn’t really happened.
But then they generally get more sun over there than we do…..
I’m pretty convinced that I had “Covid toe” but I do get toe circulation problems in the winter anyway, so not sure. But this was worse than ever before. A few weeks later I had the lingering smell of smoke in my nose when there was no smoke anywhere. Other than that I just felt a bit lethargic for a few days and my temperature was about 0.5C higher than usual for a day. I’d really like to know if I’ve had it, as I think it’s way more widespread than is being repoted. But without a decent testing regime from the beginning, we’re all blundering blindly along.
There is a YouTube channel called MedCram, by a pulmonologist Dr Roger Seheult. He has proposed this hypothesis about a month or so ago. He also talks about his own prophylactic regime. Worth checking
If it’s still there, because Youtube has already pulled 3 of his videos for some mysterious, probably political, reason. Although I heard they have been put back later, so you never know.
They got reinstated after a formal complain to Youtube and an apology for the deletion. I guess they were taking down anything that mentioned HCQ , or maybe reported? However another channel of Dr David Brownstein has removed (had the content removed?) All of it. It was a proponent of vitamin supplements and regimens to enhance the immune system. A chsnnel with some 2.87 million subscribers…
Why would people with any form of immunosuppression e.g.cancer being actively treated or immunosuppressed e.g. rheumatoid arthritis being treated with corticosteroids, be at risk?
Would people with autoimmune conditions be more at risk?
Where does vitamin D fit into the scheme of things, particularly with regards to the higher risk to certain ethnicities?
Vitamin D boosts the immune system, so it stops you getting infected in the first place. If you take steroids/immunosuppressants, your immune system will be severely compromised, so you will get infected in the first place.
What if the corticosteroids you’re taking are replacement? Ie hydrocortisone for Addison’s Disease. Would it still be considered immunosuppressive? Per endocrinologist, it’s not in that case.
No it would simply be replacing the normal corticosteroids
If a person is immunocompromised then they have an increased risk of becoming infected.
If the danger of the infection is cytokine storm because the immune system goes into overdrive.
Then is the immunocompromised patient more likely or less likely to experience a cytokine storm? Are they more at risk from other illnesses rather than the covid itself as their immune system becomes overwhelmed?
Hi John: re `immunosuppression for covid-19
If one is already infected and about to experience a cytokine storm suppressing the immune system looks like a good idea. A short term high dose statin could also suppress the immune system as is used for organ transplants. Deal with one crisis at a time.
Hi, John.
My wild guess is that there are many ways to be immunocompromised.
Would people with autoimmune conditions be more at risk?
Vojdani and Kharrazian recently posted a letter to the Ed (Clinical Immunology) called Potential antigenic cross reactivity between SARS-CoV-2 and human tissue with a possible link to an increase in autoimmune disease. The authors discuss the cross reactivity of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins with human tissues and the possibility of either inducing autoimmunity or exacerbating already unhealthy conditions.
Excellent biological/metabolic summary of the deadly covid pathways.
This just reinforces how superior cardiorespiratory fitness is a key to longevity (all cause mortality).
Not sure I’ve seen any lifestyle intervention strategy PROVEN IN HUMANS that extends lifespan more than cardio respiratory fitness.
Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Exercise Treadmill Testing
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2707428
Free to download, not behind a paywall. Excellent longitudinal study. Look at Figure 2, it’s astonishing. The literature is filled with research studies largely showing similar longevity benefits with improved cardio fitness.
4 years ago I started running daily 5k/day. (moderate-high intensity cardio, 120-130 bpm). 55 yr old male. I overlay a strict ketogenic diet, and one meal a day time restricted feeding. (under the care of a doctor). I also take a basket of supplements, including Vitamin C, D, Zinc.
I cannot control the virus, but I certainly can take prevention into my own hands.
I apologize if I’ve missed this on previous posts, but how would hydroxychloroquine azithromiacin zinc cocktail work in this scenario? My understanding is hydroxychloroquine is the gun, zinc is the bullet, so to speak. I imagine azithromiacin tackles any bacterial infection that may have resulted. Am very interested in your thoughts on this.
There seem to be 2 explanations as to why hcq works. 1 is indeed ‘the gun’, 2 is that it increases acidity inside the cell, preventing the RNA reproduction from occurring. I have no idea about quantification of the two effects, so it will be difficult to say which is dominant.
SD – forwarding your link brought an immediate response from a fit 28 year old (my son) asking for an explanation for sudden deaths among top long time athletes. I assume its overtraining with long term stress on the heart muscle but possibly the immediate sudden rise in BP will put that bit too much stress on a flaky growth within the vessel durung another tough sporting event. There is also the possibility that such events are rare but tend to attract lots of publicity due to their unlikeliness. The calcification that Ivor Cummins spoke of among a disproportionate number of top retired athletes may be the factor – during the growth stages. Not something that has ever been touched on in these pages but among sporty types there may be an unwarranted hyper awareness.
From what I’ve read, there is a J curve with endurance exercise…at extreme levels (mileage, duration, intensity), the risk begins to increase from a lowest mortality inflection point. There are many studies on endurance athletes and myocardial/cardio risk factors. There definitely appears to be myocardial fibrosis at the extreme range of endurance exercise, as well as pathological elevation in CCAC, but the latter is deemed “safe calcification”. And yes, with sudden cardiac death of high profile endurance athletes, there is inevitably a negative association towards “extreme” exercise by the general public, but it’s ill informed. Your chances of living longer are far far higher being an endurance athlete than sedentary. In addition to mortality, there are also very important health-span mobility risk issues (hips/knees) with extreme endurance training, although cycling can mitigate. I have begun to mix stationary cycling with road running to dilute the impact of daily running.
Master Endurance Athletes and Cardiovascular Controversies
https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/Fulltext/2020/03000/Master_Endurance_Athletes_and_Cardiovascular.7.aspx
Association of All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality With High Levels of Physical Activity and Concurrent Coronary Artery Calcification
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30698608/
Extreme Physical Activity and Coronary Artery Calcification— Running Heavily and Safely With “Hearts of Stone”
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2722744
Prevalence of Subclinical Coronary Artery Disease in Masters Endurance Athletes with a Low Atherosclerotic Risk Profile
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28465287/
Can Intense Endurance Exercise Cause Myocardial Damage and Fibrosis?
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235905508_Can_Intense_Endurance_Exercise_Cause_Myocardial_Damage_and_Fibrosis
SD – thank you for your response. Since my health scare of 16 years ago my new exercise regime had one very obvious benefit, head colds disappeared as did the rarer flu and sleep patterns improved. Long consecutive days of moderate cycling I would recommend to anyone. An additional benefit to running (in particular) is as I have heard one consistent long term top athlete now in his 70’s refer to as to “clear the head”. Sense of purpose and rhythm purported to hav a calming effect.
Thanks again
This might be interesting to those interested in finding appropriate level of cardio. I’ve just started doing this on off weight training days.
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/maximum-aerobic-function-maf/
My theory. If there is a weakness in the glycocalyx then the more you exercise, the more you’re likely to damage the endothelium – or the more chance a virus has to penetrate to the endothelium. Thrombi form mostly on the bends or junctions of arteries. They form more in the largest ones, never in capillaries. This links their formation to velocity of the blood, which in normal situations in large arteries can be 0.5 metres per second. The blood corpuscles/lipids/viruses etc. will hit the walls/junctions with more momentum if you’re exercising faster, so any weaknesses are more likely to be exploited.
Eggs and Beer
This is an interesting book on sudden death for athletes,
https://www.google.be/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjwiqe13e_pAhUC_KQKHbVND2MQFjACegQIFBAF&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.velopress.com%2Fbooks%2Fthe-haywire-heart%2F&usg=AOvVaw00tecULWU6e8Y-pEUZH3JS
I am in no way a super athlete but this book did make me think and take more notice of heart zones
Here is a taster
A guy was taking part in a cross country ski race after driving all night to get there. As he lies beside the track maybe dying, he thinks « hey, I cant die now I have appointments this afternoon »
Mr Chris – Extract & recommendation worth quoting “One is to “rest as hard as you train.” Fatigue seems to be a central theme among athletes developing arrhythmias.
Jerome
Thank you for that. When I was recuperating in the winter from my second new hip, I noticed more incidence of arrhythmias but since taking up my more active life style again they seem to have gone away. My GP thinks they might leave me alone for a while, and agrees no news is good news.
Mr Chris – re arrhythmia, how would you describe it? I hav felt what I might describe as mild flutters at the heart location, not at all unpleasant and usually during the night tho not lately. And because its not unpleasant I never felt a need to report it. Beginning a course of supplements has co-incided with its departure, am assuming that thats purely coincidental.
I do push myself on a cycle unless it’s long distance, in which case i indulge in numerous coffee stops and just shoot the breeze !
– until the Bill Gates lockdown that is ! ( did I say Bill Gates lockdown?) OMG Looks like I got brainwashed by something or somebody – ah well !
Jerome
It manifests itself as sensation of rapid beating in the aorta. Luckily last time I managed to record it on my iPhone, with a rate of 160 bpm. I suggested to my GP that I keep a diary before involving myself with cardiologists, and that was beginning January. I was still on anti coagulation then from my hip op. Since then no arrhythmia.
I always wear a HRM when cycling so I know when to back off a bit trying to stay in the green and orange with small amounts of red,
I really recommend Haywire Heart, it taught me a lot. Also Age is just a number, by Charles Eugster who took up sprinting at age 85. He was quite an athlete and, icing on the cake, he had a congenital heart condition at birth. I like this book since I am 80, and it is inspirational not to sit around taking too much care of yourself
Like that comment “inspirational not to sit around taking too much care of yourself”
You gotta live.
Eggs and Beer, this article on the immune system focuses on psychological stress and the I.S., but it also mentions the impact of exercise on it.. In general, as most already know, moderate exercise is beneficial to the immune system, while excessive exercise can be detrimental, and in the context of C-19, we wouldn’t want to tax our immune system if at all possible. It’s a good piece if you feel like reading it: https://peterattiamd.com/sars-cov-2-and-the-host-response-psychological-stress/
I am not an MD nor human biology trained. It “appears” to be “sudden arrhythmic death syndrome” in younger athletes, and heart muscle damage over time from excessive exercise for older athletes, not an inner vascular mediated pathophysiology?
Post-mortem evidence of idiopathic left ventricular hypertrophy and idiopathic interstitial myocardial fibrosis: is exercise the cause?
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/42/4/304
“We report the case of an experienced, highly trained marathon runner who died suddenly while running. On post-mortem examination, left ventricle hypertrophy and idiopathic interstitial myocardial fibrosis was found. We believe that life-long, repetitive bouts of arduous physical activity resulted in fibrous replacement of the myocardium, causing a pathological substrate for the propagation of fatal arrhythmias.”
Sudden death in young athletes.
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/01.cir.62.2.218
“Structural cardiovascular abnormalities were identified at necropsy in 28 of the 29 athletes (97%), and in 22 (76%) were almost certainly the cause of death. Sudden death was usually due to structural cardiovascular disease, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was a frequent cause of sudden death; atherosclerotic coronary heart disease was relatively uncommon”
Etiology of Sudden Death in Sports
Insights From a United Kingdom Regional Registry
https://www.onlinejacc.org/content/67/18/2108.abstract
“Between 1994 and 2014, 357 consecutive cases of athletes who died suddenly (mean 29 ± 11 years of age, 92% males, 76% Caucasian, 69% competitive) were referred to our cardiac pathology center. All subjects underwent detailed post-mortem evaluation, including histological analysis by an expert cardiac pathologist. Clinical information was obtained from referring coroners.Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) was the most prevalent cause of death (n = 149 [42%]). Myocardial disease was detected in 40% of cases, including idiopathic left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and/or fibrosis (n = 59, 16%); arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) (13%); and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) (6%). Coronary artery anomalies occurred in 5% of cases. SADS and coronary artery anomalies affected predominantly young athletes (≤ 35 years of age), whereas myocardial disease was more common in older individuals. SCD during intense exertion occurred in 61% of cases; ARVC and left ventricular fibrosis most strongly predicted SCD during exertion.”
Post-mortem evidence of idiopathic left ventricular
hypertrophy and idiopathic interstitial myocardial
fibrosis: is exercise the cause?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3030112/
“We report the case of an experienced, highly trained marathon runner who died suddenly while running. On post-mortem examination, left ventricle hypertrophy and idiopathic
interstitial myocardial fibrosis was found. We believe that life-long, repetitive bouts of arduous physical activity resulted in fibrous replacement of the myocardium, causing a pathological substrate for the propagation of fatal arrhythmias.”
Hi Eggs, I believe that the glycocalyx has evolved to afford first line protection from viruses. Mucus secretions is another barrier. A dysfunctional endothelium that favours viral infection would have damaged glycocalyx and loss of tight junctions. Hyperglycemia can damage the glycocalyx, low vit D will affect tight junctions. Appears that covid-19 can cause global loss of glycocalyx, precipitating formation of systemic micro-thrombi in capillaries. Resulting inflammation increases blood vessel permeability and activates adhesion molecules to initiate healing. Lack of glycocalyx allows closer contact of endothelial cells with blood cells thereby promoting coagulation.
So vitamin C and vitamin D3 then?
Also K2 if you take D3.
I understand they should be taken at different times, so I take K2 first thing in th emorning on an empty stomach and D3 with my dinner.
Some notes on K2. https://www.drstevenlin.com/what-are-the-richest-food-sources-of-vitamin-k2/
Does anyone know if K1 is of any benefit. (Asking for a friend who got numbers mixed up!!)
Jerome,
Check this site: https://www.k-vitamins.com/index.php?page=Home
This fellow appears to have created his own K supplement, backed by a lot of science and his own n=1 experience.
SD – Thank you
His name is Patrick Theut and he was interviewed by Ivor Cummings plus there are YouTube videos of a talk he gave to the Wausau Wellness Center. He was a patient of Dr Bill Davis of Wheat Belly fame and it appears that his claim to have reversed his heart disease is justified. His Koncentrated-K product while expensive gives the lowest cost/gram I’ve seen to date.
Chris Masterjohn wrote an extensive piece on K2
https://chrismasterjohnphd.com/blog/2016/12/09/the-ultimate-vitamin-k2-resource
The answer to the question about K1 Vs K2 is that while many animals (eg cows) can convert K1 to K2 humans have little to no ability to do so, depending on individual variation.
Ideally you’d take your k with food as it’s fat soluble too, like vitamin d.
Dinner? Working class or snooty?
Depends at what time you eat it.
My Dad always referred to his mid-day meal as his “dinner” (what many of us call lunch) and his third meal of the day around 5 pm or so, as “supper”.
Meal at 5pm (if you are lucky enough to get home from work that early) is tea.
Yes, in your neck of the woods it’s referred to as ‘tea’, but I wasn’t trying to make a statement of fact as you are, I was simply relating what my Dad called ‘dinner’ and ‘supper’ when I was growing up. There are no hard and fast rules unless one is royalty. In fact, he thought people were putting on airs if they put the milk in their tea after it was poured instead of before…lol
Teedee – ooh now then, ‘supper’ is extremely posh (unless it’s cheese on toast just before bedtime….or Horlicks)
Janet, yes, the word, “supper” has a whole different feel when used by the wealthy or the wannabe posh types.It’s usually proceeded by the words, ‘little’ or ‘late’ as in, :”would you like to join me for little late supper on my yacht? Say around midnight?” lol…I assure you, my dad meant it in the most middle class, unpretentious way you can imagine. Even when he was comfortable financially, he wouldn’t be caught dead trying to sound snooty 😉
Dr Kendrick.
Thanks for some of the light relief in these technical pages. Good to see that indeed you haven’t lost your sense of humour. The distraction is nice.
Suppose you eat just one meal a day? Beginning about 9 am and stopping just before light out? Let’s call it ‘tiffin’ – that sounds posh doesn’t it? And not pretentious at all? Yes Jerome, a bit of light relief is good.
peter Downey – If your evening meal is your main meal = dinner, therefore midday meal = lunch
If your Lunchtime meal is your main meal = dinner, therefore evening meal = ‘something to eat.‘
If you live in’t North then your main meal (in the evening) is ‘tea’ and the your midday meal is ???? a bit of lunch anyone?
I was brought up in the Midlands and not remotely ‘posh’ and the midday meal was always ‘dinner’ and the lighter evening meal was ‘tea.’
Now I’m a tiny bit ‘posh’ and we have our main meal at lunchtime and we call it ‘dinner,’ with “Do you want something to eat?” at teatime.
I hope that has cleared things up for you. 🤪
JanB
Teedee126 : Quote : “… (my father) … he thought people were putting on airs if they put the milk in their tea after it was poured instead of before…lol”
Frm the tea estat in India I learnt that putting th milk in last, scalds the milk, therefore, put a small amount of milk in first, then strain the tea into the cup, preferably porcelain, as the porcelain gives a ‘cleaner’ colour to the colour of the brew. Green tea does not call for milk. I drink both black tea, milk first, thank you, and green tea. All tea *must be leaf, no T’bags – shudder.
As for lunch or dinner, or supper – can depend on where one lives. In France, the main meal is taken at lunch time – midday – from 12.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. A two hour break. When businesses close and most shops. It is only in the last eight odd years that supermarkets are now open during the ‘witching two hours’ ! and the evening meal tends to be a lighter meal, at about 8.00 p.m.
In Spain, Greece and Italy, the main meal is at night time, ‘dinner’. Lunch is light, with a little wine and then a siesta ! In Greece, light lunch followed by a siesta, and dinner, often not until 11.00 p.m.
India, light lunch, and an evening meal with all the family present. After sun down, when it is cooler. If you have a bit of a garden, then out in the garden. Long evenings, with family and friends.
For myself. A very light lunch, if any at all. I prefer an evening meal, and tend to keep to a more Greek time table.
Supper ? If one has an early’ish evening meal, then perhaps some members of the family might care for a light supper – a sandwich. (Usually the fellas, especially teens !!)
But in so many parts of the world, it is those iPhones, or whatever has spoilt meal times. Sad. Thankfully in most of Europe meal times tend to be civilised, good conversation, and enjoyment of good food in good company.
mmec7, though my Dad’s family left France in the 1650’s to settle in Canada, I believe they carried that tradition with them to have their main meal at mid-day (calling it dinner) and anything after that would be ‘supper’. As for the fuss about tea and when to put in the milk, we understood that the differences may have started with the idea that the wealthy (usually royalty) could afford the finest china and could pour the hot water right into their good cups, while some believed that the less expensive cups used by the lower/middle classes should be acclimated somewhat by putting milk in first. I guess there are little theories for everything, but at the end of the day, he wasn’t one for ceremony or fuss, he just wanted his tea as quickly as possible without the need for a spoon or pre-scalding 😉
I heartily agree that the longer dinner/lunch breaks taken in many European countries is something we’re sorely missing in North America with our ridiculously fast pace (getting us nowhere fast), and the advent of cell phones has made meal times almost non-existent in too many families. it’s very sad indeed.
As Jackie Healy Rae canny Kerry politician, said when asked what he meant by the ordinary man – “the ordinary man” he said “is the one who gets his dinner in the middle of the day”
Quote – Shirley Kate : “Suppose you eat just one meal a day? Beginning about 9 am and stopping just before light out? Let’s call it ‘tiffin’ ”
Beginning at about anytime from 6.00 a.m. (cooler then) to around 9.00 a.m. is what is named Nashta = nearest equivalent is breakfast. Tiffin, is a light meal, something spicey – will depend if one has had nashta (breakfast) if not, then tiffin taken late morning to around 12.30 p.m. / 1.00 p.m. Often what Europeans would call brunch or just lunch. A short afternoon light snack might also be referred to as tiffin.
Tea, per se, is tea, and a light snack, usually for children, something sweet a jalabi or burfi (Indian sweet).
In Bombay you will see the tiffin wallas, carrying any number of ‘tiffins’ of food, an amazing sight, how they manage not to muddle their clients, is summat else. See if I can find a link for a tiffin Dubbah (container) and a tiffin wallah : OK, two -in-one – hope they let me post this photo – It is an amazing sight and a fantastic servie, to office workers throughout Bombay and surrounds –
https://www.gettyimages.fr/photos/tiffin-box?mediatype=photography&phrase=tiffin%20box&sort=mostpopular
The equivalent to a tiffin would be a lunch box. A true tiffin, is a series of dubbas, set one on another, and placed into an outer container, that keeps the food, clean, fresh and even with a residue of warmth. They are brilliant. Annoyed with myself for not bringing one back with me…
Don’t forget good quality saturated fat – butter, cream, olive oil, dripping, chicken fat, full fat milk etc – as Vitamin D is fat soluble and without the fat your body can’t use it efficiently.
Brilliant article. I was halfway down when I thought ah thats the thing about Vit C. Bang on. Observationally. VIT D3 seems good too? And zinc, magnesium? Low glucose?
Pretty sure I had it in February Malcolm. Sent off for an Abbot antibody test only to have the result pending while the MHRA argue over whether a capillary sample is reliable. A friend returned from Bali, celebrating Chinese New Year there, very ill and passed on something very nasty. I had a temperature that came and went, chills, dizziness, nausea, fatigue and loss of taste/smell/appetite. Lingered like this for weeks then excruciating pain in the right lung, low down. A week later that was gone. All the while my oxygen and bp were normal. I’d been taking my usual regime of D3/K2, C, Magnesium and Zinc. I added in Quercetin. Seemed to work for me, if indeed I’ve had the plague.
Would NO producing supplements help? Such as L-arginine it L-citrulline?
Steve: L-citrulline in sickness and health! Every day!
Why are a lot of infected people asymptotic? Do they have particularly healthy endothelia? And where does vitamin D fit into this hypothesis?
Because they have a good immune system and bat the virus away before it can do any damage.
This almost suggest a ‘bad’ immune system and ‘naughty’ viruses.
But why not allow a functioning immune system is where natural viral response IS the immune function, rather than where a ‘detoxing episode’ becomes a life threatening event.
In this I assign such ‘sickness’ a role within heath rather than as a source of fear and control for human (psychic-emotional and social-medical) interventions and impositions.
As well as toxicity is strain. Constant strain is a great burden on the resources and an episode of sickness can in effect force a rest that may save not just a stitch in time, but an MI – Heart attack.
Our accepted model is the context for our perceiving and reacting to our world.
The game of ‘whack-a-mole is an attempt to ‘make it go away’ – and in a short term need – may be called for. You may want to allay a cold onset so as to deliver the speech you have been invited and paid – and travelled to deliver. On the other hand you may be glad of an excuse not to have to attend a function that is compelled, meaningless and onerous.
My health changed radically when I became self employed within a sense of meaning and challenge that aligned me in joy in life. Great strain can be the ‘normal’ of a life never able to really happen.
The more we want something to ‘go away’ the more defences are set against it – normalised as structures that we lose the capacity to even imagine changing – while the ‘pesky moles’ take on more dissonance as a systemic breakdown that of course calls up systemic means to batten down or bat away feared conflict.
Feared conflict then becomes the systemic replacement for what consciousness once navigated with a sense of wholeness.
In my reading today I encountered research that consciousness has been steadily decreasing – my own explanation being that of constant normalise strain of defences against unresolved conflict. I duck-goed ‘Gert Gerken’ as the reference to what is in my printed book:
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/losing-our-senses.129493/
snip/
The researchers at GRP now feel that over the past twenty-five years the brain of the
average individual has undergone significant changes in its organization. The decrease in
sensitivity to sensory stimuli implies that stimuli are being processed
in a different way than before. Researchers hypothesize that there are fewer cross linkag-
es or networks in the brain; therefore primarily optical stimuli go directly to
the optical center without activating other sensory or emotional centers. Thus
human beings can take in very powerful stimuli that are discordant, senseless, or
contradictory without being bothered. The trend researcher Gert Gerken has
labeled this phenomenon “the new indifference.”
/snip
I note that this pattern applies no less to Science.
How normal are we willing to be?
‘Whatever!’ …?
Redesignating human being as an infection status that must subjugate its own life to protect a ‘herd’ that HAS no individual expression – excepting of course those who design and run the model. We used to call it the rat race, and seek to escape, but now it is more of a global experiment on human lab rats in which our safety is their paramount concern. (!)
Language structures the mind. “Watch it, you!” – If you value having one.
Awareness of the world around us may be too painful to bear – but may also facilitate recognising and releasing model frameworks that invisibly lock down and mask conflict into the body Corporate such as to protect a caged bubble from upset and offence.
Correction:
Why not allow a functioning immune system to be where natural viral response IS immune function, rather than where a ‘detoxing episode’ becomes framed as a ‘life threatening pathogen’?
Binra, you will never make what most people think of as unbelievable amounts of money doing that.
I have read that having the influenza jab can pre-dispose you to a more serious effect of the Covid Virus. Is there a connection ? The elderly are more likely to have the Flu Jab which made me wonder even more !
Dr K
… and bat the virus away …
Love the pun. Intended? I think so.
Yes, good one – and, let’s hope y’all keep well away from any hospital, rephrase, any ‘doubtful’ hospital.
Have just listened to the following – Erin, the nurse who truly ‘cared’ for her patients, will need to be on her guard : she has blown the whistle and will no doubt loose her licence – what a bloody world we do live in –
Will need to use the full link to connect to the video – just over an hour long – and it will assuredly be taken down soon –
Because the term ‘infection’ is being abused. There are innumerable latent virus and bacterial functions within you at any given time. Are you thus a walking time bomb of contagion that could go off amidst an protected status of susceptibility that is in fact a likewise diverse Biotic synergy?(“Life Jim, but not as we know it”).
‘Asymptomatic infected people’ means ‘healthy people’.
Medicalising life as a source of profit and control works by framing health, life and nature in terms of an evil to eradicate, control, and manage – rather than Be and share in.
Its a technological version of St George that has in effect become the evil or chaos he thought to subdue.
Generally – life is a workability – excepting that it loses the ability to create workarounds to blocks, scarcities and conflicts that don’t resolve and operate as blocks, toxicities, imbalances and insufficiencies.
Allowing that a lot of iatrogenic and environmental stress or exposure is the result of unresolved human (relational) conflicts, we are effectively poisoning our own nest – perhaps most insidiously under the guise of boosting or manually taking over our ‘immune function’ (life).
Vit D has such a massive role within health (immune function) as to ask why did we agree to lockdown into hypothesis that framed us out of our natural environment of common sense health and fitness for a medicalised weakness demanding mass sacrifice of individual liberty – or else be assigned the status of virus by a Medical State?
The recent events are only closing the door on a herd that had already been domesticated and branded – bar a bit of shouting and some bio-technical track and tracery.
Are asymptomatic people actually infected at all? Or is the test getting confused by other similar virus “left-overs” – after all, there was the goat and the pawpaw.
How about all those various means of boosting NO?
L-arginine, L-citrulline, potassium, Viagra, and nafamostat.
How about ACE inhibitors to boost ACE2 receptors?
How about alternative anticoagulation?
Vit E, fish oil, garlic…
Do the viral attack and subsequent autoimmune attack on endothelium overlap in time? I should think timing of steroids would be critical so as not to help the virus.
How might vitamin D3 fit in?
JDPattern wrote
” How about ACE inhibitors to boost ACE2 receptors?”
Would one of the BP reducing ace inhibitors do the trick? If it does, that rather goes against the idea early on that people on ACE inhibitors to reduce their BP would be a extra risk!
Very interesting, especially for myself concerning insulin dependent diabetes. I can’t get blood tests done at GP’s ( I have tried 3 times since March), until and unless I become ill. Sounds a barmy situation to me, no doubt a stupid dictat from a barmy government. Whatever happened to preventative medicine? C19 has knocked everything off kilter, and we shall see the negative consequences of putting all our eggs in one basket.My ophthalmologist assures me that finger prick glucose testing is inferior to HbA1c.
” I can’t get blood tests done at GP’s no doubt a stupid dictat from a barmy government.”
Maybe not; my wife and I have had blood tests during that time.
dearieme, I am pleased that is your case, and trust you are both OK. However, with my case, and your case, it serves to display the confusion of mixed messages/ interpretations of the Government’s statements.
To repeat in slightly different form a question I posed last post that Dr. Kendrick didn’t respond to but some commenters did: Could “Agents to help protect/stabilise the endothelium” possibly include statins? I know Uffe Ravnskov has already written (not surprisingly) that statins / lowering cholesterol are harmful in dealing with COVID-19. I know Mandeep Mehra, who wrote to the contrary, has been attacked over his hydroxychloroquine / chloroquine study. What say you, Dr. Kendrick, about whether statins would tend to be harmful or helpful here?
I think harmful, in that LDL is a potent anti-invective player. Statins may boost NO, but there are other things that can do that better. I still think hydroxychloroquine may be beneficial, in conjunction with zinc and magnesium. L-arginine/citrulline boost NO, as does sunshine (probably more than anything else). But not many people in hospital are going to get any sun exposure, I don’t suppose. Probably the most powerful NO stimulant is viagra – but I cannot see anyone trying that. Apart from viagra, perindopril is the most potent of the ACE-inhibitors in boosting NO.
Hell, I’ll try the viagra. As a follower of yours I’m already regularly taking the zinc, magnesium, L-arginine/citrulline, D3, etc. Thanks.
ACE inhibitors boost NO? So, for someone on an ACE inhibitor for high blood pressure, that would be a good thing currently? I ask because my dad is on it and I’m concerned for him.
FIY, in Russia, HCQ (alt. MQ) is on the list of approved prophylactic treatment for both a singlton contact with a confirmed infected individual and for people at the epicentre of infection (including the medical personnel) see page 152 of [1], and is an approved clinical treatment of adults with COVID-19 (doses vary on ability to monitor QT length), see page 144 of [1].
1. https://static-0.rosminzdrav.ru/system/attachments/attaches/000/050/584/original/03062020_%D0%9CR_COVID-19_v7.pdf
Do you mean anti-infective?
From the guy who blew the whistle on over-ventilating (How do you feel about that??)
It’s the endothelium!
Why attack?
Attacking something is a sure way to reinforce it.
Where you make sense I celebrate and where you don’t I make a choice as to whether to get involved.
I am after all free to use my common sense along with Sumption of the gumption to speak out.
So ‘does covid19 kill people?’ would be my question – regardless the hysterical narrative built upon asserting it does. (It being a novel and also mutating – variant of corona virus).
Does cholesterol CAUSE death by CVD?
There was and still is an industry based on a baseless assertion.
I haven’t ruled out flu vaccine antibody abreactions to meeting the viral response in the wild – and still regard virus as a cellular response of a symbiotic living system and not a hijacker who manages to beat the entire US Defence establishment … oops – wrong ops. But some kind of humour lightens the heaviness of addiction to insanity given power, funding, allegiance and worshipful applause.
Insofar as you are looking into the mechanism of those few – and I believe they are few – who have died of the pneumonic complication – rather than the very many deaths by all causes that have been assigned to covid19 (ie died with) – you are on safer ground to postulate opinion.
As you were lamenting last post, reliable data is hard to find, and so it may be less possible to identify commonality in those who would seem to have complications of a respiratory infection that either killed them, or treatments (human and medical) that failed to serve them and or pushed them over the edge – as I believe by far most of these very few were otherwise fit and healthy or in jargon ‘not immunocompromised’.
Attack on the immune system is part and parcel of the ‘global corporate cartels’.
I’m sure we could make a very long list of exposures, ingestions and injections – along with narrative cover stories – that demonstrate the fact. But the most insidious being those operating under the aegis of Protection and Security.
War is a Racket – said Smedley D. Butler, a retired United States Marine Corps Major General and two-time Medal of Honor recipient. And perpetual war is the ‘new normal’ to be instigated upon the human virus. By which I mean you and I.
But surely the ‘pathogen’ is the deceit of mind by which we kill ourselves by our own defences against a dreaded terror that can endlessly mutate – why only a short while ago it was CO2!
Malice.
(This is also the title of a recent novel on a virus).
Perhaps there is the possibility that looking directly at the evil, will release us from recycling it.
But will the human mind not believe – and defend ANYTHING, rather than release us from its ‘protection’?
Binra: ….. and the point of your message is…..?
Clearly nothing of interest or relevence to you.
The ability to think is the ability to question and follow through.
You can of course carry on as you were.
Binra, we have had this previously, anthony P may just be finding it difficult to understand what you mean in your post. As I do often. The posts are sometimes long, but written in a way that would not be thought plain English. Surely if you are writing for someone to read, you would want them to understand your meaning.
Thank you Dr Kendrick. Much appreciated. Be safe.
Anecdotally, because the government is not counting, Kawasaki has become much more common in the UK recently. Remarkable to note that the PIL for Bexsero, the Men B vaccine, lists Kawasaki as a side effect in up to 1 in 1000 doses, and infants get 3.
Click to access pil.5168.pdf
Presumably, parents ought to be warned about this side effect but probably most are not. I don’t know whether there may be some synergy with COVID infection although I think some of the reports did not include COVID.
Your info link may have been blocked! But I looked up the PIL for the Bexsero Meningitis B Vaccine and there it is Kawasaki Disease 1 in 1000. Do the clinicians when vaccinating a baby/child give the information leaflet to the parent I wonder.
Lynne. the link worked for me. I didn’t like what I saw, and I suspect the vast majority of parents don’t read or understand the leaflet, and just believe the word statement “it’s safe and effective”.
Yes, I just posted the link but the first page of the leaflet seems to have appeared in its place. It is unbelievable that infants can be routinely vaccinated with such a product despite with such blunt warnings. It is the same group as is behind the new government Oxford COVID vaccine which is perhaps no less scandalous. The lead researcher is also chair of the JCVI which recommends vaccines to the UK schedule.
How would you explain the symptoms of COVID-19?
Most common symptoms:
fever
dry cough
tiredness
Less common symptoms:
aches and pains
sore throat
diarrhoea
conjunctivitis
headache
loss of taste or smell
a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes
Serious symptoms:
difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
chest pain or pressure
loss of speech or movement
Martin – Speaking to 50 plus year old acquaintances on Sunday, only person I kno who tested positive, said he had sore neck for few days and headache. His Children also tested positive with little or no effect except that one complained about his cooking – she had lost her taste. He never mentioned his wife’s symptoms. He and his family are the only people I am aware of under pension age in our neck of TW who have tested positive.
What I mean is, what is the virus doing inside our bodies that results in such symptoms? Dr Kendrick has covered the end stage of infection where death is the result, but what about the more common situation of an infection followed by recovery.
Martin
Part II ?
Thank you
Interestingly, In February, I took my son to the doctor because of the extreme exhaustion he was feeling. No one was thinking covid at the time, so he decided to test him for lupus. He came back with normocytic anemia (possibly due to DIC) and a positive ANA, indicating lupus.
I did extensive reading on what might cause a positive ANA other than lupus and found out Vit C also causes a positive ANA. So the doc reluctantly let me treat him with Vit C for a few months and then retest. Seeing as my son is currently mountain biking with his buddies, clearly the fatigue and anemia have resolved. It took about 3 months for him to recover his energy. I’ll be doing the repeat blood work this weekend.
So if what you are saying is correct, and my son did have covid, then a viral infection attacking the endothelium could cause a vitamin C deficiency, which in turn could lead to a positive ANA. I’ll report back when I have the results. Thanks so much for this information!
Thank you Malcolm.
JP Handley has put together the best compilation of data and facts I have yet seen on Covid 19 and what he calls “Lockdown Lunacy.”
https://jbhandleyblog.com/home/lockdownlunacy
Click on the two links to articles on Kowasaki and children, one of which is titled “Stop Fear Mongering—Kids Are Safer From Covid -19 Than Everybody Else.”
But does “safer” mean safe, Marjorie? If some kids are getting Kawasaki because of COVID-19 exposure, isn’t that a good enough reason not to glibly run around coughing and sneezing all over the place and mocking those who are wearing masks? Maybe just a ‘little’ caution and a ‘little’ distancing, and ‘some’ mask wearing in tight confines is reasonable till we have the full, indisputable cause nailed down?
Ah safe eh? In that case if you want to be really safe, don’t even consider putting your child or yourself into a car and driving anywhere. So many risks in the food we eat, better remove that option from the precious children, and heaven forfend going abroad with all the nasty diseases they have there. Wrap your babe in a lot of bubble wrap and you’ll be fine. Your child will have suffocated but they wont have died from COVID-19
Karen, I was only making reference to what Dr. K mentioned in his post about SOME kids having an inflammatory response to C-19 and exhibiting symptoms of kawasaki disorder. You don’t have to get sarcastic by going to extremes and telling people to keep their kids locked up and never go anywhere. That’s not what I was suggesting at all.
You are forgetting that ordinary flu is much more dangerous to children, yet we’ve never worn masks during flu season.
Hopefully people are trained not to “glibly run around coughing and sneezing” in the first place. Hand washing is also basic training by parent for child.
Please keep some perspective – and enforced distancing for children in school is, in my opinion, tantamount to child abuse.
I’m not sure about the “tantamount”, IMO it is child abuse. We need a three phrase x two or three word bumper sticker slogan.
No, I didn’t forget that at all. Flu is a much greater problem for some kids. But, ss I already pointed out to Karen, I was specifically referring to the possibility of some kids having an inflammatory response to C-19, and asked if maybe a LITTLE consideration might help those kids, but I can see that even my emphasis on a LITTLE consideration for those susceptible wasn’t enough for this thread. And yes, I say, “glibly” because if you’ve been reading through all the COVID posts Dr. K has put up and the comments, you’ll see the mocking that’s gone on toward anyone who suggests that masks may be appropriate in SOME cases for SOME people.
Your not alone.
See Mandeep Mehra MD in the April The Lancet.
https://elemental.medium.com/coronavirus-may-be-a-blood-vessel-disease-which-explains-everything-2c4032481ab2
Since he’s one of the authors of the highly contested Lancet paper on HCQ, I’d be a bit hesitant to take Mr. Mehra’s word on anything.
As always, a very clear, well considered summary.
On a personal level, we are keeping our Vit D levels up (maximum sun exposure) supplementing with Vit C, Vit A, COD Liver Oil, multi-vitamin, Iodine, Magnesium, Selenium and Turmeric. And only eating real foods and no sugar / processed foods, so the hope Is to keep inflammation down and, if we are unlucky enough to encounter the virus, despite pre-existing medical conditions, we will be well placed to defeat it!
You can only do your best, I am very worried that this lock-down of older, vulnerable people will literally kill my sister, when she tells me, “This is not living, this is just existing”, it is so obvious that the long term effects will be devastating!
All the best, in all you do, Dr K!
Thank you for finally connecting the dots for me – and many others I suspect. I’ve been following the ‘sepsis’ and ascorbic acid connection from March on. As Layperson trying to see how the obvious effects of Vitamin C (Chinese study due in September) on inflammation and shock, tied in with the blood clots and that terrifying sudden hardening of the lungs and multiorgan failure and the Kawasaki like reaction was simply impossible but the tie-in had to be there. Now I understand. I think the Global Sepsis Alliance were advocating similar protocols to your own in March and would probably be very intrested in this ‘profile’.
Thank you. It all helps to get the picture straight.
Message appears to be, VIT C not just for the immune system but also as presented here, for immune system repair.
Fascinating piece and one that’s immune to any attack that I can muster.
Thank you. This ties together the pieces of the jig aw I have been gathering and trying to make sense of for almost three months now. There is a characteristic symptom of Covid-19 emerging where the lungs quite suddenly behave as if ‘petrified’ and cannot move. This happened to my dearest friend who was also diabetic. She has now been in a coma for twelve weeks and I believe they are going to remove life support shortly. Trying to understand what happened is and has been important to me. Also, if you have time, do you have any simple explanation I could provide to those who say that you cannot ‘catch’ a virus as viruses are not alive/there is no such thing as Covid-19. A family member ranks among those who perplexingly ignore, for instance, the ways in which viruses like smallpox (Is there anything like smallpox?, anyway) viruses have been used as germ warfare from the earliest times in our uncivilization.
Thought this might interest you:
I’m so sorry to hear about your dear friend, salyers57. It’s only natural that you would want to understand exactly what has happened to her.
Would intubation exacerbate any inflammatory response? Does mechanical ventilation make matters worse by irritating the epithelial cells? Are CPAP or BiPAP better solutions?
I am beginning to think that I had the infection last autumn with a persistent cough and altered taste.
Thank you
So it definitely is not a more severe form of flu?
Why are some people’s reaction more severe ?
My hypothesis is that endothelial damage has to be present before COVID infection can happen. Damage:covid infection:immune response. The initial damage will determine severity of immune response and additional damage. The key to solving covid mode of action is to understand what a healthy endothelial cells looks like and what is required to keep them healthy. A covid infected cell is tagged for destruction, part of the healing process.
You may well be right
Do I not recall from a long ago post that you opined that endothelium damage is scurvy, caused by a lack of vitamin C?
That actually does make a lot of sense. One would assume diabetics have relatively high amounts of endothelial damage, and this could explain why they have trouble with covid.
Although it might not explain all cases, like this one:
https://www.theridgefieldpress.com/news/coronavirus/article/Family-Perfectly-healthy-Norwalk-trainer-15196441.php
But maybe he had a hidden issue?
It also doesn’t explain smokers, which some say fare better under covid.
BobM: Nicotine competes with the ‘Rona, as both utilize the ACE II receptor.
Which could help to explain why children tend not to be affected Andy.
Probably the reason, as seen in the initial data, that no fatalities on children age 0-9, they have high melatonin levels… Melatonin happens to “cross-talk” with Nitric Oxide to maintain the balance… without MEL and NO cross-talking, blood clotting will happen all-over the body due to the invasion of COVID-19 virus…
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/
https://www.evolutamente.it/covid-19-pneumonia-inflammasomes-the-melatonin-connection/
Alcura, at the risk of getting attacked again for wondering something aloud, do you know if that means that children ages 0-9 have never contracted COVID-19 or are you strictly talking about no fatalities in that age group?
No fatality in the age group of those contracted COVID-19, and the reason is the 0-9 years old have high melatonin, the peak is during the puberty… see the graph here:
In CT USA, where I live, there has been one death between 0-9 and one death between 10-19.
Then again, we have absolutely no idea how many kids actually got it. We know how many confirmed cases, which is very small relative to those for older folk. About 1/10th the number for 0-9 as compared to confirmed cases in 80 year olds, for instance.
At least we can be glad that kids are spared for the most part. It’s awful enough to hear the symptoms described in vulnerable adults, but at least they have a better understanding of illness, than small children. Thx, Bob.
alcura: ” Melatonin happens to “cross-talk” with Nitric Oxide to maintain the balance… without MEL and NO cross-talking, blood clotting will happen all-over the body due to the invasion of COVID-19 virus…”
Fascinating–thanks!
Hi alcura: re low melatonin and susceptibility to virus infections
Women do secrete more melatonin than men and probably get more sleep as well.
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-sleep-bolsters-your-immune-system#The-importance-of-T-cells
Is that why I got it and my husband didn’t? I suffer from cold fingers…
Alison, maybe, maybe not. I get cold fingers in the winter. My wife had something really nasty in December, and I just ramped up my vitamin C intake. I got nothing. It may have had some effect, it may have been coincidence.
Surely the key is to preventing the endothelium from being damaged in the first place? Which means ensuring the glycocalyx is maintained. Why are elderly people most affected? Because they have thinner glycocalyces:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29750566/
I can’t find an article on the thickness of children’s glycocalyx.
But many co-morbitities have a diminished or damaged glycocalyx. Which is usually why they have the co-morbidity in the first place.
Hi Eggs: re glycocalyx gets thinner with age
Study proved that old lab rats eating processed chow had diminished glycocalyx. I wonder if rats would have revered glycocalyx loss by eating full fat Dutch cheese. More research required. Conclusion: what you eat might result in endothelial damage.
So, can the virus penetrate a healthy glycocalyx to reach the ACE2 receptors?
And how long does the virus circulate in the bloodstream before it ‘dies’?
Vitamin D and the endothelium
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4607301/
Another one on vitamin D and the endothelium: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071424/
From Nejilka : Another one on vitamin D and the endothelium: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071424/
Vit D3 and NO – nitric oxide. Very good paper. Supplement with Vit-D3 and also with L’Arginine or L’citrulline – L’Citrulline is better absorbed. Bingo. Ensure to get the dosage right, one treats D3 to target. See Dr Michael Holick.
So. Vit-D3 – Excellent paper up to a point, then lets down with a back stepping conclusion – 12 – 16 weeks ‘perhaps’ need longer, i.e. a year to draw stronger conclusions… Pathetic. Going to need a *minimum of a year, preferably two years. Need to cover two autumns and two winters, then compare to early and late summer D3 levels. Not rocket science. 12 – 16 weeks, not an adequate picture, doesn’t even begin. Plus then, the authors speak of further research into dosage… One treats to target. Can’t know the target until know the person’s levels, then, one takes into consideration the person themselves, are they coloured : light brown, dark brown, black, absorb the sun well, tan easily or, not at all. In which hemisphere do they live ? There is a large hill of information one has to have before one can reach ‘conclusions’. Then, find a dosage, ‘then’ check on results, which will not doubt have to be tweaked – bear in mind, tweaking could take more than three years, as ‘requires seasonally adjusted thresholds, individualised for different locations’. Holick et al had done the research work – so what the heck are they playing at ? There is a vitamin D Council, there is Dr Michael Holick, the doyen of Vit D information. There is even a Framingham study on Vit-D3 ! (see pp51.) – ‘All adults should be advised to take supplements’. But no, they have to end with treading on egg shells. Who are they frightened of upsetting ?
This paper could have had so much more strength. But…is still a very good paper – needs to be well and truly disseminated – *then, add in the Vitamin D3 Council, and Michael Holick, the Vitamin D Society
Dr Michael Holick – The VitaminD Societywww.vitamindsociety.orgVitamin D Health Benefits … John Cannell, founder and executive director of the Vitamin D Council, provides a new perspective … Dr. Michael Holick, Ph.D., M.D.
https://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Vitamin-Comprehensive-Guide-Benefits/dp/1681627841 –
by Frank Murray
“There is an excellent review of this very important topic”.
“Frank Murray has done an impressive job amassing a huge quantity of facts, statistics, studies, and testimony of experts which he presents to you in Sunshine and Vitamin D: a comprehensive guide to the benefits of the “Sunshine Vitamin”. The main theme can be summarized in these statements:…”
Excerpts from Chapter one available online.
See pp18 – 19 Importance of Vit-D3
See pp 25 – 26 for aged persons and co-factors
See pp51 – the Framingham study
https://books.google.fr/books?id=RkGNJOGlJ2IC&pg=PR2&lpg=PR2&dq=Dr+Michael+Holick+-+Vitamin+D+Council&source=bl&ots=qiE-DPy8_8&sig=ACfU3U1j2kNHWVmvPJs3zCBrzJb7ukN2Xg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjF9pW0oeXpAhXszIUKHeFSCeEQ6AEwBXoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=Dr%20Michael%20Holick%20-%20Vitamin%20D%20Council&f=false
If nitric oxide is so fundamental to good health, does it make sense to maximise its production by correcting mouth breathing?
If it works
Humming seems to be particularly effective in nasal NO production. In this study researchers found a 15 fold increase in NO…… https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1164/rccm.200202-138BC
Whereas using mouthwash twice a day may interfere with NO production. A study of 40 -65 year old obese subjects free of diabetes and major cardiovascular diseases at study baseline found that…. “Compared with participants who did not use mouthwash, those who reported using mouthwash at least twice daily were 55 percent more likely to develop prediabetes or diabetes over 3 years.”
“Patel and colleagues suspect that these compounds also destroy “good” bacteria in the mouth that are important for the formation of nitric oxide, which is a chemical compound that helps to regulate insulin — the hormone that controls blood sugar levels.”
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320199
Stuart, I decided to try the humming when I was out walking earlier. I was doing my usual nose-only breathing, when I remembered you posting this. It was actually quite pleasant and seemed to put an extra spring in my step as I walked 😉
Thank you. I could understand most of that! I am supplementing with vitamin C, D, magnesium and zinc and eating real food.
Thank you, Dr. Kendrick. And the parallels with all these years of blogs about endothelial damage/repair, and clotting factors in CVD!!
Kept well-hidden from us is that we have an:
innate immune system … and an …
adaptive immunity system.
No-one seems to talk of innate immune function: we make chemicals that for example; attack the lipoproteins of enveloped RNA viruses eg corona; so the virus can be new but still destroyed.
The innate is UP-regulated by Vit D; and the adaptive is DOWN-regulated by Vit D.
So after a month in the sun in Greece, folks should have the above.
So antibodies may not be measurable if one catches a bug on returning to the UK, after a month in the sun, as the innate repels the invader before it enters the body; no record (antibody) kept.
With all the discussion about chloroquine, and its newer sibling, hydroxychloroquine (HOCQ), I went reading as to how it affected the malaria parasite. I didn’t get a clear answer there, but I was intrigued to discover that HOCQ DOWN-regulates the adaptive system, and that produces BENEFIT.
https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/dmard-rheumatoid-arthritis-treatment
HOCQ (like others) acts as a DMARD: disease-modifying anti-rheumatoid disease;
similarly sulphasalazine for bowel disorders; “The mechanism of action is not clear, but it appears that sulfasalazine and its metabolites have immunosuppressive, antibacterial, and antiinflammatory effects”; ie we don’t study it; we don’t know; but we bluff and pretend we do.
The summary of this post is to say: an up-regulated innate; a down-regulated adaptive; is what happens with Vit D: this seems to be when we are most healthy; we make fewer antibodies then.
Hi Terry: re immune system, makes sense that when we are healthy and virus free that antibody stockpile for a particular virus can be down-regulated probably down to zero eventually. There are apparently memory T cells that can quickly reactivate antibody production when there is re-infection with the same virus.
Another question is whether one can resist virus infection if there is adequate D and endothelial cells are not dysfunctional. Some authors define ED as inadequate NO, but low NO can result from loss of glycocalyx. Low D levels also affect tight junctions, another symptom of ED. Conclusion: attempting to increase NO and D could be futile if glycocalyx is dysfunctional.
And the glycocalyx becomes dysfunctional with falling pH (rising acidity). Which fits with older people being most at risk of COVID and heart attacks, as pH falls with age:
https://watermark.silverchair.com/51A-1-B91.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAApMwggKPBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggKAMIICfAIBADCCAnUGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQM6Lz26zqIPmcCzC95AgEQgIICRihYTCa2pgfibx0AXMkT5tb8QSVN6cd0FdXC8qVzLOsq91E2Cz9r29rPzvLMTVVcRlfRmPkUp8eDylNvnrRRcCRwH-mMcaTMFpmJJ4QvjR3niOG9LMax3ep5yr7Rjasn2TtmWs8wfO0_zDsLTY_9FlP31HT2OncQ_-t62cRZaSaKygez2qLByj1lBPId6ogZkWnhogiGX1hd_uCpadUWOExWnNkPoMNnwFCAi-ZbYGCUUA92JHCkJzHSDZsmajYA-p1MDxgAS-H5EH1fni0jCtMS8pR6DNMzdT08n0AgFnHzjajz1F8NOHhkv9tUq4C8gh7SrUls_NITIuVvKVrDQcNzBk8xXl2u7nLW6hlEVz5Wid2vrbZJPs9uwAIXHka4-NaINpp88W-pwwXFJk5Fr8gORZ0JBeCQpfiw4O5eqJ13HDmRm38l8TsM2OCpZdynUfM_igE8gCsjL3ud_ZegyCksNGwBGkemqouCT46SJQfXM8HRLjpHsottJn8Kq6fBhg_tGc9PGtB8D6G8zrUeYY39V1K8muWIi3UHNL0WWhI6LEbYDU8Hm40CUOGwyM1GqbsySTQjNy63UoHmjjiqo9O09PU61pkpF6cv74kz7d8qS7yQGUbDbuRxVjuLRfbr2vOWts3YfJQRU_KU7DphR3vymp4FlDXKJHPrhLsN71CuDvlBTz6W64OhnkewVR7KYeco7uLpM1nvIxHgZy5MPfSGypF6uXu5tJwbJ3yBOLb224QXCnC7aLLu256dKL8HjjJqDX2EUg
Ouch! What a link …..
And the glycocalyx thinning with age:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29750566/
So maybe we need to look at blood pH regulatory mechanisms to help ensure a healthy glycocalyx to protect us from ‘flus and heart attacks? Note that diabetes is also firmly associated with lower pH, as are stress, poor diet and lack of exercise.
This link would have worked as well: https://tinyurl.com/age-Lowers-pH
Thank you for putting it all together in an easy to follow and interesting read, Dr. Kendrick. It’s definitely not something to take lightly, but knowing we can improve our chances against it by making wiser lifestyle choices offers some comfort, at least.
In Canada they are trying NO spray and mouthwash:
Google: Could a simple gas produced by our bodies be used to treat COVID-19? Canadian trials underway.
I’ve tried to link the article but my posts never come up (Or I’ve posted multiple times lol)
Doug
Doug from Canada: There is currently a clinical trial underway, I believe at Johns Hopkins, using inhaled NO as a ‘Rona treatment.
Johns Hopkins, isn’t that the institute that sabotaged Linus Paulings vitamin C protocol, together with the NIH? (That must have been Fauci, at that time.)
Harry de Boer: Yes, both good and ill have come from Johns Hopkins. I say, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Perhaps there is no virus.
https://theinfectiousmyth.com/book/CoronavirusPanic.pdf?fbclid=IwAR25ZEO9mOA2Vq_Xs5W7orcwVTRQK0agdATRFxw3aLsPPY8K14prydbKtcI
Thank you Dr kendrick. Echinacia with Goldeseal in herbal medicine for any type of influenza works like a charm from heaven, And with every weak or strong immune system. we try to reinvent medicine but its all around us. Lest give a nature a chance to prove the real med. Good info to know. Herbalist Jacklin Mushi
My goto remedy as well Jacklin.
Hi Jacklin, thanks: re herbs to fight viruses, this reminds me to plant some additional species
Appears that plants have co-existed with viruses of various sorts for a very long time, now humans have to learn from plants how to do it.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/antiviral-herbs
“15 Impressive Herbs with Antiviral Activity”
Eek, 57 replies and I’ve only just looked………..
Thanks, whats your thoughts on Devra Davis work, ehtrust with emr messing up cellular structures?
“Could a simple gas produced by our bodies be used to treat COVID-19?”
Any headline that ends in a question mark can be answered by the word no.
– Betteridge’s Law
Exception to the law: Canada lol
Doug, that’s right on, eh? 😉
No. 😉
Good to see some acceptance of alternative treatments and preventatives. Vitamin D has certainly gained traction the last month or two.
One of the reasons why I think we might avoid an immediate second wave despite the UK governments idiocy is precisely because everyone has gone mad and dashed outside. Vitamin D levels are currently sky rocketing, and that’s a good thing.
If the powers that be had any sense they’d be prescribing 3000iu of vitamin d daily for everyone over the age of fifty or in a vulnerable group. But that would be too sensible and cost effective.
Vitamin C remains an enigma. It’s apparently been used intravenously in mega doses in China and New York, but we haven’t been given any hint as to its efficacy. Maybe Mr. Pharma stepped in and put his foot down.
Another alternative worth exploring is panax ginseng. It seems to have proven effects fighting off influenza and colds and one of its mechanisms is increasing nitric oxide.
I’ve been taking a standardised extract each morning with vitamin c – they seem to have some sort of synergistic effect.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006295297001937
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5052424/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26898166/
Whilst I’m in the mood and on a roll, pro-inflammatory cytokine storm effects are induced by the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes.
Certain alternative supplements can help inhibit such inflammasomes, such as trimethylglycine, and red ginseng. Melatonin is a potent inhibitor but that can be difficult to come across in the UK.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6294171/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24418475/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5976740/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jpi.12525
Dr Michael Mosley UK in his Fast asleep book says one can order melatonin from iHerb and it is quite acceptable assuming one is not going to on-sell it. It’s only available in Australia via prescription and compounding pharmacy!
Melatonin: https://www.biovea.net/uk/productlist/results?AG=melatonin&FiltersObject=%7B%22SortValue%22:%7B%7D,%22PageSize%22:%2224%22,%22CompareProducts%22:%5B%5D,%22Brands%22:%7B%7D,%22FormValues%22:%7B%7D,%22PriceRanges%22:%7B%7D,%22Categories%22:%5B%5D,%22objects%22:%5B%5D%7D
Melatonin Inhibits NLRP3 Inflammasomes… Melatonin is well known for its chronobiotic effects, regulating biological functions tied to circadian rhythms. Numerous studies have revealed that melatonin exerts effects beyond the control of circadian oscillators. The NLRP3 inflammasome is now recognized as a target for melatonin!
The fact that the pro-inflammatory cytokine storm effects are induced by the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes, the ability of melatonin to INHIBIT NLRP3 inflammasome elevates this powerful molecule to a truly unique position in the fight against COVID-19. This also means that if a patient, regardless of age, has adequate melatonin, the infectiousness of COVID-19 will be greatly reduced, and the chances of developing ARDS/ALI significantly diminished.
Melatonin is the reason why children under the age of 9 seldom exhibit severe symptoms. In fact, children may exhibit mild or even no symptoms at all, even though they have been infected by SARS-CoV-2 [73].
https://www.evolutamente.it/covid-19-pneumonia-inflammasomes-the-melatonin-connection/
Alcura, pls disregard my earlier question about children 0-9 and whether they contract C-19 at all, as I see you answered it in another post when you said kids in that age group will more likely just get the milder version, but rarely the severe or fatal type. Thx.
Re NLRP3 Inflammasomes and COVID, here’s a fascinating paper on the study of NLRP3 Inflammasomes in…BATS! If you can’t beat them, then join them…lower your inflammation/boost your innate immunity capability. Millions of years of evolution is trying to teach us something.
Dampened NLRP3-mediated Inflammation in Bats and Implications for a Special Viral Reservoir Host
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7096966/
“In summary, our results demonstrate an overall dampening of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in bat primary immune cells. Bats are special in their ability to host emerging viruses. As the only flying mammal, bats endure high metabolic rates yet exhibit elongated lifespans. It is currently unclear whether these unique features are interlinked. The important inflammasome sensor, NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), has been linked to both viral-induced and age-related inflammation. Here, we report significantly dampened activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in bat primary immune cells compared to human or mouse counterparts. Lower induction of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) speck formation and secretion of interleukin-1β in response to both ‘sterile’ stimuli and infection with multiple zoonotic viruses including influenza A virus (−single-stranded (ss) RNA), Melaka virus (PRV3M, double-stranded RNA) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (+ssRNA) was observed. Importantly, this reduction of inflammation had no impact on the overall viral loads. We identified dampened transcriptional priming, a novel splice variant and an altered leucine-rich repeat domain of bat NLRP3 as the cause. Our results elucidate an important mechanism through which bats dampen inflammation with implications for longevity and unique viral reservoir status.”
Simon C
You can also reduce NLRP3 inflammasomes with a ketogenic diet and fasting, both of which lead to ketone production. The scientific literature is full of the systemic benefits of endogenous ketone production. It’s an ancestrally conserved preservation pathway in humans originating from feast/famine cycles, and serve as alternative fuel to glucose (and mitochondrally far more efficient with less ROS production). Ketones have their own blood brain barrier transporter, and bypass any blockade of GLUT transporters. The use of ketones as alternative metabolic fuel is why us humans have this ability to store fat for times of low calorie availability. But with the fridge always 3 feet away, it’s no longer required in modern society, and unleashes inflammatory cytokines, amongst other metabolic maladies. I’ve been on a strict ketogenic diet for 4 years, initially with 18/6 intermittent fasting, and switched to OMAD (one meal a day) fasting almost 2 years ago to increase the daily ketone area under the curve, simultaneously reducing my glucose and insulin production area under the curve (protect that glycolax). And I further extenuate ketones with daily intense exercise regimen at the 23 hr fasted mark. I often get below the low level glucose alarm threshold on my hand held blood glucose meter. And a recent paper illustrated how ketones resulted in an expansion of T cells in the lung that improved barrier
functions, thereby enhancing antiviral resistance (quite relevant re COVID, and once again, an ancestrally preserved innate pathway, sadly untapped in our modern overfed society).
The ketone metabolite β-hydroxybutyrate blocks NLRP3 inflammasome–mediated inflammatory disease
Click to access nihms656783.pdf
β-Hydroxybutyrate: A Signaling Metabolite
Click to access nihms-1039713.pdf
Ketogenic diet activates protective T cell responses against influenza virus infection
Click to access nihms-1568577.pdf
For reasons unrelated to covid my wife and teenage son decided to jump on the keto diet at the turn of the year. They’ve largely stuck to it, whilst also taking up jogging during lock down.
Jogging is too much for me but I started eating the same as them at mealtimes to make things easier more than anything. During lockdown I lost one and a half stone (I was only thirteen stone at six feet anyway). I do feel better for it, but not as good as I’d hoped or expected.
Still, I’m going to stick with it for the reasons you point out. I won’t be going into full ketosis though as I do swerve off course too often!
The benefits of ketosis/fasting extend far being weight loss (although I did promptly loose 20 kgs in the first 12 months). I feel no ill effects, although OMAD (one meal a day) is a challenge. Ketone signalling is systemic, an ancestrally preserved innate pathway. For example, ketones and the hunger hormone Ghrelin both stimulate hippocampal neurogenesis, critically important as we age.
The neuroprotective properties of calorie restriction, the ketogenic diet, and ketone bodies
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18845187/
3-Hydroxybutyrate Regulates Energy Metabolism and Induces BDNF Expression in Cerebral Cortical Neurons
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27739595/
Carbohydrate-restricted Diet and Exercise Increase Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor
and Cognitive Function: A Randomized Crossover Trial
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6822553/
Ghrelin-Mediated Hippocampal Neurogenesis: Implications for Health and Disease
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31445747/
KETOSIS WITHOUT STARVATION: THE HUMAN ADVANTAGE
http://www.ketotic.org/2018/04/ketosis-without-starvation-human.html
I also found OMAD a little challenging to get used to at first, SD, but now it feels like the most natural thing in the world. I used it primarily for reversing T2Diabetes and weight loss (still have about 15 lbs to go) but I will stick to OMAD even in maintenance because of its many other benefits. Best…
teedee126
Well that’s great news! Kudos to you, hope you stick with it.
I have T2D friends who I’ve gently discussed the possible benefits of some type of ketogenic diet on their health, but sadly fallen on deaf ears. Ketones and the signalling they elicit are anti-cancer, anti-cardio, anti-neurodegenerative. Most of us will succumb to one of these pathways eventually, so a ketogenic diet is a simple and system wide efficacious modality to blunt them all at once! There’s no worry about a singular, narrowly targeted intervention.
Where do humans think that overfed, perpetual grazing, continuous insulin and glucose spiking, reaching for food at the first inkling of the hunger hormone is aligned with our evolutionary biology?
The daily RDA for carbohydrates is…ZERO. The body can make all the glucose it needs from proteins and fats (gluconeogenesis).
Um. You can make fat from sugar. But you can’t make sugar from fat
Gee, I may have to go back and study gluconeogenesis, Dr. K. It was my understanding that the small amount of glucose needed by the brain and a particular function of red blood cells was made in the liver using fatty acids. I pulled this up to read for myself again, but I’ll also share it here for anyone now curious :https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/gluconeogenesis
Oh, I thought the body made glucose from fat. Is that incorrect?
Yup. It is the other way around
Ones makes glucose from protein so one doesn’t want to overload on it.
There’s no need to fear protein as some suggest. Glucose is made in the liver and kidneys on an ‘as needed’ basis regardless of protein intake. Dr. Ben Bikman and Ted Naiman give great info on the misconceptions and fear people have about “too much protein.” It’s critical at all ages and especially as we get older for bones, muscles and more..
Hello Teedee – I am moderately careful about the amount of protein I consume because if I’m not careful it can push my blood glucose too high. I’m sure ‘normal’ people can cope with it. And it goes without saying that we really need protein for proper function.
Janet, that’s why I highly recommend Dr. Ben Bikman, and specifically, his research (and videos) on Insulin vs Glucagon. While some still insist that protein raises insulin levels as much as any carb, that’s simply not true. Protein only triggers an insulin response in the presence of carbs, but virtually no rise in the absence of carbs (and very little if low carb). He’s an amazing professor and makes his teaching accessible to the layman, so you’ll see what I mean if you check out his Insulin vs Glucagon presentation 🙂
Thank you, Teedee. I’ll take a look. I would say though that my problem is not raised insulin levels but insufficient levels, hence the rise in BG.
And therein lies the problems with Insulin Resistance. Our insulin can’t clear the glucose adequately and we eventually get so disordered that we develop Type 2 Diabetes. Ironically, we’re actually hyperinsulinemic and have lots of insulin at that stage, but it can’t do it’s job, though it desperately tries by pumping out more and more. All the best 🙂
Hello again, Teedee – well, that is the case for type 2 but I don’t have type 2. I have Mody3, a condition I was born with, inherited from my mother and her mother along with my brother and one of his daughters (We’ve had the genetic test through Exeter Med. School) For those who don’t know about it there’s an excellent website “Phlaunt.com which you will find courtesy of Mr. Google. I’m very thin with a 24” waist, a million miles from being insulin resistant.
Cheers,
Hi, Janet, well that would explain why you react differently to protein and see an uptick in your bg levels. It sounds like you’ve already had your insulin tested and were told you’re not insulin resistant. Thanks for the link, I’m going to read it as you never know if I’ll come across someone with a similar situation in the forums I frequent..take care 🙂
Indeed, protein in “general” elicits a lower insulin/glucose spike as compared to carbohydrates. I say in general since there’s also much research showing that certain key BCAA’s are the specific amino acids triggering the most response, especially related to overall cellular growth signalling.
Protein is a double edge sword…wholeheartedly agree it’s critical for maintaining skeletal muscle and avoiding frailty as we age, but “elevated” protein intake can over express mTOR, which is the master nutrient sensor. mTOR is almost universally associated with pro-aging mechanisms. If you read the literature on LLI (long lived individuals), you will find it’s very common to find a signature of low animal protein intake throughout their lifetime (ergo low mTOR area under the curve). They typically have low IGF-1 metabolites, a pro insulin surrogate.
mTOR signaling in growth control and disease
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3331679/
“The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway senses and integrates a variety of environmental cues to regulate organismal growth and homeostasis. The pathway regulates many major cellular processes and is implicated in an increasing number of pathological conditions, including cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegeneration.”
The impact of dietary protein intake on longevity and metabolic health
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6562018/
“Therefore, a low animal protein diet, particularly a diet low in red meat, may provide health benefits. However, malnutrition, including sarcopenia/frailty due to inadequate protein intake, is harmful to longevity/metabolic health. Therefore, further study is necessary to elucidate the
specific restriction levels of individual AAs that are most effective for longevity/metabolic health in humans”
There’s an entirely other rabbit hole of whether aging is associated with elevated protein intake, type, or calorie restriction…
I am in the camp of maintenance of superior cardio vascular and skeletal muscle as I age. I am not afraid of protein…it’s ancestral evolutionary biology. Frailty in and of itself, is hugely associated with negative aging outcomes, physically and cognitively. There is a self regulating loop between frailty and aging, and it almost universally signals a poor aging outcome.
Investigation of frailty as a moderator of the relationship between neuropathology and dementia in Alzheimer’s disease: a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Rush Memory and Aging Project
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(18)30371-5/fulltext
I do daily resistance training for muscle build/maintenance, so I need to maintain a certain level of protein (I do eat a variety of high quality animal protein, only wild type), but it’s just enough to maintain, I don’t consume in excess, lest to unleash the mTOR beast! There’s a theory that if one is constantly stimulating muscle synthesis, then somewhat higher protein intake does NOT over stimulate mTOR vs a sedentary individual over-consuming protein calories.
I have actually been quite surprised at HOW LITTLE protein I need to build muscle…the body, yet again, has this innate ability synthesize muscle when highly STIMULATED via resistance exercise. When I look at the number and type of different muscles in this insanely complex human body, I say to myself…”exactly why do we have all these muscles if WE DON’T USE THEM”? Why did we evolve to posses this unique and fantastically engineered musculature? Is there a signalling loop between muscle mass and brain signalling? I surmise it must be anti-longevity to not maximize their signalling potential…there has to be an ancestral evolutionary master regulation of skeletal muscle and major systems, organs health?
I read a study (cannot find) on an experiment where they tied the hind legs of rats vs. free controls. They could still eat and move around, although restricted. They quickly died…
To each their own when forming opinions in this area, SD. In my 10 years of study on Insulin Resistance, T2Diabetes, protein intake, osteopenia, glucagon, aging, etc. I’ve come across a lot of opinions and theories about M-TOR. There is a great deal of disagreement and some think it’s been way overblown. As for any suggestion that one keep their ‘red meat intake low’, that’s when the red flags start waving for me. There has never been a single study involving red meat and human nutrition, nor any association whatsoever with cancer or any other metabolic problem, so I won’t be getting into those discussions with anyone. The only whiff of a study done was epidemiological and included confounders like processed and cured meats like hotdogs, etc. Junk science at its worse, but people bought into the fear mongering just the same..Again, not a single study on red meat has ever been done, so how can people have such strong opinions about it?
Yes teedee126, it’s purely associational red meat/animal protein intake and inferior health outcomes, especially since you cannot tease out junk from truly nutriceutical protein quality. As you can see, I am firmly IN the animal protein camp…wild bison/salmon are my main animal proteins.
But I scan for any and all data, taking a holistic systemic signalling view to successful aging, as there is huge body of cellular signalling/anti-aging literature on mTOR/IGF-1. I try not to put too much stock into mTOR studies on just long lived mice/worms.
But… there ARE many HUMANS taking intermittent Rapamycin today (3-4 mg/weekly/mTOR1 antagonist) with very positive pro-aging benefits (I message with several). There are clinical trials in humans. This I am following with great interest.
TORC1 inhibition enhances immune function and reduces infections in the elderly
https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/10/449/eaaq1564
http://longevityfacts.com/clinical-trial-anti-aging-rapamycin-healthy-seniors/
https://www.the-scientist.com/notebook/could-rapamycin-help-humans-live-longer-30021
SD, I think it was a guest on Peter Attia’s site that first made me aware of Rapamycin. The field of longevity science is becoming more popular and is attracting a lot of interest, so I hope you’ll navigate its waters wisely and find what makes you feel your best and in optimal health 🙂
I follow Attia, brilliant mind, definitively an early adopter of many things pro longevity. He’s a serious self hacker! I’ve done a pretty deep dive on Rapamycin and know there are hundreds, if not thousands of people, taking Rapamycin for years under the care of a Doctor.
I haven’t decided to take the leap and start taking Rapamycin…the risks of depressing mTOR2 and concomitant suppression of the immune system is a very serious system risk, especially in this new covid-19 world. Work is being done on new rapalogs that only depress mTOR1, leave mTOR2 alone. I think maybe I’ll wait for those, and collect more human response data in the mean time before committing.
That sounds like a good idea, waiting till more is understood about its impact on your immune system. By the time you decide to try it, even more data will be available from those who are already using it.
Attia takes Rapamycin btw
SD, that’s quite an endorsement. I guess Peter isn’t concerned about its impact on his immune system and feels the benefits outweigh any risks. I’ll have to look into it more one of these days (the pile of things I’m already trying to learn more about is growing a little too fast, though!). I think a lot of us are putting this house arrest to good use and playing catch up with our reading lists..
Indeed, Peter is an MD, an engineer, and deeply knowledgeable in all things biological aging. The key to Rapamycin for aging usage is the intermittent dosage so as to not trigger mTOR2 (it’s being used off label vs original development for transplant rejection where dosage is high and daily). The data set is many years of many humans on this regiment. As I mentioned, I private message several on Rapamycin, and other pro-aging interventions. The mTOR science is very compelling, but as I said, just haven’t made the leap. On the LLI (long lived individuals) and their typical low protein/IGF-1 signal (re down-regulating mTOR with low protein intake), one must also consider that these persons were born in eras of super low protein availability…so not by choice. Furthermore, from my read of the literature, most all of these “blue zone” long lived individual come from isolated/homogenous geographies (ie islands, Sardinia, Okinawa, Crete), so they have a VERY narrow genetic haplotype (very little intermixing, long lineages of selection for extreme longevity phenotypes). Thus, it is NOT a coincidence that they are long lived, likely dwarfing simple dietary epigenetics.
Who Are the Okinawans? Ancestry, Genome Diversity, and Implications for the Genetic Study of Human Longevity From a Geographically Isolated Population
https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/69/12/1474/592652
I looked at gluconeogenesis again from a few pieces of correspondence I had with a relative and realized that I’ve been emphasizing that there’s no need for carbs, ever, because the liver makes all the glucose it needs (on an as-needed basis) from protein and fats. But I think it may be from just protein (amino acids) so, I’m going to be looking at it thoroughly again. I’ve only ever talked about GNG when people insist that you need carbs to make glucose, so I’ve been pointing out that you only need protein and fats and I think that’s why I thought gluconeogenesis involved using acids from both. Glad you gave me a reason to look again..
Triglycerides are three fatty acids and a glycerol molecule. This is what most people call a fat. When this molecule is broken down the three fatty acids are released along with the glycerol molecule. Two glycerol molecules are joined in the liver to make one glucose molecule. So. I suppose you could say fats can be turned into glucose. One glucose per six fatty acids. But this is not really synthesis. It is just releasing the glycerol within the triglyceride.
I enjoy it and find it rather easy to follow, food wise. I’ve always had a low-ish calorie diet, but relatively high in carbs.
Now I’ve cut the carbs significantly, except for the inevitable glass or two of wine. Keith-tosis I call it.
Hello, my new email has now been blocked so let’s try the old one again.
No that didn’t work either, trying another one
Technically the pathway exists to make glucose from the triglyceride backbones but my understanding is this pathway is little used compared to generating glucose from protein. Hey, I read it on the internet so it must be true, right?
As regards MODY and other genetic forms of diabetes, this is the motherload
http://www.diabetesgenes.org/
by the estimable Andrew Hattersley from Peninsular Medical School, Exeter
chris c – thank you so much for that link. It’s really informative. It was the Exeter dept which my genetic test and I’m eternally grateful to them.. My former DN always insisted that I was type2 and insulin resistant even thought a hospital endocrinologist had told me some years before that because of my low renal threshold I was ‘probably’ Mody. Such a relief to know that I wasn’t fat and/or lazy (actually very lean and active with rather splendid lipid profiles) and that it wasn’t MY FAULT.
Happily I don’t seem to have passed on the faulty gene to my now middle aged children, though my brother wasn’t so lucky with his.
Cheers all.
JanB
What I have is similar to a MODY but not the same, mainly in the distribution within one specific line of my family but missing many individuals. Basically I lack a proper Phase 1 insulin response but can still generate lots of Phase 2. I know a small but significant number of people with the same syndrome, from Scotland to Australia, none related to me or to each other but all having diabetes in the family. As a child one had so many diabetics in her family that she believed old people lost their limbs the same way that trees lost their leaves in autumn.
I was always slim, and scrawny as a child. The only time I gained weight was after meeting a dietician – her infernal high carb low fat diet made me put on 15 kilos all round my gut, which I lost as quickly as I gained when I switched to low carb high fat high nutrition.
Nevertheless I used to catch every cold, flu and food poisoning bug going. Now I hardly ever catch anything.
When they write about diabetes being a risk factor, I suspect this mostly applies to Type 2, and especially to poorly controlled diabetics, as most are. I wonder how it applies to Type 1 and the MODYs and others. I’ve known several Type 1s who have better HbA1c than many “nondiabetics”, I doubt they would be affected much.
Thank you for an excellent well reasoned explanation of the damage caused to the body by covid19 and similar virsuses
I doubt we will see a better explanation in the future
Regards and Good Health
________________________________
“Conclusions: Short-term hydroxychloroquine treatment is safe, but addition of azithromycin (antibiotic used for the treatment of a number of bacterial infection) may induce heart failure and cardiovascular mortality, potentially due to synergistic effects on QT length.”
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20054551v2
Quick glance suggests this to be a comprehensive & extensive study.
It may, it also may not.
Excellent article, thank you Malcolm.
I have a question on your article in January where you list some conditions that people need to do something about…one of which is high lp(a). From my research i havent found much can be done to reduce lp(a) apart from limited success with vitC and/or niacin. Are there other strategies that you are aware of? I understand that high lp(a) can make someone more susceptible to a cytokine storm following infection.
Kevin, where did you see that information?
I can’t find much, except this:
https://worldhealth.net/news/covid-19-and-lipoprotein-time-widespread-testing/
This is by Joel Kahn. That guy is — how should I say this politely? — a bit wackadoodle in my opinion.
I’m one of those people with very high levels of lp(a), 125 mg/dL or 300+ nmol/l. (Yet, oddly, a zero score on a coronary arterial calcification scan.)
Lp(a) is one of those things where the research is all over the map. If you’re a true lipophobe (people who think lipoproteins are out to kill us), Lp(a) is very, very bad. It’s apparently “causal” for aortic stenosis (AS):
https://www.onlinejacc.org/content/73/17/2150
But they use the oddest term: a “causal risk factor”. Huh?
And if you do enough research, you find studies where they show a correlation between Lp(a) and AS. But not all people who have high Lp(a) get AS. In fact, many (most?-can’t find the study I saw) do not. Why not? Until you can answer that question, in my mind, Lp(a) is not causal for AS. (“Risk factor”, yes; “causal risk factor” — whatever this means –, no.)
It’s like FH and LDL and heart disease. Yes, there is a correlation between people with FH and “high” LDL and heart disease. But is the true culprit the LDL or something else (or even the combination of LDL and something else)?
You are in good company, Dr. Kendrick. On his YouTube MedCram channel, Dr. Seheult has been reaching conclusions quite similar to yours.
https://www.youtube.com/user/MEDCRAMvideos
This one is particularly relevant to the role of blood clotting.
Sorry – the study-https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20054551v2
Is not peer reviewed.
Dr Kendrick, thank you for a nice concise summary. I do recall the evidence beginning to trend this way back in April. At the same time, many doctors began to notice the ventilators were doing more harm than good.
Question: Do you think patients recovering from bad cases of COVID-19 might show a greater incidence CVD going forward?
See these articles discussing the effects of Ascorbic Acid and Melatonin on COVID-19…
https://www.evolutamente.it/covid-19-ards-cell-free-hemoglobin-the-ascorbic-acid-connection/
https://www.evolutamente.it/covid-19-pneumonia-inflammasomes-the-melatonin-connection/
Great work! Thanks again Dr K. Being in the elderly and vulnerable category it’s very helpful to have some background on the disease and the mechanisms that harm the body. I’ve been following your advice and taking Vitamins C and D since I read your first blog post on the subject.
Thanks Dr Malcolm
Always like to get your well reasoned views!
Nic
On Wed, 3 Jun 2020 at 03:00, Dr. Malcolm Kendrick wrote:
> Dr. Malcolm Kendrick posted: “2 June 2020 You will have your head bashed > in with everything written about, claimed about, and talked rubbish about > COVID-19. What to believe, what not to believe? Is this some weird virus > that kills people in a way never seen before? Why are children” >
Just saw a similar article yesterday:
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/06/blood-vessel-attack-could-trigger-coronavirus-fatal-second-phase
Another:
https://t.co/IoJI9YZMBg?amp=1
Thank you for your article.
I think I caught it in Dec from a couple of Londoners (I had never heard of it at the time) and came down with the illness about 10/12 days later. Interestingly, one of my symptoms (along with sore throat, temp, tummy ache, fatigue, loss of sense of taste and appetite) was a rash on fingers and toes and chilblain type things that itched like hell and kept me awake at night. I do suffer from Raynaud’s Syndrome so I suppose that weakness was exploited in me by the virus pretty damn quick! I do have a healthy diet and take vitamins but was sleep deprived over Christmas so may have been vulnerable to succumbing to it. I now read that different blood types are at more risk than others. Is this true, do you think? Not sure why I caught it then didn’t pass it on to anybody else unless it was viral load plus being knackered!
Hi Dr Kendrick, what advice would you give for someone taking tacrolimus and wanting to increase levels of nitric oxide and repairs endotheliums?
“the treatment regime for COVID … should consists of three prongs
1: Anticoagulants …”
What about people already on Warfarin? Will that coincidentally offer them some protective treatment at home?
If Dr. Kendrick’s theory is true, perhaps this could be called “acute scurvy”.
How many of the scurvy deaths of centuries past were actually caused by infections?
It would actually explain quite a lot if scurvy were part of the explanation. For instance, it would fit in with the observed fact that “advanced” Western nations got hit so very much harder. (Of course, it could also be just that the figures were fiddled).
I wouldn’t be in the least surprised to learn the average diet in the USA, UK, France, Belgium, etc. is seriously deficient in many essential nutrients. And you don’t need more than about 5% of the population to have such deficiencies to account for all the reported cases and deaths. (A lot fewer, in fact).
Another black mark against “free enterprise capitalism”. It turns out that foods are not fungible, however much that would simplify things for economists and governments.
Aye, because the people of the Soviet Union were famously well fed.
I could be wrong here, but I understand scurvy is a hemorrhagic condition. Such conditions are a result of vitamin C deficiency, so ensuring you have adequate vitamin C (which is a lot more than the recommended daily amount) should help reduce the risks from viral infections.
There are many cases that used Vit C to control the severity of COVID-19… see one of the recommendations, how to use both Ascorbic Acid and Melatonin here:
https://www.evolutamente.it/new-guidelines-for-melatonin-and-ascorbic-acid-supplementation-during-covid-19-maintenance-and-infection-stages/
That is a useful link, with concise dosing information
Thanks, alcura.
Many have used the protocol, you could read the comments/feedback from this FB Post:
Supplementation Guides for Vitamin C (oral Ascorbic Acid) and Melatonin to fight-off COVID-19…
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1654623371371166&id=100004705561796
You could watch the live presentation of Doris Loh about AA and MEL here:
It’s good to lay out the schedule for taking the AA and MEL because it’s too easy to forget if a person becomes ill or suddenly has to care for a loved one who becomes ill. I’ve got it bookmarked for future reference and it’s much appreciated.
See this new clinical trial posted on June 1:
Evaluation of Therapeutic Effects of Melatonin by Inhibition of NLRP3 Inflammasome in COVID19 Patients
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04409522?term=Melatonin&cond=COVID-19&draw=2&rank=1
You’re confusing a sign and the cause; many diseases have similar signs and symptoms (ebolavirus infection also causes hemorraging, for example), which is why doctors are trained to perform differential diagnoses (best guess of what something is based on signs, symptoms, and patient’s background).
Hemorrage is a possible presentation (sign) of scurvy, but scurvy is a “collagen problem” caused by lack of vitamin C, see pathophysiology section of https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493187/
One question: Judging by your description, this virus is REALLY dangerous but if this is so, how come so few have actually died and deaths seem to confined to people who are already pretty ill?
I had the same reaction, barovsky. I read the article with great interest, but with a growing sense of gloom. The technical details are very unpleasant.
However, I suspect that is just because I know so very little about medicine, and especially the practical aspects of how people approach and succumb to death. Today, such unpleasant topics are assiduously hidden from the eyes of the pople, and they just don’t think about them.
Surely an analysis of how people die from flu, pneumonia or TB would be just as horrible?
And as Dr Kendrick has said once or twice, if your immune system is in good shape it probably just brushes off the virus and none of those nasty processes have a chance to get started.
For some of the gruesome details I mentioned, try “How We Die” by Dr Sherwin B. Nuland. I should warn those of a tender disposition to read at your own risk: the first chapter ends with a description so ghastly that I had to put the book aside for months before I could bring myself to read on.
Amusingly – if you have thta kind of sense of humour – I believe the author was the father of Victoria “Ukraine” Nuland of the US State Department. (Famous quote: “&%@# the E.U.”)
If that’s your kind of thing, there’s a documentary series called “Monsters inside me” and that comes as close as “an average” TV viewer can stomach in terms of gory and graphic details/animation about what happens pathologically during many interesting infections (ought to convince one to never leave their home… well, you might think that’s safe! ;-)) Oh, and they have great names for the episodes too!
Selenium is another interesting alternative to consider.
Two or three months ago, there was some hysteria that things that increase expression of ACE2 were likely to increase susceptibility to covid19 as the ACE2 protein is its binding site in the body.
Whether or not these supplements increase susceptibility I don’t know, but ultimately it looks like having reasonable circulating levels of selenium is likely to help you overcome the disease should you get it – despite the ACE2 link.
Selenium is a glutathione co-factor, and seems to have anticoagulant properties too.
It’s probably no coincidence that viruses seem to thrive and kick off in low selenium areas, of which China and Africa have many.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200429105907.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4288282/
Simon, I think you are probably right. However single nutrients aren’t likely to be the answer. Instead, consider how modern industrial farming has exhausted soils, leading to vegetables and even grain that are drastically lacking in vitamins and minerals. A century ago, one could usually rely on getting plenty of selenium in one’s daily bread. Today, many soils have so little that the grains they yield have practically none. The same is true of the whole spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Even water, which used to come with a lot of important minerals, nowadays is scrupulously filtered and may thus lack some ingedients that the authorities don’t think are important. As well as containing nasty poisons like chlorine and fluoride.
The insidious aspect of this awful situation is that the effects are slow to make themselves known. Most people get by – more or less – from year to year, gradually putting on weight, getting weaker and stiffer and noticing more aches and pains. Then one day they have diabetes, or circulatory illness, or cancer. They never have a clue that every little increment of sickness they suffer puts money into the pockets of the farming, food, medical, pharmaceutical and insurance industries. (And pleases government, which is thus enabled to throw a tighter and tighter net of control around us).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157516302113?via%3Dihub
“Avoiding the potential pitfalls of depending on historical analytical data, Fan et al., 2008a, Fan et al., 2008b conducted laboratory mineral nutrient analyses of wheat grains and soil samples archived over the last 160 years by the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment, established in 1843 at Rothamsted, U.K., and run continuously ever since. They found that the grain concentrations of Zn, Fe, Cu and Mg remained stable between 1845 and mid 1960s but since then significant decreases were seen in Zn (P = 0.004 to <0.001), Cu (P = 0.021 to <0.001) and Mg (P = 0.030 to =0.004), which coincided with the introduction of semi-dwarf, high-yielding cultivars. With regard to the hypothesis that soil nutrient levels are a causative factor, they found that the mineral concentrations in the archived soil samples either increased or remained stable. Reasons for this included inputs of Mg from inorganic fertilizer, Zn and Cu from farm yard manure, and Zn also from atmospheric deposition. The observed decreases in wheat grain mineral content were independent of whether the crop received no fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers or organic manure. Multiple regression analyses showed that the two highly significant factors associated with the downward trend in grain mineral concentration were increasing yield and harvest index (i.e., the weight of the harvested product, such as grain, as a percentage of the total plant weight of the crop, which for wheat was measured as the aboveground biomass due to the difficulty of obtaining the root biomass).
Fan et al. (2008b) noted that the Se concentration of the grain had a much larger range and was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in unfertilized plots compared to inorganic fertilizer or manure treated plots and higher in the unfertilized plots in periods before 1920 or after 1970 than during 1920–1970. These temporal and fertilizer-related patterns of Se decrease in the grain were influenced mainly by sulfur (S) inputs from fertilizers and atmospheric deposition of S, which increased sulfate antagonism of selenium uptake, plus a small dilution effect. For these reasons, despite the observed long-term trend (not statistically significant) of an increase in soil Se concentration, primarily due to atmospheric Se deposition, the grain Se content did not increase.
Thus, the findings of Fan et al. from the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment are conclusive with regard to the lack of significant historical decreases in soil mineral levels in the fields they studied and that verified declines in mineral nutrient concentrations in wheat grain were associated with varieties having an increased grain yield. Nevertheless, it is still worthwhile exploring what role other potential causative factors could play in “apparent” historical mineral nutrient declines in vegetables and fruits."
So the fast-growing and high-yielding varieties we grow today result in "dilution" of the mineral content, not soil depletion necessarily.
Regarding selenium in bread, prior to the UK's entry to the EU it imported high-Se North American wheat, but that was replaced by low-Se EU wheat (including higher UK production) subsequently. The generally low levels of Se in Western European soils is the major factor.
StuartM: Thank you very much for that. Important information!
Brilliant! I’ve long suspected this, now it has been proved. My suspicions came from simple observation of how crops and yields have changed over my lifetime. A collector of vintage farm machinery reported that some of his combines would no longer work in modern wheat because they couldn’t be driven slowly enough to cope with the yield. Barley and rape, not so much.
Thank you for the deep dive. I have heard a few similar hypotheses. This is the first that posits that it is vascular, and the reasons for a delayed reaction in children.
Dear Dr. Kendrick,
No attack, but what’s your view on the suggestion now that statins ought to be administered to stabilize endothelial damage?
Regards, Adrian Koesters Omaha, NE USA
On Tue, Jun 2, 2020 at 11:59 AM Dr. Malcolm Kendrick wrote:
> Dr. Malcolm Kendrick posted: “2 June 2020 You will have your head bashed > in with everything written about, claimed about, and talked rubbish about > COVID-19. What to believe, what not to believe? Is this some weird virus > that kills people in a way never seen before? Why are children” >
Adrian: this would be a nonsense to prescribe statins; as fungal toxin derivatives, best keep them in the bottles in a dark cupboard. “stabilize endothelial damage” … these are all just things we imagine Adrian; you cannot diagnose this in unwell people; or even at post-mortem; it is all us just hypothesising; fantasising; musing; speculating; dreaming; (you what we humans are like).
As WB Yeats wrote
“But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”
NEJM, Lancet, Mandeep Mehra, ACE2, Remdesivir, etc, update: https://retractionwatch.com/2020/06/02/nejm-places-expression-of-concern-on-controversial-study-of-drugs-for-covid-19/
Rather good timing: the Lancet, today, issued an amber notice on an “HCQ is bad” study [1], and the WHO resumes its HCQ trial [2].
1. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31290-3/fulltext
2. https://www.france24.com/en/20200603-who-to-resume-suspended-hydroxychloroquine-trials-for-covid-19-treatment
Hi, Imoz,
Looks like The Lancet retracted the study.
https://www.thelancet.com/lancet/article/S0140673620313246
I bet there will be plenty, while claiming to “follow the science” will mention The Lancet published the oh so important article, but forget to mention the retraction.
So much corruption going on. It is difficult to keep up.
For those who like “Dilbert” – and actually everyone else, here is a pithy graphic reaction to the retraction:
https://assets.amuniversal.com/eff568a07b6501380280005056a9545d
And yet another just out taking the heat of the Lancet article, this time headed by a Professor Martin Landray
Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health; Deputy Director of the Big Data Institute within the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery. Didnt bother to see if there might be any strings attached.
But conclusion simply put is – HCQ no good.
Apparently according to Daily Mail – “Early results on hydroxychloroquine from the RECOVERY trial were not supposed to (sic) released until July”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8392293/Hydroxychloroquine-does-NOT-treat-coronavirus-biggest-study-drug-finds.html
It all happened fairly quickly. When I first posted the Lancet article showing there may be problems with hcq and mortality, it was mere days before I was posting ‘reactions’ to the paper by 180 angry doctors questioning its findings. Then it seemed only a few more days till the Lancet was looking ‘with caution’ at the study. Now, finally, they’ve retracted the questionable study and people can breathe a little better again, especially if they were strong proponents of its use. The only disingenuous thing I see is that opponents of the study are quick to rejoice at its retraction (as we should be) but I notice we’re not as quick to question studies that confirm what we already want to believe. In other words, suddenly everyone is an expert on shoddy science, while wagging fingers at the Lancet, but when it comes to the studies that support ‘their’ views we stay silent and hold our breath. We really have to watch that because we can be duped by either side.
Teedee – Agreed. Francois Balloux of University College London, said he believed it was his “duty” to add his name to calls for answers to questions about the Lancet study and for greater transparency. This is despite the fact that he didnt agree with HCQ treatment. Nevertheless the study in his estimation had no foundation – (words to that effect.)
Cheerleaders discredit discussion – the ability to take on board other points of view is vital & to put it very simply, good. Dr Kendrick has noted this to be important.
The Lancet retraction has caused quite an uproar, and rightly so. There are thousands of studies and papers that have been published around all the issues associated with COVID-19, but unfortunately, a lot of them slip through the cracks. It’s usually the bigger publications like the Lancet and the like that receive the most scrutiny because they’re so highly read. I wonder how this retraction will go over with the anti-mask brigade (full disclosure: I was out running errands all morning with my daughter and neither of us wore a mask in any of the stores we went to, but we respected the distancing rules when asked to) https://retractionwatch.com/2020/06/01/top-journal-retracts-study-claiming-masks-ineffective-in-preventing-covid-19-spread/
Sorry to see the advent of the “anti-mask brigade”. This has the same place in scientific discussion as “climate change deniers” or “climate alarmist”, or even “friends of science”.
Far easier to attack those whose ideas you don’t like, than to debate facts. You want to try being a ‘statin denier.’
Just re-reading ‘Real Food on Trial’,Tim Noakes experiences when he was vilified for ‘becoming’ a ‘diet-heart’ denier and a LFHC denier at the hands of the medical establishment. The ensuing trial was cathartic, which is doubtless why no such High profile public airing of the facts over statins will ever take place.
Pfft! I hate these labels. As far as I’m concerned “denier” is a measurement of the thickness of stockings and that’s that.
KJE, you could also take it as the thickness of the person bestowing the label. (Think Nora Batty wrinkled stockings)
Aparently, Richard Feynman said something to the effect of “science is a culture of doubt, religion is a cultrure of faith.” There is no place for “faith” in science. If people didn’t question things, the modern doctors would still be carrying out human sacrifice, bleeding patients dry, and feeding them human organs, we’d still be going through phases of bubonic plague outbreaks, and sending “lepers” to isolation colonies; but it is that “doubting” that moved the humanity a long way from that!
So everytime anyone labels anyone a “denier” they need to be reminded that they are putting that not to preacher speaking to their flock but to people who innately challenge one’s understanding; recall that it took Vatican 359 *years* to admit that Galileo Galilei was not a “denier” of “Godly creation” [1].
1. https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13618460-600-vatican-admits-galileo-was-right
Hi Ah: re why masks may be overrated
Suppose hand to face contact is the preferred method of infection, then hand washing and avoiding rubbing eyes might be more effective.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200512/Potential-for-COVID-19-transmission-from-human-eye.aspx
“A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in May 2020 reports the presence of ACE2 receptors in the eye at high concentrations. These molecules are the entry points for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that is causing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”
andy, is the pandemic ongoing? Or is that what suits some who have got the world into a hole, and they have no idea how to get out of it?
Hi Ah, the covid-19 pandemic claimed a few more victims yesterday. Knowing how viruses infect may also be useful for the second wave. I am here strictly for the science.
Spending more time in the sun and also walking barefoot on the grass in the backyard. There is a theory that accumulating a few extra electrons could be beneficial.
andy, even if we cannot claim to know, there are strong suspicions that the figures for deaths from this virus are unreliable. There are known cases of people dying, and said to have died from rona virus, when they have died of something else. For the majority of cases, no tests have been performed to see what they actually died from, so how can anyone continue to claim that the virus killed more people yesterday, the past few days, today? Assumptions have been made, but there is no confirmation, and in the UK, staff currently working in the NHS, for the most part dare not speak out, or they will find themselves with lots of time on their hands, and no income.
Read past the headline on the retractionwatch website: the study had a statistical sample of FOUR! It’s not retracted because it was scientifically untrue, but because the sample was insufficient!
Jerome Savage: The answer is a conditional yes. K1 is converted to K2 by bacteria. Humans generally have that bacterium in the gut, but some people don’t convert it very well. Denise Minger wrote a post touching on this issue. I think it best to eat K2-rich foods, such as eggs, fermented foods and cheese (also fermented!).
I understand pasture fed hens give high K2 eggs, but the caged birds, and probably most so called “free range” eggs have only 20% to 30% of the K2 of pasture fed.
AhNotepad: While I don’t know how correct these figures are–they may well be accurate–I think it’s always best to eat the highest quality food available. For those in the U.S., the Cornucopia Institute has a chart of the quality of all, or nearly all, of our commercially-produced eggs, from a one egg-rating to a five egg rating. I eat only the fours and, preferably, the fives.
Gary – thank you
We take one 200 microgram Vitamin K2 MK7 menaquinone tablet per day, with the D3, magnesium and some suitable animal fat.
Just to be on the safe side.
YMMV.
Joe Mercola has an interview with Cees Vermeer of the Rotterdam Study group who’ve published extensively on Vit K2. To Mercola’s question about getting your K2 from gut bacteria Cees replied “only if you eat your own feces like rats do”!!!! His point was that the K2 is bound up inside the cell walls of the bacteria and this all happens too low in the GI tract to dissolve the cell walls so the K2 just gets excreted with the bacteria. I think I’ll stick to getting my K2 from a pill, thank you very much.😁
StuartM: How, then, does the cow put it into the milk and the chicken the egg? I want real evidence. We do know from Dr. Price’s work that what he called “Activator X” most surely was K2, and it was concentrated (in the Loetschental Valley of Switzerland) in the butter of early Spring, when the cows were eating rapidly-growing green grass.
Brilliant!
So, adding to my previous comments suggesting that we try to protect the glycocalyx through pH regulation, here’s a paper linking vitamin D levels to serum pH levels – the more vitamin D, the higher the pH (the lower the acidity).
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/japplphysiol.00608.2011
QED. We now can see a mechanism as to why vitamin D might be working. People with thin or damaged glycocalyces (old, and those with co-morbidities, or both) have increased blood acidity. They are particularly susceptible to COVID (and ‘flus in general). Vitamin D looks like it lowers acidity. Maybe there’s some substance to all those anecdotes after all.
@Dr Kendrick: From what you are saying here, is it reasonable to infer that diabetics should take NO supplements and high doses of Vitamin C?
Absolutely. Yes
Perhaps worth pointing out that “NO” means “nitric oxide” – not that you should avoid all supplements! For anyone coming to the comment without context, it might look that way.
in terms of deaths; and recording of them: around the UK; friends in NI (part of the UK) commented that the def of a corona death there was
“Individuals who have died within 28 days of first positive result, whether of not covid 19 was the cause of death” .. so, as it was said, .. it is the cause of death, even if it is not the cause of death.
NI publishes a very good monthly update of deaths it seems; https://www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/monthly-deaths
The spreadsheet shows that in Jan-April 2018 inclusive, 6325 souls died
in Jan-April 2018 inclusive, 6263 souls died
2017-8 was a bad season for the ‘flu; One could enquire how mandatory house-arrest this year has been of value; but doubtless the MSM will not discuss such issues.
Terry
You mean Jan to April 2020 is 6,263 deaths
I would most welcome a ‘Dr Malcolm Kendrick like’ evaluation of the (currently in-)famous 69,000 patients Lancet story. Should be able to generate a good laugh or two. 🙂
Gut health predicts severity of covid-19 infection?
https://www.nature.com/articles/emm201720
Roles of intestinal epithelial cells in the maintenance of gut homeostasis
“Even if bacteria can penetrate the inner mucus layer, the glycocalyx, a meshwork of carbohydrate moieties of glycolipids or glycoproteins, including transmembrane mucins, faces invading bacteria as a barrier on the epithelial cell surface. In addition, cell junctions, such as the tight and adhesion junctions linking epithelial cells, physically hamper microbial invasion through the paracellular pathway.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5390330/
“Gut microbiota perform multiple functions and interact with the host beyond its role in supporting physiological functions in food digestion. Gut microbiota constitute and regulate the intestinal mucosal barriers, control nutrient uptake and metabolism, assist with maturation of immunological tissues, and prevent propagation of pathogenic microorganisms. Under physiological conditions, gut microbiota continue to stimulate the immune system, which is a rapid and effective mechanism for defending against pathogens. Collectively, the microbiota exert a fundamental influence on systemic immunity and metabolism, and healthy gut microbiota are largely responsible for the overall health of the host.”
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200427/Gut-microbiota-could-predict-severity-of-COVID-19.aspx
The researchers suggest that in healthy people, the composition of the gut microbiome is highly predictive of the blood proteomic biomarkers that are linked to severe COVID-19.
There seems to be a school of thought – possibly a little speculative, and of course rigorously mocked by the establishment – that suggests our whole view of infectious disease is off kilter.
They maintain that as long as the body is healthy – well nourished, exercised, rested, and free from harmful stress – disease is unlikely to take hold.
In this view, we let ourselves down by living in unhealthy ways. That causes our bodies to break down, and then the germs move in.
There is a spectrum of health, from superb health to death. When a body dies, germs and fungi move in with a vengeance and – together with its own enzymes – cause decay.
Perhaps when the immune system, the gut, the circulatory system, the lungs, the skin, the biome, etc. are sub-par or damaged, the same sort of invasion takes place on a smaller scale.
Hunter-gatherers don’t seem to suffer from cancer, circulatory disease, diabetes, or infection to anything like the same degree as “civilized” people. Just as they mostly have perfect teeth and gums and powerful jaws.
Maybe in a truly healthy population, eating a proper diet, getting plenty of rest and exercise, and free from harmful stress, a disease like Covid-19 would hardly infect anyone. Only the sick and dying.
Hi Tom: re healthy people are harder to infect
In other words there is no covid-19 pandemic. The real pandemic is deteriorating health of the whole world population. Countries with high death rates could be predicted by: air pollution, number of obese people, and consumption of fast foods (grains, seed oils, sugar).
Vaccination to prevent covid-19 infections might work but there are other viruses waiting their turn.
The gut probably has a lot to do with covid-19 severity. Cilia in airways moves mucus up and away from the lungs and then is swallowed and ends up in the gut where the virus infects the gut lining. This could be the biggest source of inflammation that spreads into the bloodstream.
Yes, Andy. I think I can guess what Dr William Davis would say about the relative susceptibility to Covid-19 of people who eat grain, and people who don’t. One of the many harms he alleges against grains – of any kind – is that they render the gut permeable, thus allowing a tiny amount of its contents to seep out into the bloodstream.
In the immortal words of Captain Jack Sparrow, “Not good”.
Hi Tom: re sick and dying and Covid-19
It is all about nursing homes, not a lack of suitable vaccine.
Near 100% survival with the MATH+ Protocol:
“Five critical care physicians have formed the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Working Group (FLCCC). The group has developed a highly effective treatment protocol known as MATH+.
The protocols call for the use of intravenous methylprednisolone, vitamin C and subcutaneous heparin within six hours of admission into the hospital, along with high-flow nasal oxygen. Optional additions include thiamine, zinc and vitamin D
COVID-19 kills by triggering hyperinflammation, hypercoagulation and hypoxia. The MATH+ protocol addresses these three core pathological processes.”
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/05/29/dr-paul-marik-critical-care.aspx?cid_source=dnl&cid_medium=email&cid_content=art1HL&cid=20200529Z1&et_cid=DM547464&et_rid=882429659
Good for them. No doubt they will be ignored, belittled, laughed at, or attacked. Or, all four.
Malcolm, Can you legally do this treatment, and will you be trying it with your patients (or something similar)?
Re: Judy Mikovits. Whether you’re a fan, a critic or neutral about Judy Mikovits, you may find this informative (or not): https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/aid.2020.0095
The article does appear to be a little biased. “And predictably, now that the first immunization trials have started, the antivaccine lobby has latched on to most of them.”
The antivaccine “lobby” is not the only voice of concern. Offit and Hotez, both provaccine, have urged caution in the development and distribution.
Notepad, true that the wording sends up some subtle red flags. I also didn’t like her ‘author’s disclosure’ at the end when she said she had “no COMPETING financial interests.” She is funded, but is she saying her backers aren’t competing in any way? That’s hardly comforting..
The paper is actually credited to two men, Stuart J.D. Neil and Edward M. Campbell. (Assuming that such names still imply men; a moment ago I read about a US Senator with the first name “Jeanne” who is apparently a man).
I too noticed the bit about “competing financial interests”. The disclosure mentions a Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship, so I looked up the Wellcome Trust. Apparently it “funds thousands of scientists every year”; and as the average scientific paper nowadays costs well into six figures (dollars), that adds up to a pretty piece of change. Approaching $1 billion a year being handed out to researchers.
So unless Wellcome Trust has a printing press in its basement, where does it get that $1 billion or so a year?
Three guesses.
Also, of course, a disclaimer of competing financial interests presumably relates to the present day. Authors of a paper can’t help it if, some time after publication, some organization is so pleased with the paper that it decides to show its appreciation to the authors, can they?
Three guesses, indeed, Tom. I think we have more than an inkling.
To borrow Dr Kendrick’s well-chosen words, anyone who criticizes vaccines, GMOs or any hugely profitable business can expect to be “be ignored, belittled, laughed at, or attacked”. Probably all four.
Being attacked and belittled by some people is a badge of honour. It shows that, in the ongoing war between those who love truth and those who love money, you are on the side of truth.
Much is still missing in this re-telling of the Judy Mikovits saga.
There is the strange episode of large scale CFS-like illness among hospital staff vaccinated with an early polio vaccine in a California hospital in 1933 and subsequent very large compensation for permanent damage caused.
Then there is the collection of blood samples, from well before Mikovits began her search for a viral cause of CFS, by a doctor at who was treating an outbreak of CFS/ME among his patients.
It is also well known that the neonates of HIV positive mothers require antiviral drugs before receiving immune system stimulating vaccines lest the resulting inflammation causes AIDS and early death.
Her speculation that the XMRV in neonates when challenged by the inflammation resulting from childhood vaccines causes reactivation and neurone damages resulting in autism, is supported by the high prevalence of XMRV in the mothers of autistic children compared to those not with autism..
She has therefore upset a very powerful lobby by the suggestion that their vaccines spread a silent threat long ago that now is carried by millions of American (other people are not exempted) and the childhood vaccination of their children can add the insult of brain damage to silent injury inflicted by vaccine experiments nearly a century ago.
Frankly I read the article as another hatchet job to bury an awkward questioning voice at a time when those who started the process of discrediting her are increasingly seen to be close to the ‘gain of function’ experiments on coronaviruses carried out in Wuhan with US funding and US direction, that the Telegraph is now reporting were accidentally released in China.
These are the kinds of articles/attacks we’re going to be seeing for quite some time, so I figured I’d better get used to reading some of it. I wasn’t impressed with any of the author’s ‘evidence’ against Mikovits, but I do want to be aware of what the other side is saying.
One ought to bear in mind that, whereas Dr Mikovits and her allies may perhaps make some money out of selling books, etc., those who attack her conclusions have literally tens of billions of dollars at stake.
Just saying.
teedee126: That was a hit piece. There are no sides to history, no sides to what was done to her by Anthony Fauci. Just the facts. She is an honorable scientist, and I think she told the truth about what happened to her. As for her scientific findings, that is wide open to debate. We must be careful to distinguish personal attack from scientific discourse.
Gary, regardless what we think of the ‘quality’ of the attacks, that IS the side that her opponents will view as the truth and millions of laypeople will be brainwashed by such hit jobs just the same.
A major factor behind lack of infectious diseases in traditional hunter-gatherers was that they lived in small groups and had limited contact with other groups. In effect they were practicing social isolation already. When we adopted animal husbandry and agriculture things changed. Constant daily contact with domesticated animals meant animal diseases could jump to humans and denser populations made human-to-human contagion easier.
Hunter-gatherers are not naturally immune to infection. It is estimated that 90%+ of the native population in the Americas died from European diseases following 1492. In the 1800s cholera epidemics decimated the Plains Indians just as it was doing to the Americans. Likewise Eskimos died in droves from disease after contact with the outside world. Neither group was likely to be deficient in C or D but it wasn’t enough to protect them against novel infections.
Well, that’s a hypothesis, and most people (including me) think it has some credence; because that’s what we’ve been told. What benefit is that knowledge in the current situation? The isolation was because that’s how life was, today’s isolation is forced on people with several other experimental treatments, known to cause stress. But a vaccine might cure it all, then again………….
‘In the 1800s cholera epidemics decimated the Plains Indians just as it was doing to the Americans.’ Stuart, I think the Plains Indians were Americans. Maybe you meant to say ‘other Americans’?
Having read Mikovits first book “Plague” and now have a few pages left in her recent “PLAGUE OF CORRUPTION” I am very convinced that she knows what she is talking about and even more convinced about the corruption of the Medical Establishment and the dangers involved in the vaccination of infants.
In my eyes she has paid an extremely high price for her medical honesty of her publications and presentations. It is almost unbelievable that she still has the strength to keep on fighting for the science involved with the all the injustices she has suffered.
Goran, I’ve got about 1/4 left to read in Plague of Corruption and she certainly knows what she’s talking about. Any piece against her that seems to be defending the Medical Establishment or vaccination/big pharma is highly suspect, in my view. They’ll keep attacking and we have to do our best to support the views and the reputation of those they attack.
Add Suzann Humphries book “Dissolving Illusions” to Mikovits
and you get pretty convinced of the business scam involved in grand scale vaccination.
Thanks for the recommendation, Goran. I also subscribed to her site for email updates.
Goran, teedee & anyone else. Re. the Mikovits books – what’s your opinion of reading ‘Plague of Corruption’ only or is it ‘necessary’ to read both (or if you had time to read one of them only which would you go for). Cheers.
Hi, Clathrate, I’ve only read Plague of Corruption so far, and find it plenty compelling on its own, but hopefully Goran or anyone else who had read both can give a better assessment. 🙂
Thanks teedee.
Hello Dr Kendrick,
I have been following your blog for several years now and have found it extremely thought provoking,enlightening and helpful. Thank you.
With regard to the current covid situation, I have a thought which will not go away and I decided to post it here to see what you and others thought of it.
On April 3rd 2020, just by chance, I heard part of a BBC Radio 2 interview between Dr Chris Smith, Clinical Lecturer in Virology at Dept of Pathology, University of Cambridge, and Jeremy Vine.
The discussion included mention of vaccine development for covid. What was said made my ears prick up, thinking that it may have future relevance.
I therefore tried to download the programme but was unsuccessful. Instead, listening again, a transcript of the discussion was made:
Here is the section that has me pondering(49 mins into the programme)
Asked when he thinks a vaccine will arrive, Dr Smith replies after first talking about antibody tests:
“This is a tall order, to get a vaccine out in under a year, let alone in just a few months. These things have to be done very very carefully and cautiously, because this family of viruses (the coronaviruses), we know from past experience with them, that you can get a phenomenon, where if you get your vaccine wrong, you make antibodies that don’t stop the virus, but they do make it stickier, so when you are infected with it, these antibodies that you’ve made help it to get into your cells. So, paradoxically, through having been vaccinated, you end up worse off. That would be an awful situation, having invested in a vaccine, scaled it, given it to loads of people and then made them potentially a bigger victim of this than they would otherwise have been. So, it’s very important we dont go down that path”
My query:
What if …last years flu vaccine was wrong and has contributed to some people (those with comorbidities; the elderly, some NHS staff) becoming very ill or even dying when they met this covid virus? Would a record be kept of the vaccine batch number on the patients GP record? Are the countries who are most affected by this pandemic also those who have used the most flu vaccine on their populations last year?
According to Dr Vernon Coleman (“Anyone Who Tells You Vaccines Are Safe And Effective Is Lying”) not only are vaccines usually not tested, but no records are kept of who got which batch when. Dr Coleman believes this is quite deliberate, in order to make sure no subsequent harm can be linked to a particular batch of vaccine.
Speaking personally, I know of three vaccinations in my family. Both the vaccinations I had turned septic and made me very ill; and the one my mother had caused her shoulder to get so bad that a surgeon urged her to let him take the arm off at the shoulder (high amputation) as the only way to save her life. Much to her credit, she refused and survived – but she bore the scar for the rest of her life.
Here is the exact quotation from Dr Vernon Coleman’s book “Anyone Who Tells You Vaccines Are Safe And Effective Is Lying”.
“Finally, here’s a simple, cheap to perform, clinical trial that would tell us whether or not individual vaccines are safe and effective.
All doctors have to do is to make a note of how many children who receive a vaccine develop that disease and then compare those results with the number of children who get the disease but haven’t had the vaccine. This will provide information showing that the vaccine is (or is not) effective.
And they could make a note of the number of vaccinated children who develop serious health problems after vaccination and then compare that number with the incidence of serious health problems among unvaccinated children. What could be easier than that?
These would be easy and cheap trials to perform. They would simply require the collection of some basic information. And it would be vital to follow the children for at least 20 years to obtain useful information. A trial involving 100,000 children would be enough.
But I do not know of anyone who has done, or is doing, this simple reasearch. Could it possibly be that no one does such basic research because the results might be embarrassing for those who want to sell vaccines?”
@Tom Welsh I don’t know if you’ll see this due to the time that has elapsed since you posted but I was doing some research to understand how effective the flu shot is. The CDC website shows that the effectiveness is from around 18% to 60% depending on year but it’s a little less clear how they arrive at that conclusion.
I wrote to the relevant health departments here in Australia to see if there is any year by year data that compares flu infection rates between those who receive the flu shot and those that don’t. Imagine my surprise to learn that these aren’t linked. It would be very easy to do, even though data is currently maintained in separate registers. It would be as simple as the health practitioner, on confirming a flu case, looking up the immunisation register to see whether or not the patient had the shot or, and flagging it and then extracting reports.
I mean, how does one determine whether their chances of getting the flu are reduced? If you listen to the authorities they would have you believe that it’s nearly a crime NOT to have the flu shot….ok…show me the data I say.
“That would be an awful situation, having invested in a vaccine, scaled it, given it to loads of people and then made them potentially a bigger victim of this than they would otherwise have been. So, it’s very important we dont go down that path”.
Yah. Sure. Of course, one simple solution would be not to make and administer the vaccine.
Oh wait. That’s impossible – it would reduce profits.
In the northern hemisphere, COVID happened after flu vax season. In the southern hemisphere, COVID came before flu vax was available. The death rate in Australia is about 4 in a million.
Thanks! Good data point.
But the further north you go, the death rate nosedives. Queensland has a death rate of 1.2 (6 deaths), or 0.8 per million if you exclude the two cruise ship deaths. And only 1,061 cases. The Northern Territory has zero deaths.
However, our living is different too. We are much more spread out. Semis, let alone terraced houses are almost unknown. Wealthy people live in tower blocks in the city, poor people have run down houses on quarter acre blocks in the suburbs. Nobody has central heating, although reverse cycle air conditioners are becoming more common, so no hot fugs build up in houses, where in the wooden ones the windows are often permanently stuck open ….
On the downside, if survival does confer immunity, we have no herd immunity build up. I can’t see where re-introducing international flights fits into the exit plan. Queensland is mostly free from (an always negligible) lockdown, but interstate travel is still forbidden until the southern states get their infection rates to zero.
Your own blood is conspiring with The Virus to kill you . . . . if it’s type A.
“Our data thus aligns with the suggestions that blood group O is associated with lower risk compared with non-O blood groups whereas blood group A is associated with higher risk of acquiring Covid-19 compared with non-A blood groups.”
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.31.20114991v1
I sent your latest gem to a friend in the US. He is scientist (now retired) and has responded with the following, perhaps you would comment:
“My question is: do asymptomatic and mildly affected individuals have different levels of ACE2 receptors present on their endothelial cells or are they better at modulating innate and adaptive immune response to the virus, lessening the risk of uncontrolled “innocent bystander” damage to otherwise healthy host tissue? Men generally have greater ACE expression than women, and are more likely to have severe disease. And, a few studies, in very small cohorts, have suggested that activity by type of regulatory lymphocyte may be key in stopping the cytokine storm.”
But, if the glycocalyx is healthy, would it matter how many ACE2 receptors you have in the endothelium, as the virus couldn’t reach them?
It’s complicated with ACE2.
Theoretically, vitamin d increases expression of ACE2. As does selenium. And yet people who higher levels of both (or are at least are not deficient) seem to have better outcomes.
Hmm, now I think I may have been on the right path saying gluconeogenesis uses both protein and fats, afterall? From a quick read it mentions amino acids from protein, but also ATP from fatty acids in the GNG pathways..
It seems that covid 19 doesn’t affect populations with high morbidity from Malaria, which, as far as I can see, in it’s acute phase damages the endothelium. Having worked in Africa I know that the native population are assumed to have resistance to Malaria and are not required to take antimalerials as the expats do. In fact they often harbour the parasite without showing symptoms having survived malaria in chilhood. They may become reinfected but have aren’t going to drop dead of it next day, unlike the whey faced Aberdonians and sundry other Europeans that walk among them. Perhaps those Africans that have survived Malaria, have an immune system that responds in an optimal way to other pathogens that might damage to the endothelium. Might explain why Nigeria has a covid death rate around a 500 times less than ours.
It’s also suggestive that chloroquine, a much touted remedy for covid, is also an antimalerial.
Good news from California: Today our beloved national parks opened up. We, along with many others, will no longer face thirty days without the option for getting out into the woods, fresh air, and sunshine. In truth, for legal reasons, they cannot close the parks. Many of us flipped the bird to the tyrants, and none of the Park Service employees (fine people they are!) bothered to try to enforce this stupidity.
https://www.getchange.co.uk/2020/05/22/why-catastrophe-thinking-is-neither-accurate-nor-a-good-idea/
With the continuing number of people in the UK dying of Rona virus, and the threat of the terrible second wave, the lockdown is a good thing and should continue. https://youtu.be/oxznGIj8Ja0
The clip brings out a very serious and important point. For most people nowadays, death has receded into the distant background. It’s something they don’t think about. (Although, ironically, they watch thousands of violent deaths on TV and in films. Or should that actually be “because” – they have become insensitized to the idea of death, but not the reality).
Thus, many otherwise intelligent people are seriously arguing that everything must be done to “save” even one life – even if it means ruining the whole country and everyone in it.
As Dr Kendrick and others have often explained, there is no way to avoid assigning monetary value to lives. Money, after all, just stands for the resources of society. As a nation, we are prepared to spend a certain amount to prevent a person dying, and thus to give that person a few more years of life.
But the current epidemic has somehow shaken up many people, to the point where they feel that no effort must be spared to stop anyone at all dying from the virus.
Can’t be done, and the video makes that crystal clear.
I am no expert, would aspirin be an effective treatment as it is a blood thinner and an anti inflammatory? Just a thought, as it is cheap as chips and pretty common!
This tidbit made my day: Executive of LTC facilities is fired for mocking the families of residents over their concerns for their loved ones. She thought the virtual meeting was over, but stupidly left her mic on and was overheard by the families, and complaints were subsequently made. There is still some justice after all for the smart-asses who mock other’s concerns. https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/executive-at-long-term-care-company-dismissed-after-allegedly-mocking-family-members-of-residents-1.4970224
If anyone is interested in contacting their representatives about the upcoming (joke), ie the U.S. Dietary Guidelines being released for 2020 and beyond, read this letter that’s being sent by concerned health scientists and contact your reps: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a4d5666bff20053c65b7ff2/t/5ed6e3d3a8a41f61fd45ade2/1591141332047/Letter+to+the+USDA-HHS.pdf
People with blood type A more likely to suffer severe coronavirus symptoms, research finds https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/people-blood-type-likely-suffer-severe-coronavirus-symptoms/
There is this account of how intravenous Vitamin C led to the recovery, from terminal viral pneumoia, of New Zealand Farmer Allan Smith in 2010:
More research here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7172861/
and here :
https://isom.ca/article/intravenous-ascorbic-acid-for-supportive-treatment-in-hospitalized-covid-19-patients/
I remembered the story in the first link from several years ago and brought it to the attention of St. Thomas’ Hospital following the admission of Boris Johnson. I have no way of knowing if the procedure was used as part of his treatment. I have also sent the information, as well as information on the necessity for Vitamin D supplementation, to Chris Whitty, Patrick Vallance, The Health Select Committee and the Science and Technology Select Committee – that was in mid March. Nothing happened.
The following is a comment I posted elsewhere:
The Government recently released minutes of SAGE group meetings up to and including those for 7th May, 23 documents in all. I’ve looked through all of them and there is not a single reference to immune system boosting by means of Vitamin D supplementation. That’s strange because it has been known for years that people with low Vitamin D levels are more susceptible to bad outcomes from respiratory diseases (amongst others) than those in whom the levels are normal. The elderly, the socially disadvantaged and the BAME community are especially susceptible. It is no surprise to me that those groups have fared worse than the rest of the population during the current Covid-19 project.
Following an urgent investigation into the disproportionate numbe of BAME community deaths, the Government has just released an 89-page document ‘Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19’, which does no more than confirm the disproportionate numbe of deaths from Covid-19 in the BAME community. Again, there is not a single mention of Vitamin D supplementation, which is probably why there are no recommendations as to how the death rate can be reduced. The word ‘vitamin’ does not appear in the report. This is really strange because two of the reviewers are well aware of the importance of Vitamin D. One is Professor Keith Neal and those described as ‘PHE topic experts’ – no names given. The report was prepared by groups at PHE (Public Health England) and PHE has previously issued advice to the Public on the necessity for Vitamin D supplementation.
Although I find it difficult to accept, I can think of no other explanation to the inevitable conclusion that the Government is not mentioning Vitamin D deliberately. If that is the case, the high number of deaths, not just in the BAME community, is policy…. but whose policy because it is not limited to the UK? There appears to be a common factor that is not hard to find.
I’m sure the UK government mentioned 1000iu of vitamin d a day fairly recently. It was very low profile and far from an urgent proclamation.
One of the reasons I think we might avoid an immediate second spike is because people went bonkers and ran to the coast a month or so ago after Boris’s infamous botched Sunday TV announcement. Vitamin D levels skyrocketed in the aftermath.
That was a month ago and despite apparent lack of distancing hospitalisations haven’t exactly shot up as you might expect.
But if the powers that be don’t start pushing vitamin d supplementation amongst over fifties come autumn we’ll see havoc wrought again.
We have been taking 8000 iu (2 capsules) a day, along with magnesium, K2, kelp (for iodine), B12, C; and zinc and chromium once a week.
Simon C, from my unqualified position, my understanding is there cannot be a second wave from this virus. Something else may come along, but it won’t be this particular one. I expect there will be a large increase in deaths, but these will be because of the flawed decisions of isolating, muzzling, psychologically damaging people, consequently suppressing their immune systems, then even worse tricking people into having a needleful of toxic substances.
Found it. It was public health England urged people to take 10mcg/400iu vitamin d at the back end of May.
Sadly, that is not enough to quickly normalize levels in those who are deficient.
They’d have been better off recommending 1000iu or even 2000iu.
Getting 25(OH)D close to 30 ng/mL may restrict extreme elevations of IL-6, and that’s the kind of dosage required to attain and maintain such levels.
This post covers the question of how COVID-19 kills. This article asks the question, How does COVID-19 seem to become chronic in some people?
Thanks for sharing The Atlantic piece, LA Bob. We’ll certainly need to include “long-haulers” in the numbers when discussing the aftermath of C-19 because they may need allowances, even if they return to work. The last paragraph also summarizes the attitude most have that you’re either asymptomatic or you’re dead, which isn’t always the case as the piece pointed out. Some may need much longer to recover than others: ”
The notion that most cases are mild and brief bolsters the belief that only the sick and elderly need isolate themselves, and that everyone else can get infected and be done with it. “It establishes a framework in which ‘not hiding’ from the disease looks a manageable and sensible undertaking,” writes Felicity Callard, a geographer at the University of Glasgow, who is on day 77. As the pandemic discourse turns to talk of a second wave, long-haulers who are still grappling with the consequences of the first wave are frustrated. “I’ve been very concerned by friends and family who just aren’t taking this seriously because they think you’re either asymptomatic or dead,” said Hannah Davis, an artist from New York City, who is on day 71. “This middle ground has been hellish.”
Interesting small study out of Singapore.
Vitamin D 1000iu,.150mg magnesium and 500mcg b12 showed
an 81% lower risk of initiating oxygen therapy.
It’s a small study but those are remarkable numbers.
It’s odd though because b12 can reduce nitric oxide.
https://el2.convertkit-mail4.com/c/75un29k4r7h8hze452tz/r9f8hoh5n8enz7/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWVkcnhpdi5vcmcvY29udGVudC8xMC4xMTAxLzIwMjAuMDYuMDEuMjAxMTIzMzR2MQ==
“It’s odd though because b12 can reduce nitric oxide”.
I don’t know anything about the details of this specific matter, Simon. But I am always struck by the immense difficulty we humans have in grasping complex systems when we are accustomed to thinking terms of exactly such simple propositions. “B12 can reduce nitric oxide”. Supposing that to be true, by how much? Under what conditions? Where in the body? How about all the other factors that control of influence nitric oxide production? Do the benefits of B12 exceed the benefits of whatever nitric oxide is lost?
And so on for a long, long time. I am absolutely not criticizing your particular observation; just using it as a jumping-off point for a very general remark about the limitations of simple propositions in analyzing complex systems.
Moreover, human biochemistry seems to me – a layman – the most insanely complex system I have ever heard of. I am perfectly serious when I say that the human body sometimes seems to me too complicated to have been designed by any agency. Such complexity could surely arise only through natural selection. Blood clotting, for example, involves something like 40 separate but highly interdependent systems! The same chemicals play many (sometimes scores) of entirely different roles in different systems, sometimes in the same place.
Nitrous Oxide strips B12 out of the body.
So if you take L citrulline should you take a B12 supplement
You are correct of course. Things are rarely as simple as they initially seem, and that was a bold statement I made.
This article and the links and sources therein hint at what I was getting at regarding nitric oxide and b12:
https://www.drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/B12_-_rationale_for_using_vitamin_B12_in_CFS#cite_note-1
Could easily be muddled thinking on my part as I’m no doctor. Perhaps someone more qualified could weigh in?
Interestingly, there are three forms of nitric oxide synthase. NOS1, NOS2, NOS3. NOS3 is the one found in endothelial cells/glyocalyx. Vitamin B12 is usually prescribed to people as cyanocobolamin, or hydroxycobalamin. These are both inactive compounds, and need to be converted to methylcobalamin, which is the form vitB12 normally found in the body. Methylcobalamin inhibits NOS1 and NOS2, but has no effect on NOS3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2745708/. So, Vitamin B12 will have no effect on ‘endothelial’ NO. Yes, it is all very complicated. When people say that B12 can reduce nitric oxide, this is true, but it is also… not true enough to be helpful in this case. A bit like film posters which used to say things like…’A stunning film’. The entire quote was ‘A stunning film, stunningly bad that is.’
Vitamin B12 reduces NO… but not endothelial NO.
Having said this, the connections between NO and various forms of ‘cobalamin’ are extremely interesting. People who abuse nitrous oxide, can strip their bodies of methylcobalamin and become paralysed due to neurological damage. Yes, it is a complicate and interrelated old world out there.
Thanks for that Dr. Kendrick.
I take vitamin d and magnesium anyway, and might add b12. Won’t do any harm. I’ll get the methyl variant.
I was vegetarian for years, and back then I was totally ignorant of this kind of thing. Probably horribly deficient in all such nutrients and likely still shy of where I need to be with them.
Many thanks, Simon and Dr Kendrick. Now I know infinitely more about B12 and NO than I did this morning!
Simon, I really was not criticizing your comment! It got me thinking about a general theme that has struck me before, and – as all too often – I was overcome by the urge to share.
“If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea, which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to himself, but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of everyone, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it. Its peculiar character, too, is that no one possesses the less, because every other possesses the whole of it. He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. That ideas should freely spread from one to another over the globe, for moral and mutual instruction of man, and improvement of his condition, seems to have been peculiarly and benevolently designed by nature, whom she made them, like fire, expansible over all space, without lessening their density at any point, and like the air in which we breath, move, and have our physical being, incapable of confinement or exclusive appropriation. Inventions then cannot, in nature, be a subject of property”.
– Thomas Jefferson
Malcolm
How do you abuse NO?
You can abuse nitrous oxide (and many people do) NO2. It would rather more difficult to abuse nitric oxide NO, I would imagine. I don’t think it would give you a buzz. It would probably give you a headache.
Was puzzled too – nitrous oxide is not nitric oxide. The former apparently is also known as laughing gas and a sedative used by dentists
Nitrous oxide is N2O. If you abuse that in small doses you’ll have a good laugh. NO2 is nitrogen dioxide, an orange gas, if you try abusing that you’ll get sick and possibly die.
Sorry chemical notation error from me. I should have written N20. Humble apologies
Teenagers up and down the land do nitrous oxide balloons. If you walk in parks or have to tidy up after a teenage party, you will find little silver canisters and empty balloons! They do some complex manouvre filling the balloon from the little canister and then inhaling the contents of the balloon. I have two late teens so know more about this than I would like to!
Ban the sale of Nitrous Oxide canisters: https://www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-mp-ban-the-sale-of-nitrous-oxide-to-the-general-public
I thoroughly agree. I feel that there is a temptation to add a bit of this and a bit of that without understanding the true complexities of the human body.
We are often appalled when doctors prescribe drugs to treat problems caused by other drugs, yet it seems many are willing to take any number of supplements without any real understanding of what the effect is going to be on their particular system.
I so agree Peggy Sue. It is always worth bearing in mind that when something is regularly taken to excess, there is a danger of it working in an opposite direction. There can be chain reactions we have no idea about. I agree we are not clever enough to be sure of much. Ensuring an adequate intake requires caution I believe.
There seems to be little data regarding post infection conditions. Yesterday, I had a patient present with upper right abdominal pain. They were very tender over the gall bladder. This patient had been in ITU for 9 days in April, although not intubated/ ventilated but on CPAP/BiPAP from how they described it, with CoViD19 pneumonia. The patient was referred to surgeons, but it got me thinking as to whether the problem was an aftermath of the earlier infection.
Hypothesis: blood tests can predict severity of outcome in COVID-19 infection
Test #1- Vitamin D, low level means disaster
Test #2- TG/HDL-C ratio, high level is marker of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome
Test #3- hsCRP, measure of systemic inflammation that is stressing the immune system
Test #4- HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin but also indication that there could be systemic glycation of lipids and proteins. Glycation accumulates with age.
It would seem that the Lancet study that damned hydroxychloroquine was not all it was made out to be:
https://www.foxnews.com/media/dr-marc-siegel-on-faulty-hydroxychloroquine-data-this-is-a-political-hit-job
And is being deemed a “political hit job” by Fox and its adherents. What a surprise. Science can’t just be shoddy or full of conflicting interests, it has to have some deep, dark evil intent attached to it. Pot calling the kettle black, as usual.
You said nothing can penetrate the endethal wall unless the wall is damaged.
So how does covid 19 coronavirus damage the endethal wall
It hitches a ride on the ACE2 receptor. That’s how most viruses get in, via a receptor of some sort.
Hm. There are receptor blockers. ARBs for example.
What terrible consequences would there be to blocking ACE2 receptors enough to make a difference to coronavirus entry?
If you block receptors, the body makes more of them.
Does that mean, in effect, that you get hooked on a medication that works by blocking receptors?
So ARBs don’t really work to lower BP?
Or… they work by some other mechanism than blocking (some) angiotensin receptors??
Neatly explaining the ‘overshoot’ danger of suddenly stopping certain prescription drugs.
JDPattern,
You can’t win. Better to work on immunity than to try to block ACE2 receptors like the little Dutch boy and the dam.
But can they penetrate a healthy glycocalyx?
Of course, otherwise the receptors on endothelial cells could not work, because nothing could reach them.
So does size not matter? The virus is about ten times the size of the enzyme the receptor is built for. It’s just that, if a healthy glycocalyx did resist the virus, it would explain almost all the demographics of the susceptible groups.
Hi Eggs: re question whether glycocalyx can block a virus, looks like it can
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0945053X18300738
“systemic administration of recombinant SPARC restored the endothelial glycocalyx and consequently reversed the increase in inflammation and mortality observed in SPARC KO mice in response to viral exposure.”
Ooooh. CRISPR! PAC-MAN! lipitoids! Kill the COVID-19!!
State-of-of-the-art to fool Mother Nature, of course.
It should really annoy some certain folks here when I say that this is what we humans have always striven to do. More power to us!
https://www.fiercebiotech.com/research/stanford-team-deploys-crispr-gene-editing-to-fight-covid-19
JDPatten: Thanks for the link. It just gets creepier by the day!
we are must all be getting corona-exhaustion now;
however if I commend this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMsaEqGzU0A where John Lee, retired pathologist, speaks very well and very clearly; he tries to raise issues like can folks in the UK have a “grown-up” conversation about aspects of death; lots of sensible stuff;
about 32 mins in, he talks of choice: we currently have this paternalistic, authoritarian approach that everyone over a certain age is deemed “elderly” ; and so must be “protected”: any choice is taken away; as perhaps North Korea might do things; John Lee suggests that older folks enjoy contact with family, friends and entertainment; and to imprison them perhaps should involve a degree of reflection; (you can sense I am very fed up with this terrible chant of “protect the elderly”: it is facile, seductive but crazy.) Folks like Jonathon Sumption feel they should be allowed to decided for themselves. I commend the video: it will challenge all the assumptions you hold; from believing all the MSM and the BBC have told you.
Thank you for the link Terry. Have you noticed the number of recent “studies” published which support the official view, and all the studies done at a time when people did not have axes to grind, are dismissed for one reason or another? (Notwithstanding the estimated 50% being wrong anyway).
thanks AhNotepad;
“the number of recent “studies” published which support the official view”
Indeed friends of ours in NZ showed this rubbish that was published in their daily propaganda paper https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12335221
The person is a far-left public medicine figure; (95% of public health doctors are far-left): and he indeed still believes saturated fat is lethal; and that butter is a deadly poison; a balanced view, we would all agree.
in the above article, he prophesises that Sweden will have “56,000 lives could be lost in the process”; ie not doing house arrest. We sense he is incensed the Swedes are different.
This article appeared on the Hector Drummond website as a reply from a kiwi; it would not be published by MSM in NZ https://hectordrummond.com/2020/06/05/jeremy-harris-please-just-stop/
All you kindly souls believe NZ is a land of milk and honey; you do not seem to realise the press there are like poodles, and just publish what Miss Muppet wishes to be said, so we understand from friends there.
Hi Terry: the problem with studies may be due to extrapolation, applying what happens to 1% to 100%
https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2020/05/07/82-of-canadas-covid-19-deaths-have-been-in-long-term-care.html
“OTTAWA—New data reveals the overwhelming toll on elderly Canadians in long-term care during the COVID-19 outbreak, showing they make up 82 per cent of all deaths.
The National Institute on Aging says that as of May 6, 3,436 residents and six staff members of long term care settings had died of COVID-19, representing 82 per cent of the 4,167 deaths reported as of Wednesday.
Dr. Samir Sinha, research director at the institute, says it is a staggering figure, given the roughly 400,000 residents living in care homes represent just one per cent of Canada’s population.”
AhNotepad; you asked about the Hope-Simpson book; I saw Ivor Cummins on his twitter site had it available as a pdf download via a DropBox facility; the book is a most excellent read.
Endothelial cell infection and endotheliitis in COVID-19…
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30937-5/fulltext
Pulmonary Vascular Endothelialitis, Thrombosis, and Angiogenesis in Covid-19…
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2015432
Soon, all you will be allowed to know, is what is allowed. Vernon Coleman’s take on the current position. https://youtu.be/WUbvyhdmFMA
AhNotepad: An hour well spent:
Heres an early millimetre wave study, https://mdsafetech.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/biological-effects-of-millimeter-wavelengths.-zalyubovskaya-declassif-by-cia-1977-biol-eff-mm-waves.pdf saying albumin / globulin ratio drops with super high frequency emf (millimetre wave) other studies put this with clotting? Just thinking of the ruby princess starlinked with wall to wall connectivity
Also dolores cahill is wondering if the flu vaccine rolled out in wuhan, bergamo etc has coronavirus in via mice kidney residue worsenning the cytochine issue?
Memec7 I meant to add this as a P.S. when you mentioned ‘tea bags’ yesterday, just in case someone isn’t aware that tea bags aren’t created equal. I’m not a purist about tea and will certainly accept a cup from someone who uses bags, while I prefer a nice loose tea at home (Taylors of Harrogate’s Yorkshire Gold is a personal favorite), but I do keep a box of tea bags around for those who prefer them. However, I was shocked to learn of a study done by McGill University on the ‘new’ bags. I had made the mistake of buying some tea with these newer bags, but since I hadn’t opened the box when I came across the findings, I immediately returned them. I’m not drinking or serving tea with “billions of particles mixed into the tea” for any reason, and I’m glad you use the loose tea, as well: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-mcgill-study-finds-some-premium-tea-bags-leach-billions-of-2/
This link seems to be working better. Also not surprising that the WHO thinks that these microplastics leached into tea and/or in drinking water are ‘deemed safe’. They ‘would’ say that, wouldn’t they? pfft.
The WHO has become an almost purely political organisation. Not really a tremendous surprise, if a little disappointing. At least they are predictable. You know what they are going to say, long before they actually say it. It allows time to prospectively ignore them. Its a bit like minority report. Prevent future crime.
I think the full statement from the WHO might have been to the effect that those involved in the production and supply of plastics teabags are safe, from prosecution.
Teedee – at the risk of advertising, Cl**per organic or T*a Pi*s organic, the bags are plastic free and compostable and jolly nice tea too though dearer than other brands.
Sorry, Dr. K – a tad off topic but we are all so weary, I think, of all things virus and suffering from lockdown brain besides.
I’ll go and make a nice cup of tea. Anyone?
JanB
I agree. We need a bit of relief from Covid I think. I plan to do one more blog on it, then shut up.
Malcolm, I don’t think you need to shut up, there is still rubbish like this https://youtu.be/J-egfiygvmE to deal with. He is talking about testing, using an unreliable test, tracing, which will put people under even more severe house arrest, the big bogie virus will sneek back in if we turn our backs for a second. As we’re not supposed to label people, this is nuts (presumably spoken by a …………) If the voices stop, that hands it on a plate to the tyrants.
Accumulating a few extra electrons is done by vitamin C intake. As for a second wave, my understanding from virologists is it is somewhat unlikely. What is likely is a lot of deaths from the lockdown, as already noted from the increase in suicides to name but one cause.
That one should have gone to andy.
Hi Ah: re electrons from walking barefoot
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3265077/
Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth’s Surface Electrons
“Emerging evidence shows that contact with the Earth—whether being outside barefoot or indoors connected to grounded conductive systems—may be a simple, natural, and yet profoundly effective environmental strategy against chronic stress, ANS dysfunction, inflammation, pain, poor sleep, disturbed HRV, hypercoagulable blood, and many common health disorders, including cardiovascular disease. The research done to date supports the concept that grounding or earthing the human body may be an essential element in the health equation along with sunshine, clean air and water, nutritious food, and physical activity.”
However the Cl* brand of organic tea bags are still in one piece in my compost heap after a year, so …, but they are cheap in Asda
I’ll join you in a nice cup of tea, Janet (if there’s room, that is!) Sorry. Horribly corny joke. But I appreciate the recommendations for the organic tea–thanks very much. 🙂
I love this blog site. It keeps me sane in these troubled times. Everyone, you are most welcome to a nice virtual (socially distanced) cup of tea.
I would like to join you too, as long as my cuppa can be made with coffee besns.
Teedee
We are loose leaders as well, English breakfast in the morning and Darjeeling in the afternoon. Just back from a 25 km cycle and our Darj is brewing as I type this
That’s a nice distance for a ride, and I’ll bet that cup of tea is extra satisfying after being out in the fresh air. I don’t know if it’s just in Canada, but have you noticed there are very few bike parts available right now? It seems everyone is either buying a bike or fixing up their bikes, because some of our roads are being blocked off to enable physical distancing for pedestrians and cyclists–though the road closures tend to be in urban neighborhoods that are fairly dense. Good luck finding a new tire for your bike, here, though..
teedee126: I have two brand new bicycle tubes (26 X 1.9-2.12) in the cabinet. I’ll send you one if you need it. I rarely ride anymore, since I got a new pickup, which is much more fun and much less dangerous. I do see lots more bicyclists these days, mainly families and groups of young women, plus the occasional spandexer. In the early days I saw masked cyclists, but this is no longer the case. As for tea, never touch the stuff, after what happened to Uncle Fred’s pal, Buffy Struggles.
That’s a very sweet offer, Gary, but hubby found two tubes this morning in an area of Canadian Tire that were apparently forgotten. They weren’t in the usual area, and the corner where he found them was in some disarray. His persistence paid off and hopefully, stores will start stocking things ‘normally’ again. Take care.
teedee126: May have been Gally Threepwood’s pal, Buffy Struggles. Not certain. Getting old.
Hello Teedee126 – T’bags, nope. As for the plasticised ones, the paper ones are treated with chlorine. Also, the quality of the tea is substandard. ‘Used’ to be named the ‘sweepings’ until people misunderstood the term, which more rightly should be named residual. Best tea is the top two leaves, fine, young. Then top four, coarse, and mixed with a little of the fine. Below that is coarse. One does not pick further down.
Unless organic, tea bushes are doused in pesticides on a regular basis
Following preparation of black tea, CTC – cut, tear, curl – a process where the leaf is set between huge rollers, with pans under, which collect the residues, the residues, a mix of the leaf, is used in T’bags.
One way to side step T’bags, is to use a small teapot. Or, can use a wire mesh set over a mug – porcelain mugs are available. This is a quickie for a single mug of good tea, and the used leaves can be chucked into the rose beds !
Tea bushes are sprayed with pesticides on a regular basis.
Green tea and white, a different kettle of fish…! A different approach. There is a very good tea estate in the UK. At last time checked, was some £50 for an ounce, just a tad expensive and out of reach…!!
Cheers, with a good cuppa – 🙂
You certainly know your way around a cup of tea, mmec7. I like the loose for the reasons you stated about the chlorine in traditional bags and of course the awful microplastic particles in the ‘silken’ bags. Green and white are lovely, though I still enjoy my black tea. And we do our best to get away from all the nasty pesticides, but over-spray and profit margins make them harder to find. Thank goodness for those who try their utmost to keep them out of the foods and beverages we consume. Cheers.
Ketones and the ‘Rona:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/06/07/how-to-raise-your-ketone-levels.aspx?cid_source=dnl&cid_medium=email&cid_content=art2HL&cid=20200607Z1&et_cid=DM560669&et_rid=888894171
After Gary’s latest video, perhaps we should remind ourselves that stress levels matter too. Cortisol, glucagon….
Yes please Jan, a nice cup of tea!
Initially I was unimpressed by CEBM Oxford due to the smirking David Nunan and his anti-low-carb agenda. But I have to say Carl Heneghan and co have done a top job on coronavirus.
This
https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/thrombosis-in-covid-19-clinical-outcomes-biochemical-and-pathological-changes-and-treatments/
covers much of the same ground as you. Then there’s
https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/leadership-in-covid-19-the-dangers-of-groupthink-in-crisis-leadership/
IMO the obese bloviating buffoon and his sidekick (and sidecock) I will not speak his name lest it causes him to manifest, are still stuck on Ferguson’s paranoid fantasy that we must stay locked down until the Holy Vaccine arrives.
In the Real World the disease has pretty much followed a Farr curve, or more recently there has been reference to a Gompertz curve, as epidemics do. It is falling away spectacularly now. No deaths at all in Scotland, yet the poison dwarf is vying with B*ris to have the world’s longest lockdown.
IMO all the Real Science that has been done had had no effect on The Agenda,
AHN – purely political posturing in Scotland – the people appear to realise that & are doing their own thing anyway.
A replacement for aspirin? Pomegranate juice consumption reduces oxidative stress, atherogenic modifications to LDL, and platelet aggregation: studies in humans and in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E–deficient mice (aggregation meaning – the formation of a number of things into a cluster) https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/71/5/1062/4729159
I read an article dissing Judy Mikovits. The author/s funding info – supported by Wellcome Trust as stated at bottom of document. I googled Wellcome Trust and found the following – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust to fund….
I wasn’t surprised to learn that the Gates’ are behind the funding through Wellcome Trust. When I put up the piece without indicating what I thought of Mikovits or the paper, I got thumbs down as did anyone else who mentioned her name. I have to admit I chuckled every time I saw it thumbed down, it was so obvious we’ve got some lurking Judy Mikovits haters hanging around. Or maybe they’re lovers of Bill and Melinda ;P
I don’t mind if people want to hate on someone, but at least add something to the conversation or give some cogent reasons, don’t just hit and run…
Terry, yes, thanks. Already picked it up from your earlier post, and have it downloaded. Just reading Vernon Colemans “Anyone Who Tells You Vaccines are Safe and Effective is Lying. Mentions the flu vaccine, and from the number of cases before the vaccines, it looks like the vaccine may be a strong contributor.
thanks AhNotepad; glad you got the pdf; I see Ivor mentioning it again today. “from the number of cases before the vaccines, it looks like the vaccine may be a strong contributor.” .. meaning, as discussed in Lombardy, that flu vaccines appear to predispose to having corona infections?
Will they never stop their evil? This is unethical at best, legally it is assault. https://thevaccinereaction.org/2020/06/children-recruited-in-u-k-for-covid-19-vaccine-trial/ it must be ok though, it’s done by scientists. Get, and read Vernon Coleman’s book.
Isn’t this abuse – testing unproven vaccines on children who cannot speak for themselves, and who furthermore represent a segment of the population least affected by Covid-19. Why would you need to vaccinate them at all even if there were a decent vaccine. If there are fears that children might infect adults then WHO has anyway just announced that asymptomatic covid-19 sufferers may only very rarely infect others.
It’s the old “scapegoat” theme. Some people are so wretched, so unfulfilled, so unhappy, that they exult in any opportunity to scold, attack or even kill those even more outcast. Notoriously, the people who were hardest on blacks in the American south were the “poor white trash”. The thought that, at least, they were “above” the blacks made their lives more bearable.
You can still see the syndrome today. As soon as anyone is designated a “social outcast” or “enemy of the people”, crowds of others begin to fling bitter recriminations at them – for all the world as if they knew them or had any notion of their personal situation.
I think of such people as the modern version of those who used to flock to public executions. And since those who are execrated are so often the tiny few who are responsible for progress and improvement, it’s an unfortunate tendency.
“Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded – here and there, now and then – are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
“This is known as ‘bad luck'”.
– Robert A. Heinlein, “The Notebooks of Lazarus Long”, in “Time Enough for Love” [Witness Turing, Semmelweiss, Russell, Ted Nelson, Leibniz, etc. Etc.]
Tom Welch Are you serious? The people responsible for progress and improvement have usually been the wealthy. They have had lots of time on their hands The poor had to work hard just to exist
mick725:
1. Where in my comment did you find any mention of whether progress and improvement were brought about by the poor or the wealthy?
2. My name is “Welsh”, not “Welch”.
dissing ?
Jerome, I believe “dissing” is short for “disrespecting” – juvenile slang that has been around for some time. Started, perhaps, with gangs in the USA.
In those circles, “dissing” is considered ample grounds for assault or even murder. It can take the form of a glance at the person’s face, or – worse still – “his” woman.
I have noticed that politicians react exactly like gang leaders in this respect. I have lost count of the people who were murdered after they insulted or merely disobliged US leaders.
Tom, ( with apols to Dr K and others feeling the blog is deteriorating once again into slanging matches). I see “dissing” as yet one more Americanism that we, on this side of the pond, can well do without. I find myself skipping over so many responses these days, and feel that I must be missing some excellent points from the polite responders. I do not intend to be rude, but count me out for a while until things settle down.
What? Mr 2000% profits on vaccines supported dissing on mikovits? Next you will be telling me they’re running the social media fact chuckers,..
The overwhelming statistics about the corona fatality rate (CFR) telling it is EXACTLY the same rate as in the average influensa should reasonable deflate the present hysteria epidemic around Corona.
Click to access PIC-COVID-19-Disease-Information-Statement.pdf
I am so fed up with the propaganda from the medical establishment on all fronts. How can they produce so much fake news?
Göran, it’s not only the medical establishment. The rubbish that’s put about is appalling. I passed a school this morning, where the authorities were, in my view, committing a crime of abuse on the children. They were sitting on the ground, in the playground, at least 2m apart, if not more. Unable to talk to each other, or interact as children would. With the (probably well meaning) overseers ensuring the children did not avoid the mental damage being inflicted. If this doesn’t stop, and quickly, we will have to deal with a cohort of children who are socially maladjusted.
“Social distancing” should be called out for what it is “control isolation”.
We now have schools in the north of England closing, having reopened momentarily, because the abused “R” number is a gnats cock above 1, so they are saying this will lead to an exponential growth in covid cases. It won’t, it can’t, and it hasn’t so far. It did what viruses do, it rose, reached a peak, and decayed. The figures of cases and deaths due to covid are much more than a little suspicious, I see them as downright lies.
From Del Bigtree https://youtu.be/MDvzcbWKNjU and the latest from Vernon Coleman https://youtu.be/rc973XH_KRw
I hope there will be a calling to account of all these politicians who claim to be “following the science”, when all they are doing is avoiding taking the responsibility they claimed they were suited for when they persuaded the electors to vote for them. They are not leaders.
Well Notepad – even if we are a little more relaxed i Sweden than in the UK you hear about the same stupidities as elsewhere in the world. It is the same globalist interest of greed and global control running here as everywhere.
And when I turn on the radio (though very seldom nowadays) I hear all these low level stupidities from local politicians and thus immediately turn the radio off to spare my soul.
Goran and Notepad:
What you both have written is exactly as my husband and I think and feel.
Carl Sagan accurately identified the core problem 24 years ago:
“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science and technology. And this combustible mixture of ignorance and power, sooner or later, is going to blow up in our faces. Who is running the science and technology in a democracy if the people don’t know anything about it?”
Charlie Rose: An Interview with Carl Sagan, May 27, 1996.
That is exactly what happened with Covid-19. No one in government had the slightest clue; so they had to call for help from scientists. But since they know nothing about science, how could they know which scientists are expert and trustworthy? They fell back on consulting a scientist who was famous – for all the wrong reasons – and completely failed to notice that his recommendations were nonsensical.
As Andrew Mather has noticed, not just the Imperial model but virtually all epidemiological models are fundamentally and hopelessly wrong in their assumptions.
Excellent comment.
Yet they gunned Wakefield on a blood test – a blood test that was agreed to by the parents. The trail vaccine will be given in the home environment, just as Wakefield’s blood test took place in a home environment !
Wonder who is going to gun this lot for total abuse, greed and corruption !
(Though one realises Wakefield was gunned in reality for discovering and highlighting a problem inherent with the vaccines.)
Tom,
Which particular famous scientist did you have in mind?
This thing is global.
Tom, thank you, a very informative series of videos, depressing really, he claim that the entire epidemiology discipline is based on floored science and modelling. I happened to notice he’s added the first of a new series challenging the COVID narrative and that would be worth following as well. The first in the series challenges why a few years ago we were urged to reduce our dependence on anti-bacterial soaps and disinfectants or risk the growth of anti-bacterial resistance. How the narrative has changed.
A 2018 study by Melbourne University raising concerns about alcohol resistant bacteria. Will our increasing use of sanitisers eventually come back to bite us?
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322646
But what is the science behind hand washing? Now before people start squawking Semmelweis, Semmelweis (like the CMO in Sweden in a recent video) I think that there is a significant difference between the situation of Semmelweis with rectifying of transferring toxic loads of bacteria from one birth canal to another without washing the hands because the person doing the actual touching was not at risk (unless they had skin cuts). I cannot see the comparison between that and the comparatively infinitesimal contact from touching your hand to a shopping trolley, an apple, a lift button or a table. Add to that that in the meantime we have discovered what Langerhans cells do, which is an initial innate immune response. Langerhans cells reach through the epidermis to the surface of the skin and are capable of initiating the immune response, and for example are particularly numerous in the cells of the eyelids, so even touching something and then wiping your eyes or face could initiate an immune response before the virus ever enters your airways.
“They are especially numerous in the dermis of normal eyelid margin skin“
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/263716
I cannot find much on the benefits of hand washing for ‘flu. I found a metastudy of a host of observational studies in kindergartens and child care facilities which found no statistical advantage. And this one:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4891197/
“ The combination of hand hygiene with facemasks was found to have statistically significant efficacy against laboratory-confirmed influenza while hand hygiene alone did not.”
So, where’s the science? Would I be actually reducing my immune response by dousing my hands in alcohol and other toxins 20 times a day? Why am I not flushing my mouth with alcohol 20 times a day (err, hang on a moment ….. maybe that explains my immunity)?
Hi Eggs, the study proves that non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) like washing hands to prevent transmission of viruses has no benefit.
The author has connections to the pharmaceutical/vaccination industry. Similarly NPI’s like vitamin C and D are frowned upon by industry sponsors like CDC and WHO.
Eggs, as I remember it some of the doctors whom Semmelweiss urged to wash their hands were regularly dissecting corpses! Then going straight to deliver babies. I don’t have a source other than my somewhat unreliable memory.
Ironically, it seems that some (40–60%) already might have adaptive cross-immunity (T4+ reactivity despite no exposure to SARS-Cov-2) from previous coronavirus exposures: https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(20)30610-3.pdf
I suspect all of the epidemiologic models started off with 0% immunity…
I was thinking of Ferguson, JDPatten, but as you point out there are such people everywhere. I have just come across a perfect example in a science fiction story published 63 years ago:
“Lectures. The organization of a Society… with Anthony Lattimer, PhD, the logical candidate for the chair. Degrees, honors; the deference of the learned, and the adulation of the lay public. Positions, with impressive titles and salaries. Sweet are the uses of publicity”.
– “Omnilingual” by H. Beam Piper
Ironically, Lattimer spends most of his time criticizing and tearing down the work of his more sincere and productive colleagues who are actually trying to accomplish something. He cannot stand to see anyone else get ahead or make a name for themselves.
Deb, what I have read strongly suggests that we use far too many sanitizing chemicals. As well as ten times as many bacteria as human cells, the body contains about 100 viruses for every human cell. Many of those are no doubt pathological; but as long as their numbers do not increase too much, they are kept in safe parts of the body (e.g. the mucus of the upper respiratory tract), and the immune system keeps them in a robust half-nelson, they are not a serious threat. Recent research suggests that human cells were largely built up and optimised by viruses! And at least half the human genome consists of old viral DNA.
Here are some notes I took while reading Alanna Collen’s book “10% Human: How Your Body’s Microbes Hold the Key to Health and Happiness”:
p169: Antibacterial products aim to do the impossible: kill all bacteria. What they do is to kill a great number of known, relatively benign bacteria – clearing space for outsiders, of unknown disposition and capabilities, to move in. Dr Collen prefers ordinary soap, which dislodges her skin bacteria but does not kill them. “Of the 50,000 or more chemicals in use in the West, just 300 or so have actually been tested for safety”.
p171: Triclosan, one of the leading antibacterial agents, is found in everything from tap water and mother’s milk to human tissues – especially the nose. The greater the concentration of triclosan in the snot, the greater the concentration of Staphyloccus Aureus (and sometimes MRSA). “Take one human nose, pumping out possible resistance-inducing triclosan-soaked snot, add some Staphyloccus Aureus and leave for a few days, and what do you get? A mobile MRSA-factory, complete with a highly effective dispersal mechanism”. Triclosan also interferes with the action of thyroid hormones, oestrogen and testosterone.
p177: By washing every day and soaping the entire body, we wash off most of its resident bacteria and sweat. This allows corynebacteria and staphylococcus to thrive, creating the bad body odour we washed to avoid! People who simply don’t wash tend not to smell bad (after a while)
😊😂😂😂 I’ll carry on then. Possibly another reason I don’t get sick.
Hi Ah, the benefit of accumulating exterior bacteria and viruses.
My hypothesis that you don’t get sick is that you have acquired a protective bio-film that communicates with your inner immune system for mutual survival. This could be similar to the gut microbiome which is essential for health. Old people acquire different smells that might be useful to identify status of the bio-film.
Ah yes, Eggs; I have just finished flushing my mouth and throat with a (not very) dilute solution of Highland Park.
I can feel it doing me good already.
HE’S BACK!
Click to access s41586-020-2405-7_reference.pdf
Written in March but only now published, and sadly in Nature which I used to rate a lot higher than The Lancet, which I wouldn’t even use to wipe.
We now have a huge amount of evidence,but we must not let that interfere with our agenda.
Meanwhile in local news, my butcher (one of the few people in white coats I trust) tells me the local covid count is now around 8. This is a mere fraction of the people who had covid-like symptoms earlier in the year before it had been invented/discovered.
I met someone whose son (late teens) went skiing in France and returned to develop flu-like symptoms and a nasty cough. Everyone else in the family caught it. but the degree of symptoms varied hugely. This was around the turn of the year when I and a lot of other people came down with it – also happened in many other parts of the country.
Someone I know used to be a nurse, and was later a manager of a care home (a good one). She used to have mandatory vaccinations, and told me she had bad reactions to a tetanus jab, strange because she had had them before without problems. She developed a massive swelling in her arm and an abscess which needed draining. and a similar response to another, I think Hepatitis B or it may have been a flu vaccination, which again she had never had problems with previously.
Initially the public toilets were closed but the ones in the Co-Op stayed open. Then those in the Co-Op were closed and the ones in town were reopened. Now they have stickers warning us to stay 2m apart and wash our hands. I guess such signs along with masks will be an economic boom.
Meanwhile the population in general just get on with things . . .
AHN – Its anti social distancing. Unnormal & control freaky ! Children are unaffected by CV19 – not putting it too strongly.
Whereas, from what I can glean from informed opinion, the flu can & does kill children.
I wonder if children dying from flu has been about forever, or whether it is more common since the introduction of childhood flu vaccination. I don’t know where to start looking for the information, but I expect I might stumble on it. It surprises me how often I do stumble across things.
Here’s a start: https://www.verywellhealth.com/deaths-from-flu-2633829
Just Google “child flu deaths history” or similar, and be prepared to look through a few pages of results. If you are interested in a particular country or region, add that to the search string.
Tom – Thing that first stands out is – “typically, 90 percent of the children who die from the flu were not fully vaccinated”. At least 2 recommendations to get the flu vaccine.
Tom, thanks, I will look further. I found this in the link:
How to Avoid the Flu
Get your annual flu shot.
If sick, stay home to prevent the spread of infection.
Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
Wash your hands thoroughly and often.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Disinfect surfaces that people frequently touch.
Avoid crowds.
FFS no mention of taking care of yourself and getting the right inputs. The only two reasonable ones are probably stay at home if you are sick, and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, but that’s good manners anyway.
Gleaning information from the Web is not as simple as it once used to be! I must admit that I was just trying to suggest a method for seeking numbers – I had not thought about the accompanying propaganda.
It takes some experience to separate the facts and figures from the biased commentary – if it’s even possible at all.
“typically, 90 percent of the children who die from the flu were not fully vaccinated”.
Having read “Doctoring Data”, one’s immediate reaction should be: what percentage of children who didn’t die from flu were not fully vaccinated?
The main thing that struck me was how small the numbers were in absolute terms. A few hundred, I think, per year. Not that any one death isn’t awful, but flu is not a significant contributor to childhood deaths.
Another big issue is what any particular source means by “child”. If it’s a question of the minimum age at which someone can be told about homosexuality and transsexuality, a child is probably anyone under about 3. If someone is trying to drum up indignation about “child abuse” or the like, it’s anyone under 20.
My brother and sister-in-law’s 4 year old granddaughter burst into tears when they invited her into their garden for a first visit after the lockup. She cried because they wouldn’t let her come near them for a cuddle. She said, “I wish this beastly thing would go away!”
Some children might not have been so upset but I think it would have been better not to have invited her if she wasn’t going to get a cuddle.
We go to see our grandchildren, if they want a cuddle, they get a cuddle. Not pointless antisocial distancing nonsense.
Tish,
I find that heartless. Better not to visit at all. This will have lasting psychological impact.
New Data on the Number of Asymptomatic Infections Dramatically Lowers the COVID-19 Case-fatality Rate.
An interesting read…..
http://orthomolecular.activehosted.com/index.php?action=social&chash=06409663226af2f3114485aa4e0a23b4.162&s=7854e037b3b880d2f1d71e666dd73504
DrK: seems that some have cross-immunity from previous coronavirus exposures—CD4+ T-cell reactivity in unexposed individuals: https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(20)30610-3.pdf
This could explain the subclinical and mild clinical infections. (Well, it also throws the whole “lockdown” argument out of the window)
Jerome Burne’s post today is well worth reading:
https://healthinsightuk.org/2020/06/07/the-medical-emperor-and-the-missing-clothes/
Play this video over & over.
How about that malaria, eh?
And Parkinson’s.
Don’t forget about flu.
Murder is pretty scary . . . human on human.
But don’t forget – this is all global. We’re exceptional.
https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/2637725
Hi JD, the good news about covid-19 is that people have stopped dying from heart disease, strokes, cancer, diabetes, or dementia.
Unless they make the effort to educate themselves afterwards, doctors know little of nutrition and less of ‘vitamins’.
But they’ve had years being indoctrinated as to the Holiness of manufactured Medicines.
Why are we surprised at their dogmatic rejection of Vit C et al ?
I would add the following to my previous comment on the “behavior” of us Swedes to be seen as a more obedient people to authorities in comparison with other peoples. Harsh surveillance is then not considered necessary.
Perhaps we have deeper absorbed the “scaremongering” message being propelled by the authorities. Although we are allowed to meet in larger assemblies we evidently don’t do that and possibly out of personal fear. Most such larger events have therefor been cancelled.
Although restaurants, especially outdoors, are beginning to fill up now there are still many who are struggling for their survival.
Bill Gates in his own words on his blog about the imperfect vaccine that will get the job done; not only does he wish to vaccinate 7 billion people, but on multiple occasions. The video on this link is especially hair-raising as he explains his RNA vaccine. The aim is to start with low income nations on the basis that their populations have more illness than elsewhere: https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/What-you-need-to-know-about-the-COVID-19-vaccine?WT.tsrc=BGEM
Decent experimenters with morals would have (and did) test new substances on themselves. Only the snake oil merchants would want to use someone else.
Tish, hair raising is a very good description.
Mr Gates is intimately familiar with the business advantages of selling anything to billions of customers, and then compelling them to buy “fixes” and “upgrades” on a regular basis.
The vaccine racket is amazingly similar to the Windows and Office rackets.
Rough and ready model well tested then, and to end-users’ cost.
Fundamentally, the ideal modern business model is one where you publish some marketing fluff, get as many punters to subscribe as you can, then just sit back and watch the money pour in. Think cable TV, for instance. Every subscriber pays automatically every month, whether he uses the service or not. Virtually all the work is done by computers. It comes close to the perfection of a regular income stream in return for no effort at all.
For personal software, the market is certainly numbered in billions of punters. Ideally, everyone. For drugs and vaccines it should be nearly as big – provided you can make sure everyone is sick at least some of the time. (That’s where Big Ag and Big Food and government dietary advice come in, plus all the pollution).
Tom – parallels are becoming too obvious. Except that the human body is not a machine and collectively can provide some resistance to being treated as such. Breathtaking observation – thanks.
Jerome, come now, the human body is just like a machine. The brain works like a computer, but slower and poor long term storage. It used to work like a telephone exchange but then computers arrived and so we upgraded. Before that it probably worked like an abacus, or maybe just a string of beads, so you can see we’ve come a long way.
Before that it was pneumatic/hydraulic. Really. Like the message systems big offices and stores used to have.
That’s where the term “vital spirits” came from. The mind, lurking somewhere in the head (“Ghost in the Machine”) sent a nerve impulse by shooting some vital spirits down a tiny hydraulic pipe. When it reached a muscle, the muscle contracted.
But if you really want some fun, look up Leibniz’s “windowless monads”!
AHN – Computers will never refuse a “fix” or an “upgrade” or anti virus SW nor do they organise resistance to such – (so far).
Jerome, I tried to upgrade the software in some of my old computers, they refused the upgrade, and the anti-virus as well.
Definite signs of AI. Might be reading some of these texts.
Jerome
Seriously off topic, but what I really hold against MS was ceasing support for Windows XP, and my bank telling me if you want to use our online stuff, get a supported operating system.
I did, long live OS
Mr Chris – With you all the way on that one. Can I ask you how beneficial your new hip has been to exercise, cycling in particular?
Mr Chris – With you all the way on that one. Can I ask you how beneficial your new hip has been to exercise, cycling in particular?
Jerome
New hip very beneficial to exercise, since it’s my second one I can say it gives very much increased range of motion. As regards cycling, the major problem was getting my leg over when I got on the bike. Before my first one, I actually bought an alleged ladies model with a lower cross bar, so called. Step throughs at that that time impossible to find
Mr Chris – Thanks for that. Ten years ago I was told by a consultant I would likely require a new hip in 15 years. Old motor bike accident & 6 years of marathon running forced me on to bicycle. Annual hip checks show micro deteriorations and am in no discomfort worth talking about. So happy days, planning on many miles going forward but miss the running. Getting the exercise, getting out in the open, meeting other cyclists, the coffee stops and seeing what’s around the next corner are good for the heart, the head and overall health. A vulnerable lady was interviewed on Irish radio this morning who was forced to cocoon twice. Her depression escalated, she self harmed and firmly blamed Corona Virus for her situation. The effects not just depression, are coming out of the woodwork. Ulster TV last night highlighted the effects “because of” corona Virus stating that 7,000 cancer appointments were missed over last few months.
Keep cycling & enjoy the fresh air & sunshine for a happy heart.
Jerome
My xrays showed bone on bone, which I can tell you is very painful.
My surgeon told me that hip replacement is a very everyday operation, and for my second hip, I did not mess around, once the diagnostic was there I pushed for it to be done in November so as to spend December January recuperating
Mr Chris – The good side of modern medicine
Jerome
Dr Malcolm has said many times that for punctual diseasesand Problems, modern medicine is Great, as I can testify, two new hips, cataracts etc. WhatI do my best to avoid is taking any medicine for the rest of my life.
The other very important thing I learnt from Malcolm is that one can think about ones health independently!
Mr C. – no arguments there. Broke ankle Jan last year descending a steep hike. Out of hospital in just a few days CW pins n plate, now fighting fit & still scaling peaks – (but now with hiking poles)
“…not only does he wish to vaccinate 7 billion people, but on multiple occasions”.
Well, if the supplier gets paid on each occasion… as they often say in business, you get what you reward.
Dr K, If you should ever come to London you will notice that practically every road junction, every public car park, and virtually EVERY bit of green public space is daily covered in 1000’s of used NOS canisters, and balloons. They are quite literally everywhere. Well, them, and the litter, broken glass bottles, beer/larger cans (condoms and faeces), they also leave behind – besides the kitchen-foiled ‘wraps’ of drug matter and needles as well. This is on a scale of a true epidemic here in London (the cocaine capital of Europe). This is ‘our’ over-entitled ‘Green’ youth of today. The sheer scale of this mess is truly shocking. I’m told this is fairly typical of the rest of the UK cities, towns, and villages. What are the contents of the canisters real use? For thickening cream. Surely it would be able to block entry of these from Korea and China?
Re Sweden – Almost every state on America’s East coast has a by far higher per HoP CV19 recorded f.r rate than Sweden. New York with 9mil population had 22,450 deaths, Sweden with 10mil population and 4,440 deaths. That 5:1 ratio is similar for Massachusetts, New Jersey, Michigan.
Isn’t this abuse – In response to Tish Farrell – Quote :-
Tish Farrell
June 9, 2020 at 7:42 am
0 0 Rate This
Isn’t this abuse – testing unproven vaccines on children who cannot speak for themselves, and who furthermore represent a segment of the population least affected by Covid-19. Why would you need to vaccinate them at all even if there were a decent vaccine. If there are fears that children might infect adults then WHO has anyway just announced that asymptomatic covid-19 sufferers may only very rarely infect others.
Read this just in from Mercola – planned, already in hand…to vaccine the newborns, and IF they show signs withing 24 hours that they have the Covid-19 virus, they will be removed from their mother – not yet disclosed ‘what’ they will then do with the newborn, keep in hospital I presume. Sure do pray that the world rises up against this horror. Bill Gate has certainly proven himself to be seriously deranged. In grave need of psychiatric care.
From Mercola :-
Why Bill Gates Wants to Rip Newborns Away From Their Mothers
Two tests within 48 hours, and then if the baby even has a suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection they should be ‘perhaps separated from their mother,’ according to this doctor. Make no mistake – the neurobiological impacts of this, right into adulthood, are absolutely horrific.
Read More >>
Dr. Kendrick, I had been expecting a post like this one and you deserve huge credit methinks for being a truly big thinker — that is my opening reprise 🙂
You are probably already aware of Dr. Paul Marik’s clinical work with sepsis and CoVID-19, and I see at least one other commenter has referenced him, but here is a link to his main writeup for others:
Click to access EVMS_Critical_Care_COVID-19_Protocol.pdf
The main problem with ascorbate as an intervention is that it requires clinical (high-dose) administration and the medical/pharma/insurance/regulatory(gov’t) communities are institutionally dead-set against it as you know. Also, it would be best for any individual not to advance to complications where this type of intervention would be useful.
My only knee-jerk reaction of skepticism is wrt “cytokine storm” and immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory interventions. I may be wrong, but my underlying axiom is that the human immune response and Mother Nature do not “make mistakes”. I have searched the clinical research literature in vain for anything that convinces me otherwise wrt antiinflammatory interventions, except possibly with truly rare conditions of true autoimmunity. Far too many common conditions are incorrectly interpreted as autoimmune without evidence (e.g. specific associated antibodies) IMO — these are immunological/metabolic but NOT isolated in cause only or primarily to anomalies of the adaptive immune system.
My interpretation of cytokine storm is that it is immunologically an effect rather than a cause. Widespread intracellular replication of virus is enormously toxic to tissues, causing cancer (via crippling of mitochondria), excessive endothelial apoptosis (IMO) and massive lymphocyte response. The human immune response is highly regulated, but nevertheless if the race of viral replication and invasion of tissues vs. immune response is being lost one should expect an increasingly large inflammatory (i.e. first-phase immune) response as the patient approaches death. Fatally compromised cells expressing virus must be destroyed and cleared away by the immune response / leukocytes. All of this phase of response is that of inflammation.
Powerful antiinflammatories such as corticosteroids and various MABs/PABs have frightening power and overwhelm endogenous immune regulatory pathways. They are necessary to use with cancer immunotherapies, for example, to prevent quick death, but IMO these interventions themselves are totally inappropriate and dangerous — i.e. playing God, essentially. Noone in the world understands a significant proportion of the enormously complex negative/regulatory feedbacks of human immunology. Drug developers focus upon one “discovered” pathway, not understanding its role in the big picture, and invent chemicals to interfere with it. Not a recipe for good results.
Chronic disease (which I prefer to name “tissue-specific degenerative conditions” of “accelerated cellular aging” — a bit more wordy) is merely “losing the race” of cellular “maintenance” earlier than we should or might. Immune response to a pathogen is the same — it is just a much quicker race. Slowing or impeding parts of the immune response that still work is not the answer IMO. It probably kills more than it saves, and how would we run a controlled experiment to measure this? Observational studies will be hopelessly confounded, and are worse than useless.
For my friends and family I have recommended:
1. Vit D sufficiency — this is purely a preventative, and must be achieved with adequate hepatic storage long BEFORE infection of course.
2. Oral L-glutathione — this can be a self-administered therapeutic intervention with earliest pneumonia symptoms, hypothetically. I bought 500g recently as a personal stockpile (not for myself — I have already been infected, first in respiratory system and then in gut, and have cell-mediated immunity now in both outwardly facing tissues).
3. Vit C — I guess one would have to find a clinic such as Marik’s or one in Scottsdale, AZ that I am familiar with, that admiinisters high-dose vit C by IV or parenterally or other suitable (non-oral) means. If it were I, I would do this rather than submit to immunomodulatory interventions — this is misguided and dangerous clinical rolling of the dice, despite its mainstream acceptance.
Wrt vascular endothelium and its role, I am completely in agreement. The gaseous-exchange function of lower lung is 100% vital — should we not expect the immune system to exert its utmost inflammatory response as the race is more and more being lost?
Bastiat’s “that which is seen” are the inflammatory biomarkers. That which is not seen are the magnitudes of intracellular mayhem and tissue death as the viral load increases and death by hypoxemia approaches.
My understanding is that oral glutathione itself has very poor bioavailability and you might be better off with a precursor like NAC.
My understanding is the opposite — oral L-glutathione (aka “reduced glutathione”) has good bioavailability. This comes for the research literature. I am unconvinced by any research of a problem with oral administration and absorption, and it has a successful history of clinical use for a variety of conditions.
Here is just one study indicating good bioavailability from oral administration (this one in mice):
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1913980/
Here is another (a difficult study to interpret, in humans):
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213231715000841?via%3Dihub
It is just interesting that clinicians experienced with this type of therapy use L-glutathione orally, regardless of the results of poorly designed experiments by those seeking grants. I will go with the direct clinical experience every time.
In a clinical intervention in which the liver itself, which is at the center of the innate immune response, and the chief target of remote immune signaling (i.e. cytokines generated throughout the body) calling for inflammatory response, is (at least in many cases — this too is already in the CoVID-19 literature) badly depleted of GST (intracellular form of glutathione) administering a precursor when clinical experience and basic research both indicate good hepatic bioavailabilty in vivo seems unwise and unmerited.
Here is a dual-case report directly applicable:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213007120301350
There is admittedly only very limited such case history to support oral L-glutathione as an intervention in CoVID-19 early pneumonia so far, but the results are striking. And it makes a lot of sense to me from a biological and immunological point of view.
If the liver is depleted of GST all bets are off — innate immune function will be severely compromised. And IMO innate immune function plays a much more vital role in CoVID-19 as compared to influenza, while humoral immune response plays a much smaller role.
Here’s another study indicating no problem with intestinal absorption of glutathione:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25198144/
I’m certain that once again things will turn out more complicated than they seem, but….
“it is not possible to increase circulating glutathione to a clinically beneficial extent by the oral administration of a single dose of 3 g of glutathione.”
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1362956/?ordinalpos=&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.SmartSearch&log$=citationsensor
And this seems to show that sublingual glutathione works as well as NAC, and both are better than standard glutathione….
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4536296/
Gosh Ken; lots of words here;
I think we are all exhausted by this stuff: many have tried to be rational; read deep;
but the mad responses of Govt: eg in Wales;
there, 90 people die each day; 3 deaths registered yesterday in Wales of/with/despite corona;
so Wales will remain CLOSED FOR BUSINESS for the entire summer;
As Prof Gupta, said “lockdown is a middle-class luxury ……..”
Here in Queensland, Australia, we have three active cases. No new community transmission for a month, one death a couple of weeks ago that turned out to be a false diagnosis, mass BLM demonstrations last weekend; but churches and sporting events are still limited, restaurants can’t fully open, and you can’t visit your parents in an aged care facility unless you can prove you’ve had the ‘flu vaccine.
“you can’t visit your parents unless you can prove you have had the flu vaccine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Precisely what variety of fairyland logic produces that as an instruction?
Jean, it’s simple, flu vaccines are known for making the recipient shed flu viruses. So if you have the vaccine, you can take it along to your parents. That should reduce the population a bit.
That scenario played out recently. My wife’s grandfather was in deteriorating health but we weren’t able to visit because we haven’t had the flu shot….and then he died…without the visit from granddaughter and family. Such a shame.
Craig E – Can you advise if this tpo happened in Queensland ?
Absolutely.
Queensland’s CMO, Dr Jeanette Young, has absolute authority. She is, literally, a dictator. Whatever her dictat is, IS. Elected representatives have given her that power. We’ve just had a fly-in case, bringing our total to four, 4, FOUR. In population terms, that would be 48 active, quarantined cases in the UK. Can you imagine the UK under ANY form of restrictions where you hadn’t had a community transmission case for a fortnight and only 48 quarantined cases remaining?
E & B – And people are accepting that ?
By and large yes. I suppose the scenes and numbers from around the world help to cow the populace. And in the outback where the real aussies live (farmers, miners, Mick Dundee etc) there never was any CV so they probably ignored the restrictions anyway …. There’s no doubt that the loose personal lockdown has been effective in eliminating the virus, and the continuing group prohibitions will be lifted soon, but where to next? A travel bubble of Oz, NZ and Vietnam? Because any further opening up will just lead to an expansion of cases as there is no herd immunity at all and I can’t see other countries ever being COVID free.
I was under the impression that oral glutathione bioavailability was very poor. Precursors like NAC often have better results.
Dr. Kendrick, I think my own personal case might offer an interesting anecdote wrt CoVID-19.
I have three rare conditions:
1. CVID: a quite severe case, in which I cannot make any antibodies for most viruses (e.g. protein antigens) or bacteria (e.g. polysaccharide antigens). My antibody titers are unmeasurable (i.e. zero) across the board.
2. HNF1-alpha diabetes
3. Medullary sponge kidney: severe in both kidneys, giving me severe urine hypocitraturia (again, lab -unmeasurable levels effectively equal to zero) and severe susceptibility to CaOx renal stones.
Because of (2) I must use insulin to cover meals, giving me abnormally high renal blood insulin. This accelerates renal blood flow and excerbates (3).
In Feb. I noted some minor throat symptoms for less than a day, followed by 10 days of a mild dry cough. All of the symptoms were notably distinct from those of flu, to which I am highly susceptible (I have already had flu in Nov. 2019). Symptoms were those of nearly-asymptomatic CoVID-19, looking back, but at the time I did not recognize them as such and did not consider myself ill.
In May I was infected in gut (only), tested negative for virus with throat swab (both tonsils) and Abbott Labs RT-PCR (I also had no respiratory symptoms whatsoever, but GP ordered test). I suffered ureter-blocking stones for ten days in a row. I believe I had fully cleared virus in gut within five or six days at most, based upon symptoms. The acute nausea and flank pain extended intermittantly with a bit less intensity for four or five days following clearance of virus in gut, indicating to me that some systemic viral load persisted. I stopped eating immediately when renal stones symptoms began, ceasing administration of insulin as well, but large stone generation persisted nevertheless.
As it turns out, the two ACE-2 receptor-rich tissues in the urological tissues are in testis and renal tubules (brush borders, especially). And my flank pain was exactly coincident with pain in testis throughout the entirety of the experience — it was remarkable. In the later days when I had intervals of many hours of relief from the flank pain the pain in testis simultaneously disappeared.
This apparent infection with SARS-CoV-2 in gut (by low-temperature cooked meat I suspect — many outbreaks amongst workers in meat production facilities in US at the same time) has been the ONLY kidney-stone ureter-blocking event I have experienced in years, since administering high-dose daily K-citrate religiously to manage the condition, as well as avoidance of all plant foods (lifelong gut autoimmunities due to the CVID is also a reason for this, but plant foods contain oxalates and animal foods do not in any significant quantity).
I conclude that SARS-2 infected my renal tubules, causing such dysfunction that I could not avoid stones of likely diameter > 5mm, while I normally do not produce any not < 1mm. If this condition were to become more permanent I would require kidney transplant for survival. I was initially frightened with the sudden emergence of blocking-size stones and contacted my GP (leading to his ordering RNA testing despite my warning that I had absolutely no respiratory symptoms), before I later figured out that SARS-2 was the likely cause and fully recovering.
It might be interesting to read up in the literature on medullary renal endothelial cells, but as yet I have not dived that deep.
That's my own story. I doubt one will be able to find one to match it in the CoVID-19 literature anywhere, ever.
Maybe what you have experienced is similar to this:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340772207_COVID-19_nephropathy_probable_mechanisms_of_kidney_failure
Before I run out and get vaccinated I will think about ADE. There are mounting theoretical concerns that vaccines generating antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 may bind to the virus without neutralizing it. Should this happen the non-neutralizing antibodies could enhance viral entry into cells and viral replication and end up worsening infection instead of offering protection, through the poorly understood phenomenon of ADE. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41587-020-00016-w?error=cookies_not_supported&code=d404ca69-c95a-4b4c-a64f-ace1fac99d82
Researchers studying patients who were admitted to the Canisius Wilhelmina hospital in the Dutch city of Nijmegen have extolled the benefits of vitamin K after discovering a link between deficiency and the worst coronavirus outcomes. From study – “My advice would be to take those vitamin K supplements. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jun/05/vitamin-k-could-help-fight-coronavirus-study-suggests
That’s interesting because vitamin k is usually associated with increased clotting and clotting is precisely what is carrying some people off.
Again, shows how contrary and complicated all this can get.
Any discussion of “Vitamin K” must take into account the existence of two different vitamins, K1 and K2.
K1 is usually obtained in sufficient quantities from eating vegetables. That is the one that is concerned with clotting. As far as I know, more K1 does not cause “excessive” clotting. It’s just that adequate K1 is required for normal clotting – but it’s extremely hard not to get enough K1 on a normal diet.
K2 is the one that I think concerns us more here, is it is a desirable complement to Vitamin D.
as we all stagger away; with corona exhaustion; if I mention a couple of things as distillates of previous discussions:
.. to some extent, many these days seem to see death as the ultimate failure of modern medicine: please consider reading Seamus O’Mahony’s book “the way we die now”
“Protect the elderly”: …. perhaps we should rename “care homes” as old folks’ farms ..
if we farm them intensively indoors; there may be issues. We know from keeping chickens in close confines; and the feeding lots for beef; and the swine flu that has affected indoor pigs; that these issues occur; https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/05/07/chicken-antibiotic-experiment/
The “experts” so often have “the solution”: with no untoward consequences, compromises or such messy things; intensively farming the elderly together may have untoward consequences; as we all get older, can we look ahead and offer written advice to relatives on what we would wish to be done for ourselves; and can we be more forgiving of everyone; for the difficulties that arise … in such cases. Is death the ultimate failure of modern medicine?
P.S. I might add that the cytokines so often demonized are probably the most important signaling molecule/mechanism of the innate immune system, and the innate immune system is tremendously important with any viral infection.
These signaling molecules recruit resources from central organs such as liver to infected tissues. This is a very fundamental immunoregulatory and endocrinological function. Without it we would all die from any viral infection, I believe. B cells and T cells make the overall immune response more efficient, but all immune responses require the innate-immune leukocytes and their extensive and various functions.
In my own case, almost completely lacking any B-cell function, I have upregulated serum LDL which is part of a vastly upregulated and compensatory innate-immune response. Human LDL has an unselective (compared to antibodies) but very powerful antibody-like function. This epigenetic adaptation is what has kept me alive into my seventh decade so far.
In an esoteric but decades-long (going back to the 1930s) area of research into the hepatic immunoregulation of human LDL, cytokines are of course the primary feedback signal, generating a biologically very expensive hepatic manufacture of LDL that cannot be explained (in evolutionary terms) in any other way but that human LDL is a vital element of innate immunity. And this has been carefully studied and observed at the molecular level in vivo, in response to controlled infections and so forth.
IMO human LDL is primarily an innate-immune molecule — that is its evolutionary purpose and function in our unique mammalian species. In no other mammal does LDL have similar function and molecular structure. My serum LDL-c is typically about 9mmol/L (350mg/dL in US units). That is a very good thing. My coronary calcium score is zero, by the way.
Ken MacKillop: Thank you very much for your fascinating comments. Very interesting take on LDL.
Hi, Ken.
Just a point of clarification. You say you are in your seventh decade. Do you mean you are in your 60’s or your 70’s? If in your 70’s, then you are in your eight decade (your first decade is from birth to 9, your second decade is from 10 to 19, and so forth). Thanks.
And I should add that hepatic VLDL production is NOT evolutionarily for the purpose of transporting DNL (de novo lipogenesis) Tg’s via hepatic artery to adipose. This function is only secondary to metabolic syndrome (i.e. saturation of subcutaneous adipose), and is abnormal. DNL is normally (i.e. in evolutionary context) in adipose, with much greater capacity than in liver.
There is no significant demand at all for Tg transport out of liver in a healthy person not exceeding his/her personal carbohydrate tolerance.
VLDL production in a healthy individual is almost entirely regulated immunologically. The lipids cargo is required for the immunological function.
” via hepatic artery to adipose”
…. excuse me? …. which anatomy book did you read?
as we all know, the CDC and WHO are the primary guardians of our welfare; the go-to folks for knowledgeable advice; our sanctuary, in times of need.
Here is a letter they have been sending out to criminals; who have been suggesting it might be a good idea for people to take Vit D:
Click to access fda-covid-19-letter-life_unlearned.pdf
thank goodness we have strong and independent govt figures; who know what is right; and are there are to defend innocent citizens from wicked souls, who would wish to deceive them. It is good to see the full might of the US Govt coming down on such miscreants.
What the CDC will be able to do instead; is unleash its vaccine programme on an enthusiastic population; the vaccines developed just to cover the costs; by kind pharmaceutical companies, enthusiastically supported by the leading virologist and general expert on everything, Mr B Gates.
Yah. In a year or two, when the entire medical profession has started saying that Vitamin D is essential for health and does a good job of preventing Covid-19, those bureaucratic jobsworths will not admit that they were wrong or that they committed an injustice.
They will brush it aside, claiming that they “were following the best medical advice”.
“… no death from the coronavirus at vitamin D blood concentrations above 34 ng/ml”.
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2020/06/mark-sircus/shining-the-light-on-unnecessary-quarantines/
Excellent! A must read (short).
Dr. John H, thank you for writing to Matthew Hancock, but I think the health of the nation is the last thing on the government’s mind. There will be an attempt shortly to force people to wear masks, unhealthy, and for the claimed purpose of protection against viruses, ineffective. I’m surprised they aren’t working on an injectable mask, that would be just as safe and effective as vaccines, and the pharma companies would make a packet.
I asked a shopkeeper yesterday if he saw any benefit in wearing the black handkerchief he had pulled over his nose and mouth. “I feel a lot safer”, I hope he felt worth researching masks after I told him about particle transmission in the air, example cigarette smoke, and the respiratory stresses, but I suspect he won’t. He is sellinf masks at £1.50 each, (Chinese cheapies).
Oops, sorry, it was Nick Turner who wrote to Hancock, I confused the screen displays.
Groan, how many mistakes can you make in a few minutes? It looks like it might have been David Davies who wrote to Matthew Hancock, but I wouldn’t be so sure now.
Terry,
I don’t see the letter, just a big white space. Can you post a link?
This is certainly not something I claim to be an authority on but the way it appears to be being handled has led me to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk) and my MP.
Dear Secretary of State
The UK’s new Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 (adopted September 2019) mandates the Secretary of State to carry out a review of the GMO regulations and publish a report setting out the conclusions of that review. The first report is due 29 Sept 2024 and subsequent reports are to be published at five year intervals. What this means is that there is time to have a full, open and transparent review of the regulations. There are a great many people in the UK who have far more sense than they are currently being given credit for. Please do not disappoint them and please respect our democracy values and the Environmental Protection Act.
We are applying to your good sense not to allow Julian Sturdy’s amendment to the Agriculture Bill. It would certainly not be right for such an amendment to be brought in at this late stage. It has not had the benefit of a full debate in the House of Commons. Genetic modification is far too serious an issue to be brought in in this underhand manner.
Hmm. Good luck with that. In our neck of the woods he’s known as George Useless.
Now why doesn’t that surprise me? Lines to be toed as usual.
Great efforts Tish!
Congratulations to your continuous well funded inputs!
Being a sceptic I though wonder if we are not fighting “windmills” all the time. If we are in a totally corrupt medical world, as I see it today, we could perhaps as well “lay down and die”.
Though a bad idea I think.
It is better to never give up the fight for science as you do!
As also do Dr. Mikovits.
The biggest area of confusion over the virus is, surely, the ease or difficulty of catching it? As far as I can see, most of the advice out there is anecdote, making it very easy to keep the populace frightened.
For instance, when someone smoking passes me, in a car or van with no obvious open windows, I can smell the smoke. According to BAT the particle size of cigarette smoke averages 160nm – slightly larger than the highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus. If I am susceptible, could I ‘catch’ enough virus to become infected?
If not, where are the studies that show when exposure becomes a threat of infection in the ‘average’ healthy person (say, someone who can pass the Government’s ‘fitness for work’ tests -joking of course).
Presumably it would be impossible to get a study such as that past any ethics committee when there is no medical consensus on an effective treatment for Covid that would allow a study to take place without unacceptable risk – most treatments have failed individual patients regardless of co-morbidity status. Which, of course begs the question “what is going on in all our hospital ICUs, research institutes, and universities, if they cannot come up with an effective protocol – not to mention sensible dietary advice to make people less susceptible.
Steve-R, a very interesting comment; passive smoking was a big issue some years ago, and whilst smoking has decreased considerably………vaping has taken over!
As I walk through my shopping centre (who seem to allow vaping) I can be 10 yards away (sorry, I’m not metric) and still smell the vaper’s smoke and flavour……..this means I’m breathing in their exhaled moisture particles.
Of course a mask will not stop this, and as the shopping centre has air conditioning these vapours are being widely dispersed…………….of course if this was only ‘Flu, we could live with it, but it’s that nasty ‘orrible corona thingy…..keep taking the tablets along with the Government advice, and all will be well!
Simon Dolan is set to challenge the Governments’ lockdown restrictions through judicial review. See:
https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/lockdownlegalchallenge/
I’ve just seen his Twitter thread (I’m not a Twitter user), which he heads:
“This would be the same Vitamin D that you get when you are out in the sunshine…..”
https://twitter.com/simondolan/status/1262428917253668876
He then retweets MP David Davis’ Twitter thread which has images of a letter that Davis wrote to Matt Hancock on 17th May. Davis heads his tweet:
The Government needs to review the research on how vitamin D deficiency affects COVID-19 morbidity. I have written to @MattHancock on this matter.
I was not aware of this when I e-mailed Simon Dolan’s solicitor yesterday, suggesting that the failure of the Government to consider Vitamin D supplementation at the very beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak should be included in the Judicial Review. The grounds would be that supplementation could have mitigated the potential effects of a lockdown on the country, or made it unnecessary. Health status should have been factored into the SAGE model but there is no reference to it in the recently released minutes. I have suggested that the Governments’ defence for this would be an open goal.
One of the known risks for an early death is oral hygiene, and it is good news that the government has a plan to allow dentist’s to re-open shortly, though it does sound a wee bit complicated. Leading Journalist and retired Doctor, Vernon Coleman has released guidance to help those of us who need our ‘gnashers’ checking….
Dr Coleman really is remarkably talented. He could obviously have made big money as a comedian – stand-up or any other variety – and he has written literally scores of books.
The really shocking thing about this little talk of his is that – as he stresses a couple of times – he is not making any of it up, or even exaggerating. He is simply explaining what the government is demanding we do.
I am not quite sure what the UK government’s game is. Are they (1) trying to destroy Britain as a functioning society; or (2) trying to force us into rising up and throwing them out?
I searched for Parlamentary questions that included ‘Covid-19’ and ‘Vitamin D’ in the content, limiting them to the year 2020; I found three.
1 Vitamin D: Deficiency Diseases: Written question – 43089
https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-05-04/43089/
Asked by Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green) on 04 May 2020
(To) Department of Health and Social Care
Q To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether vitamin D levels of patients are being tested in hospitals; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the extent of vitamin D deficiencies due to the covid-19 lockdown.
Holding answer received on 11 May 2020
Answered by: Jo Churchill on 29 May 2020
A The specific tests undertaken on patients are based upon clinical need and are decided by clinicians. No assessment has been made of COVID-19 and Vitamin D status, and deficiency, due to the COVID-19 lockdown. However, Public Health England is considering any new evidence as it emerges. New guidance announced by the Prime Minister also allows most people to now take unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise.
2 Coronavirus: Vitamin D:Written question – HL4632
https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2020-05-18/HL4632/
Asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on18 May 2020
(To) Department of Health and Social Care
Q To ask Her Majesty’s Government what analysis they have undertaken into whether there is any correlation between COVID-19 infection and low levels of vitamin D.
Answered by: Lord Bethell on 01 June 2020
A Public Health England (PHE) is monitoring the evidence on nutrition and COVID-19 and seeking the advice of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) as appropriate. PHE is carrying out a rapid review of recent evidence relating to vitamin D and the prevention of acute respiratory tract infections for SACN to consider at its meeting in June 2020.
3 Vitamin D: Health Education:Written question – HL4844
https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2020-05-21/HL4844/
Asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 21 May 2020
(To) Department of Health and Social Care
Vitamin D: Health Education
Q To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that Public Health England’s advice on year-round Vitamin D supplementation for care home residents and people from BAME communities is promoted widely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by: Lord Bethell on 04 June 2020
A Public Health England (PHE) re-issued existing Government advice on vitamin D supplementation in April 2020. This advice was published online on NHS.UK. PHE’s Change4Life and Start4Life online resources were also updated to reflect the vitamin D advice.
Industry representative groups were also advised of the reissuing of advice to allow them to prepare for potential uptake and maintain supplies in retail, chemists and health shops.
There is existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on increasing supplement use to prevent vitamin D deficiency among specific population groups for commissioners, managers and other professionals with public health as part of their remit, working within the National Health Service, local authorities and the wider public, private, voluntary and community sectors. A copy of the NICE guidance, Vitamin D: supplement use in specific population groups, is attached.
NT comment:
These answers confirm that the Government has done nothing to establish the moderating effects of Vitamin D on the severity of Covid-19. The conclusion seems to be that Vitamin D considerations would be an inconvenient intrusion into Government policy.
Hi Nick Turner, appreciate your efforts in finding and posting this information, thank you.
And Government policy is heavily dictated to by the pharmaceutical industry which doesn’t want promotion of vitamin D, especially D3, as there is no profit for them. It is truly remarkable that within a couple of months of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, literally hundreds of medical device and pharmaceutical companies had products commercially available and regulatory approved specifically for diagnosing or treating patients with COVID-19 when normally it takes years to develop, prototype, clinically evaluate and pass regulatory approval standards before products can be marketed. Something smells fishy here……..
Not only is there little profit in vitamin D itself, it is possible (even probable) that if entire populations had high circulating levels of vitamin D, there would be considerably less chronic disease and the existing profits of pharmaceutical companies would be considerably reduced because their drugs and interventions were not needed as much.
Hi Aileen: the urgency to develop a vaccine is to protect the existing medical system and pharma profits, even at the price of trashing the economy. If vaccines fail people might be tempted to investigate Non Pharmaceutical Interventions like vit D on their own.
Yes. If everyone over the age of fifty was prescribed around 3000iu of D3 a day the burden on the health services would be massively reduced as would all cause mortality, and more importantly – so would pharma profits.
It would be interesting to know what ‘conflicts of interest’ the scientists the Government are following have, or maybe they are just going to independent sites like WebMD for their unbiased research on the value of restoring natural levels of D3 and C in patients (raucous laughter) [or even potential patients].
Serious point though; we are now being told that up to 50% of deaths might have been avoided if we had started the process of destroying our economy a week earlier, but just how many would have been avoided if all patients contracting Covid-19 had a high level of circulating D3 and C (selenium zinc magnesium etc in a couple of daily pills).
All I know is that if they don’t change their stance and advocate vitamin D supplementation then we’re in for a second wave come autumn.
They won’t of course because to do so would be admitting failure during this first wave.
Unless they decide that “the science” has changed and is now pointing at vitamin D supplementation, which is their current get out clause.
Simon, “science” will be said to be irrelevant as vitamins come under “quackery” not “science”. Their “science” is not actually science, just lies and deceit.
Gouda for the ‘Rona:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jun/05/vitamin-k-could-help-fight-coronavirus-study-suggests
“We want to give vitamin K in a significantly high enough dose that we really will activate [the protein] that is so important for protecting the lungs, and check if it is safe.”
What protein are they referring to? It’s not clear. Might it be ACE2?
Hi Simon: maybe K protects lungs by modulating clotting factors
http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/topics/vitamink.html
“Vitamin K serves as an essential cofactor for a carboxylase that catalyzes carboxylation of glutamic acid residues on vitamin K-dependent proteins. The key vitamin K-dependent proteins include:
Coagulation proteins: factors II (prothrombin), VII, IX and X
Anticoagulation proteins: proteins C, S and Z
Others: bone proteins osteocalcin and matrix-Gla protein, and certain ribosomal proteins”
Simon C: Hope this helps (by the way, ACE and ACE2 are enzymes):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4052396/
Thanks. Actually ACE2 is kind of…. both
“ACE2 is a single-pass type I membrane protein, with its enzymatically active domain exposed on the surface of cells in lungs and other tissues.”
Simon C: Thanks! Interesting. Whoda thunk!
The reason that BAME are more affected by CoViD19 according to this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-53035054
“Speaking on BBC Television, Dr Nagpaul said large numbers of BAME doctors feel let down. “What is critical is that we must avoid further deaths and further ill-health amongst our medical workforce,” he said.”
There is also a suggestion that BAME doctors are not getting PPE or that somehow there is a hierarchy of entertainment to PPE based on skin colour. That does not make sense and thatz how it reads and that BAME medical folk are treated unequally. Really?
Just in from one of my RSS feeds – Whoopie – Vitamin D3 – finally acknowledged, France has recognised the value of Vitamin D3 – the Academy of Medicine no less has come out to recommend Vit-D3. Bravo –
That’s it, the Academy of Medicine has finally recognized the interest of vitamin D against Covid-19!
Press headline lequotidiendumedecin.fr
This is a repudiation for the government, which has not said a word about this fabulous vitamin since the start of the epidemic!
In their press release, the Academicians explain that the dead of Covid-19 often have a vitamin D deficiency
And they claim that vitamin D, ” by mitigating the inflammatory storm and its aftermath, ” could be helpful in avoiding the deaths of Covid-19 .
Suddenly, the Academy of Medicine makes two essential recommendations :
quickly measure the serum vitamin D level in people over 60 with Covid-19, and administer, in the event of a deficiency, a loading dose of 50,000 to 100,000 IU which could help limit respiratory complications
and provide vitamin D supplementation of 800 to 1000 IU / day in people under the age of 60 as soon as the diagnosis of Covid-19 is confirmed .
Better late than never …
… But I would remind you that we knew from the start that vitamin D was interesting against Covid-19!
Vitamin “queen”, to swallow every day
Because vitamin D is the “great protector” against respiratory infections.
A 2017 study review, published in the British Medical Journal , identified 25 placebo-controlled clinical trials with more than 11,000 participants [1] .
In other words, it is “heavy”, scientifically.
Researchers conclude: among those most deficient in vitamin D, those who were fortunate enough to receive adequate doses of vitamin D every day had a halved (by 47% exactly) risk of getting a respiratory infection .
The other huge advantage of vitamin D is that it reduces the risk of “immune runaway” [2] – precisely what Covid-19 causes, with deaths.
As science journalist Thierry Souccar said, it is striking to note that:
” Italy, northern Spain, northern France, the United Kingdom, which are very affected by high mortality, are regions of vitamin D deficiency, while in Germany and the Scandinavian countries , people have better vitamin D status . ”
An official Irish report on the links between vitamin D and Covid-19 hit the nail on the head in April:
“From worryingly, 30% of more than 70 years and 47% over 85 years are deficient in vitamin D. Even more alarming: only 10.5% of over 70 take a supplement of vitamin D.
Because of confinement, many people are denied the opportunity to be exposed to the sun. All of this is of utmost importance given the importance of vitamin D for immune function at this time.
We have observed serious vitamin D deficiencies in those who are obese or with lung problems, two categories particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 and its complications ” [3] .
In April, the Scottish government finally took matters into their own hands and recommended that everyone take a vitamin D food supplement:
” Since it is difficult to absorb enough vitamin D from food, everyone should take a vitamin D supplement every day .” [4]
And the Academy of Medicine has just taken on its responsibilities, as we have seen!
But enlightened doctors have been giving this advice since the beginning of March [5] .
In the United States, a former head of the CDC, the highest American health authority (!) Has even publicly called on Americans who are deficient in taking vitamin D against the coronavirus [6] .
In short, you see that there is not a single doubt to be had.
If you did not take a vitamin D food supplement this winter, and if you do not get enough sun exposure, take your vitamin D!
How to choose your vitamin D
To get the most out of your vitamin D supplement, there are 3 rules from the most recent studies.
Rule n ° 1: favor vitamin D3.
Several forms of vitamin D are marketed including D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol).
The human body does not manufacture vitamin D2, but it is able to synthesize vitamin D3 naturally from the sun’s rays.
Result: Vitamin D3 has an 87% greater capacity than D2 to raise and maintain your vitamin D levels.
It is therefore this vitamin D3 that you should choose because it is the only one that your body can really assimilate [7] .
Rule # 2: Avoid mega-doses of Vitamin D (“uvedosis”).
When you take an Ovedosis, you suddenly take 100,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D.
However, your body is not made to assimilate this mega-dose. In 2015, a benchmark study showed that this kind of supplementation is ineffective [8] .
In addition, Uvedosis contains questionable excipients, such as butylhydroxytoluene (E321).
Instead, you should take a physiological dose of vitamin D every day. It’s more natural and more effective.
Rule n ° 3: choose the right dosage.
Most nutritionists recommend supplementation of at least 2,000 IU per day.
Some studies even recommend doses of up to 10,000 IU per day [9] . Note that even at this dose you are not at risk of poisoning.
According to the world specialist in vitamin D, Professor Holick, ” it would probably be necessary to take between 30,000 and 50,000 IU per day for a very long time to risk being poisoned “.
Personally, I recommend between 2,000 and 4,000 IU per day, depending on your degree of sun exposure.
As a reminder, in addition to increasing your immunity, a good level of vitamin D is a real shield for your health. It would help reduce the risks of many serious illnesses: cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, depression, hypertension, infarction, etc.
The cheapest and highest quality Vitamin D
If the synthetic version of vitamin D is right for you, the best solution is to get ZYMAD, in drops, in pharmacies.
But if your budget allows it, I advise you to turn to formulations of 100% vegetable origin.
You find a lot of perfectly correct products on the Internet, especially those from UNAE or D-Plantes laboratories.
However, I would like to point out to you an original formulation of vitamin D3: it combines a vegetable vitamin, from boreal lichen, with medium chain triglycerides from coconut oil.
Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) are healthy fats that are found naturally in certain foods like coconut. This choice avoids the use of chemical solvents as in the case of vitamins D3 which are commercially available and which come from sheep’s wool (lanolin).
MCTs also have the advantage of increasing the absorption of vitamin D by the body, and especially of being odorless and tasteless.
With this formulation, 2000 IU of vitamin D3 comes back to you at 7 euros per month if you take the “subscription treatment” for 8 months, which seems to me a reasonable price.
Go here to get this vitamin D.
Are you well,
Philippe Malley
I like vitamin D. I take it every day. Personally 4,000 units of Vitamin D3. At some point the UK authorities might belatedly recognise that low vitamin D levels have a significant role to play in the increased risk of COVID deaths in the BAME population.
I think it is far more likely that the media and government would prefer the higher death rate in BAME population to be cause by racism that by vit D deficiency. After all, racism is the fault of people and can be “cured” by more laws and committees, but vit D deficiency means admitting govt, PHE and NHS was wrong, which can never happen
When it was identified that non white people were at greater risk I suspected that it was more than likely due to vitamin D deficiency as this is a well known problem throughout the year; for white skinned it is a potential issue during the winter months.
Go where, Philippe? There’s no link.
Yes, a link please. I have searched for many combinations of “Phillippe Malley vitamin D3 coconut oil” with other words included. I can’t find it.
The health newsletter came through to me this morning with the news The editor of the newsletter is named Philippe Malley –
see if this will help – Grand titre de presse lequotidiendumedecin.fr
To subscribe to La Lettre Nutri-Santé for free , please go to this page .
To be sure that you receive The Nutri-Health Letter each time you send it, and to avoid it getting lost in your e-mail box, please add letter-nutri-sante @ lettre- nutri-sante.email to your Address Book.
https://www.lettre-nutri-sante.com/inscription-lettre-nutri-sante/?leadcode=G16EMLGENA5
Email delivered by: BioSanté Editions Mail service – 679 avenue de la République – 59800 LILLE FRANCE
Apologies for delay in responding – Sunday is my ‘volunteer’ day at our charity shop – now, catching up on the day at home ! Hope above info can help resolve questions – Much would not let me copy and paste. mmec7 – France
Link to the vitamin D3 – And, can telephone through an order – which I shall be doing myself tomorrow – https://www.biovancia.com/produits/d3-boreal
For myself (being a red haired pale skinned Scots/Irish Celt !) I take 5,000 units a day – ultra potency – Healthy Origins, from Bigvits.com a UK company – mmec7 – France
Re my comment June 13, 2020 at 7:21 pm.
Yes – it should be “entitlement” not entertainment. Apols.
John, I see the BBC playing the racism card. It was reasonable that you brought this our attention, but the BBC has done another poor information job IMO.
“The draft report from Public Health England says questions remain on the role of diet and vitamin D and makes clear no work has been done to review this evidence yet.”
When is Public Death England going to stop doing the bidding of paymasters, and do their job properly. WAKE UP PHE, VITAMIN D WORKS!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Ah: Vitamin D is ineffective when used as recommended by health authorities. Only Pharmaceutical Interventions are allowed in modern medicine, therefore no D, C, K2, CBD etc..
andy, even then, not all farmercuticles, no hydroxychloriquine for example. Can’t wait for the CertificateOfVaccinationID vaccine, then I’ll be safe(ly onto the next world).
Seems a bit of a stretch. I mean, how are well-paid doctors socially disadvantaged? And surely BAME nurses are paid the same as White ones and so have the opportunity to live in the same standard of housing and buy the same things? No one, regardless of ethnicity can get a doctor’s appt at present so that can’t be it. I think vit D status (or something genetic) is far more likely. Of course, if it was a genetically engineered virus (which we have been assured it is not), it might be possible to make it target certain ethnicity as well the elderly. I read an SF story about that …
I think the main reason has to be vitamin d, more than genetics. Covid19 hasn’t exactly ripped through South Asia or Africa as you might expect. What you do get over there is more sunshine to counteract the higher melanin content in the skin.
This is interesting:
http://joannenova.com.au/2020/06/low-dose-radiation-may-save-people-from-coronavirus/
Certainly related to “how does covid kill people”.
Phil
Dr K: if calcitriol inhibits transcription of Th17 and enhances IL-10 expression, could it be that patients with who experience cytokine storm are simply serum calcitriol deficient?
Dexamethasone should be given according to the BBC. A steroid, why is there a surprise here? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-53061281
Here was the WHO initial guidance
‘Do not routinely give systemic corticosteroids for treatment of viral pneumonia outside clinical trials’ https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/clinical-management-of-novel-cov.pdf?sfvrsn=bc7da517_2
Wonder how many that recommendation killed? Depressing, if unsurprising. God knows what that WHO has turned into. Nothing to do with treating patietns anymore, it seems.
If a person is already taking a corticosteroid for an existing condition would that provide any protection against a severe response to CoViD19? Not that it would prevent infection but mitigate against the severity. Also would/could inhaled steroids as used in COPD/Asthma provide mitigation against serious complications, e.g. Fostair?
No, long-term use of steroids will make things worse – I am afraid. Steroid inhalers done’t count, the dose is too small.
Thank you for replying. Some more naive questions: Is the reason that those already on steroids are at higher risk is because their immune system is suppressed? Is a suppressed immune system more likely to overreact to infection? I know that a compromised immune system is a risk factor in developing sepsis from a bacterial infection.
No, a suppressed immune system simply means infection is more likely, and there is less chance of fighting it off. So, you are more likely to die, although not from a ‘cytokine storm.’ There is nothing complicated here.
World Holocaust Organisers.
https://swprs.org/coronavirus-antibody-tests-show-only-one-fifth-of-infections/
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.21.108308v1#disqus_thread
This paper got me thinking of a naive question, if the real problem is not the virus infection per se but the over reaction of the immune system, is there a significant risk that any vaccine could stimulate the immune system in a similar way? If such a risk exists then should we avoid general vaccination as there’s no way to identify those who could be affected? This raises a further question as to whether the lockdown was necessary.
My understanding the tests are not reliable in any case, far too many erroneous results. As for lockdown, it was a stupid idea, it still is a stupid idea and all it has done has given a platform for politicians to spout rubbish and claim to be “following the science”. I bet the people in the US who are queuing for miles to get to a food bank don’t think too much of it either.
Good to see a sensible mention of ascorbic acid. The work done last century by the likes of Irwin Stone and Fred Klenner shows we are really missing out on a cheap, effective, non-toxic, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory treatment. Irwin Stone’s book, based on his 40 years working on this, is free on line http://vitamincfoundation.org/stone/ and Fred Klenner’s papers are available here http://vitaminc.co.nz/pdf/CLINICAL-GUIDE-TO-THE-USE-OF-VITAMIN-C-FREDERICK-KLENNER-MD.pdf. Not an RCT in sight, just a working physician recounting his actual clinical experience.
Key points from Irwin Stone – ascorbic acid was labelled a vitamin because we discovered many other vitamins at the same time – an assumption in other words. Animals who can make their own do so in huge quantities (as much as 100,000mg) when ill/stressed/injured. The RDA for non-human primates, our close relatives, is apparently 60 – 90 mg PER KG BODY WEIGHT, many times the human RDA which is just enough to prevent scurvy and ignores its other functions. Research using ‘vitamin’ (mg) amounts shows no effect, research using grams per day shows amazing benefits and no side effects – you just need to use enough! Be prepared to feel really sad at the unnecessary suffering being endured if you read the above links.
Would aspirin work as an anticoagulant? I’ve got Budesonide and vitamin c. I don’t have covid but would like to be prepared. Low carb basically carnivore at this point.
Low-dose aspirin-associated upper gastric and duodenal ulcers in Japanese patients with no previous history of peptic ulcers.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3827007/
And there are many more of such articles (but some folks hav no problem)