“ANTICOVID QUARTET”: nutraceuticals that beat COVID-19

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It is generally known that obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases are risk factors that can cause severe complications in COVID-19. However, scientists also refer to them as a deficiency of certain micro and macroelements that are vital for our immune system.
We talked with the famous Ukrainian doctor Alexey Bashkirtsev, who shared with us the scientific research carried out by David Brownstein, director of the Center for Holistic Medicine from the United States.
“According to Dr. Brownstein, nutraceuticals containing the micro and macroelements we need so much, significantly increase the ability of the human body to fight the virus,” notes Alexey Bashkirtsev.
Let’s take a look at the main elements of Dr. Brownstein’s treatment program and find out what is the possible impact of each of them on COVID-19.
FANTASTIC FOUR
What are nutraceuticals? These are biologically active substances – vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc., which strengthen the human immune system. Unfortunately, many of them are not produced in sufficient quantities by the body.
For the first time, Dr. Brownstein spoke about the results of the use of nutraceuticals for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 in his medical blog in the spring of 2020. At the first symptoms of the disease, he prescribed large doses of four nutrients to patients for four days: vitamin A at a dose of up to 100,000 IU, vitamin D – 50,000 IU, vitamin C – 3000–5000 mg, iodine – 200 μg.
In addition to these four drugs, 85% of patients received additional nebulizer therapy every hour – 0.04% hydrogen peroxide solution with the addition of magnesium sulfate and Lugol’s solution. As the state of health improved, the frequency of inhalation decreased.
THE RESULTS ARE STUNNING!
In most cases, as soon as 2.5 days after starting treatment, patients reported improvement and by the end of the first week, they recovered completely. In about 30% of cases, when no significant improvement was observed, a positive result was achieved by intravenous injections of vitamin C (5000–75,000 mg), hydrogen peroxide (30 ml of a 0.03% solution), and ozone was injected intramuscularly.
RECOGNITION OF THE BROUNSTEIN METHOD
These COVID-19 treatment protocols have generated a lot of resonance in American society, both among supporters and opponents of the method. The US Federal Trade Commission even demanded that Brownstein stop spreading information about such treatment as scientifically unreliable within 48 hours. However, the patients healed by him, numerous scientists and physicians stood up for the doctor’s defense.
An influential scientific journal has published evidence that people with COVID-19 are severely deficient in four nutrients – vitamins A, C, D and iodine. It is possible to protect the body by replenishing their deficiency relatively quickly, easily and without side effects. Further research only confirmed the correctness of Brownstein, who relied on the “Anticovid Quartet”.
VITAMIN A
People all over the world face its deficit. In children, it is associated with an increased risk of anemia, intestinal infections, visual impairment, complications from measles.
Protecting itself from infection, including from COVID-19, our body, at the first threat, begins to synthesize IgA, which includes complex mechanisms of antiviral defense: it stimulates the phagocytic activity of macrophages and the production of retinoic acid, which is important for the formation of neutrophils in the bone marrow, affects the cytokine regulation of the immune response, interferes with the synthesis of the inflammatory cytokine – TNF-alpha, increases the number of NK cells – natural killer cells that kill viruses and tumors.
By taking high doses of vitamin A, you help the immune system to neutralize the virus.
VITAMIN D
A decrease in the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH) D) in the blood serum is a biomarker for assessing the risk of vitamin D deficiency. It is synthesized in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, which explains the activity of viral infections during the cold cloudy season in autumn and winter.
Those who rarely go outside and come into contact with sunlight, those who breathe polluted air, eat poorly and are overweight – all of them have a reduced concentration of 25 (OH) D. Accordingly, their immune systems are weakened and the risk of developing a severe form COVID-19 is big enough for them.
Vitamin D deficiency was found in 97% of critically ill COVID-19 patients who required resuscitation. But fortunately, the lack of this vitamin can be easily eliminated. A randomized clinical trial showed a 98% reduction in the risk of being in intensive care for patients who received vitamin D in addition to the main treatment (20,000 IU on the first day of the hospital, and 1000 IU in the next 2 days).
In 63% of COVID-19 patients who received megadoses of vitamin D (60,000 IU daily for 7 days), the SARS-CoV-2 test was negative by the 14th day of illness. In the placebo group, this figure was 21%.
French scientists found that only 10% of residents of nursing homes who regularly received vitamin D, the disease COVID-19 took severe forms. Their mortality did not exceed 7%. In groups that did not pay attention to this issue, the percentage of complications and mortality was 31%.
VITAMIN C
Vitamin C maintains the integrity of the epithelial barrier, prevents the penetration of infection into the body, contributes to the destruction of viruses by phagocytic cells. In addition, it stimulates the migration of neutrophils to the site of infection and the formation of reactive oxygen species that kill viruses. It also enhances the differentiation and proliferation of B- and T-cells, thereby affecting the mechanisms of cellular immune defense.
Infections significantly reduce vitamin C levels due to increased vitamin C intake under conditions of inflammation. Therefore, the treatment of infections requires significantly higher (gram) doses of the vitamin to compensate for the increased consumption.
IODINE
Iodine is so important that Dr. Brownstein dedicated his bestselling book Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It to it. This trace element is needed by literally every cell of our body. But, unfortunately, according to WHO estimates, a third of the world’s population suffers from iodine deficiency. And in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this problem should be addressed at the level of government programs.
Its therapeutic effect is associated not only with a direct antimicrobial effect in the treatment of infectious diseases such as influenza, leprosy, syphilis, and fungal infections. Iodine is essential for complete phagocytosis and support of the immune system in the fight against bacterial and viral infections.
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