Us Against COVID-19

At the start of 2020, the system in place for dealing with a pandemic emergency was severely lacking. No one knew what the future was going to look like while scrambling to get just a simple foothold on normalcy, even with everything spiraling out of control. The whole world was thrust into a stalemate, and it is still getting back on its feet. Researchers are still working to find the best solution for fighting against the coronavirus, even with the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine, but there is a bright side to all of these struggles. Studies are now showing that oncoming pathogens don’t stand a chance with an increase of fruits and vegetables in the diet.

Now more research has been conducted on COVID-19, we know which nutrients are recommended to help support the body to defend against and recover from these oncoming pathogens. Additionally, recent studies by the American Society for Nutrition have shown that eating more fruits and vegetables before being vaccinated increases the chances of a positive antibody response. The CDC has even added that certain vitamins and minerals help ease the side effects that some have felt after receiving the vaccine shot, including vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, selenium, omega-3s, nitrates, and probiotics. When it comes to studying nutrients that can help in the battle against COVID-19, the research focused on nutrients that have long been known to support the immune system—vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and probiotics. Studies pointing to vitamin D’s ability to fight viruses and respiratory illness go back decades. After the emergence of COVID-19, studies emerged almost immediately pointing to vitamin D’s ability to fight that virus too. A study published by The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology found that daily supplementing with vitamin D provided protection against acute respiratory infections when compared to placebo groups. Researchers based their results on 43 randomized and placebo-controlled studies that were examining the relationship between vitamin D and respiratory infections of nearly 49,000 participants. The protection was found with vitamin D doses between 400 to 1,000 IU for up to 12 months. This amount, which is considered “moderate,” was also found to be a very safe form of preventive treatment. According to the study abstract, vitamin D prevents respiratory infections by “boosting a range of innate antiviral responses, while simultaneously dampening down potentially harmful inflammatory responses.”

Probiotics and good gut health have been linked to the overall health of any individual for centuries, but a recent study by The Chinese University of Hong Kong has found that the variety and volume of bacteria in the intestines may influence the severity of COVID-19. The complex system of billions of bacteria residing in the gut is commonly referred to as the microbiome. The term not only refers to the microorganisms but also the entire “theater of activity” with which they are involved. About three pounds of healthy bacteria should populate the adult human body, but it is common for an unhealthy gut to be populated by up to 10 pounds of bad bacteria. Researchers noted the gut is “the largest immunological organ in the body,” and, as such, they wanted to find out if the gut microbiome might also affect the immune system response to COVID-19 infection. When it comes to maintaining the microbiome, research shows that optimal gut colonization is best achieved when multiple strains of beneficial bacteria are used.

Nitrates, a secret weapon shown to stop the replication of the coronavirus, also help in the recuperation of COVID-19 patients. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that people who consumed a nitrate-rich diet had significantly better muscle function of their lower limbs. “Our results demonstrated that NO (nitric oxide) specifically inhibits the replication cycle of SARS CoV, most probably during the early steps of infection, suggesting that the production of NO by iNOS results in an antiviral effect,” according to a study conducted by the Journal of Virology.

Two lesser-known nutrients are being highlighted thanks to new research from India and China. The two nutrients, which most people wouldn’t typically think of as “immune-building nutrients,” are selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. According to researchers, selenium strengthens the immune system by increasing the proliferation of natural killer cells and improves T cell response.

“Selenium also reduces the formation of thrombosis in the blood vessels. Blood coagulation disorders leading to the formation of micro-clots are a significant cause of death in patients with COVID-19,” said Shaheen Majeed, president of Sami-Sabinsa Group, who carried out the research.

Meanwhile, new U.S. research posted on the MedRxiv Portal reported that patients with more omega-3 fatty acids in their blood were less likely to die from COVID-19. The study was conducted using blood drawn from 100 patients treated for COVID-19 at the prestigious Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The blood was analyzed using an omega-3 testing system developed by Dr. William Harris, PhD, of the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota. Harris, one of the paper’s co-authors, is also head of the Fatty Acid Research Institute (FARI) based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and is founder of OmegaQuant, which did the blood analysis. One hundred patients were grouped into four quartiles according to their level of omega-3s, known as the “Omega-3 Index” using the measurement system designed by Dr. Harris. Raw results showed that one patient in the highest quartile died, while there were 13 deaths for patients falling in the bottom three quartiles. Though this study is only observational and not yet peer-reviewed, the mechanism of action is thought to be the well-known anti-inflammatory role of higher omega-3 levels. Anti-inflammatory nutrients help quell the extreme immune system reaction known as a “cytokine storm,” which has been observed in severe or fatal COVID-19 cases.

Regardless of if someone receives a vaccine, a good base of vitamins and minerals will always be beneficial to the body for a positive immune response. Implementing good sources of vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, selenium, and omega-3s into the diet, as well as flooding the gut microbiome with beneficial bacteria, can only lead to a better, healthier body.

Douglas D. Grant BS, ACSM, is one of the original founders of using blood and labs to objectively treat patients and athletes. He is the founder and chief formulator for Optimal Health Systems. OHS's specialty is combining nutrients in single-serving packs such as immune nutrients and others. For free samples and more info, call 800-890-4547 and mention this article.

References

1. Nutrition / ScienceDirect.com, Medrxiv.org, ScienceDaily.com, JAMA Open Network, Frontiers in Nutrition, The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, Journal Gut, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/p...

3. https: academic.oup.com djen article 96 6/1429/4571488

4. https: jvi. asm. org content 79 3/1966