Initial
predictions called for 2.2 million COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. alone.
According to the latest models, an estimated 60,000 Americans may die
from COVID-19 complications
Some doctors
are promoting the use of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine
combined with azithromycin for seriously ill COVID-19 patients.
Apparently, many are seeing good results, although not universally. Some
Swedish hospitals have stopped using chloroquine due to severe side
effects in some patients
Northwell
Health, New York's largest health care provider, is using vitamin C at
its hospitals in conjunction with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin
Some doctors
have noted their patients’ symptoms have more in common with altitude
sickness than pneumonia. In the final analysis, it may turn out that
ventilators are inappropriate for a majority of patients. A better
alternative may actually be hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Preventive
methods you can use at home include taking vitamin C to bowel tolerance;
zinc, vitamin B1 and melatonin supplementation; nebulized hydrogen
peroxide; ozone therapy and nitric oxide boosting exercise
In this interview, recorded April 7,
2020, Dr. Andrew Saul, editor-in-chief of the Orthomolecular Medicine
News Service, brings us new updates and insights into the COVID-19
pandemic.
Since our March 17, 2020, interview, which focused on the use of vitamin C,
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases, made the prediction that SARS-Cov-2 would kill
anywhere from 100,000 to 240,000 Americans,1 which is still far less than the original prediction of 2.2 million.2
However, even that prediction has since been revised downward. April 8, 2020, a new model referred to as the Murray Model3 predicts COVID-19 will kill 60,000 in the U.S. by August.4
There's no doubt in my mind that there will be more deaths from the
financial collapse than there will be from the actual infection. So,
it's a sad state of affairs. As noted by Saul:
"Folks need to remember that in any given year, influenza
escalating to pneumonia is a killer. And in any given year, there's
around 40,000 to 65,000 deaths, depending who you listen to, from
pneumonia.
This is an awful lot of people dying every year. COVID-19 is a
serious disease, but it's not worth shutting down the world for. The
stress from that is going to be a killer …
The people who die from COVID-19 are dying basically from SARS,
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or pneumonia. So, it doesn't really
matter what virus does that. It matters if you die or not.
Many people are going to get COVID-19, and they're going to have a
mild case. And, for those who have a typical case, they're going to
have a miserable flu. They're going to be sick as a dog for a couple of
weeks.
Well, welcome to humanity, because how many times have we all had
a miserable flu in our lifetimes? Those who are really at risk from
COVID-19 usually have multiple pre-existing health problems, or they
have a demonstrably poor lifestyle.
They're overweight or they're smoking, or they have an impaired
immune system, or they're elderly. And if you have a combination of
those, anything can take that person out. So, we have to have
perspective here."
Google, Facebook Censor Real Data
Unfortunately, if you're still using Google or social media
platforms like Facebook, you're unlikely to locate sensible information
about how to protect yourself from COVID-19.
I believe suppressing access to the truth — the information you need
to upregulate your innate immune system — is part of the plan to
control the discussion about treatment options. Clearly, Fauci is
promoting a pharmaceutical agenda when he says there's nothing anyone
can do until there's a vaccine or antiviral drug available. Saul
provides the following real-world example:
"This is something you can verify with your own Facebook account.
Try this little experiment. If you post the meme I have at
DoctorYourself.com on Facebook, it will immediately be blocked.
Here's what the poster says: 'Dr. Enqiang Mao, who is chief of
emergency medical service at Ruijan hospital in Shanghai, China,
treated 50 patients with high dose intravenous vitamin C. They had
moderate to severe COVID. 50 out of 50 recovered. There were no
fatalities.'
This is a report from a senior physician, right from China, to my
contact in China, Dr. Richard Chang, who is a board-certified himself
and a Chinese-American, right there, reporting in firsthand. And this
is labeled false news, fake news. This is demonstrably oppressive."
The good news is Chang is presenting his evidence before the National
Institutes of Health. "I've seen his PowerPoint," Saul says. "He's
going to run down why vitamin C is an antiviral, and how it can be
used, and what doctors are doing."
Aside from Mao, Dr. Zhiyong Peng, chief physician at Zhongnan
Hospital, who is doing a major COVID-19 trial in Wuhan City, China, has
stated that intravenous vitamin C is successful. "The number of new
cases of COVID in China is very low, it's gone way down, almost to the
vanishing point," Saul says. "Yet this information, somehow, is not on
the news. And this is the very thing America and the rest of the world
so needs to know now."
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Immune-Boosting Supplementation Regimen
Some New York hospitals are using vitamin C, though. A Northwell
Health spokesperson has reportedly confirmed that vitamin C treatment
is being "widely used" against coronavirus within the 23-hospital
system.
According to Dr. Andrew G. Weber, a pulmonologist and critical-care
specialist affiliated with two Northwell Health facilities on Long
Island, vitamin C is being used in conjunction with the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine and the antibiotic azithromycin, which have also shown promise in coronavirus treatment.5 Saul notes:
"Northwell, which is the largest health care provider chain in
New York state, [has] over 20 hospitals. It's difficult to get
information out of them, but to their credit, their spokesperson has
announced that vitamin C is being used. And Weber … has reported that
the vitamin C works. He said, basically, as close as I can quote him,
'It's not getting more publicity because it's not a sexy drug.' I love
that …
If you have vitamin C for prevention, you are much less likely to
have a bad case of any kind of viral infection, including COVID-19.
Doesn't mean you won't get it; it means that your immune system will be
able to handle it, and that's what your immune system does …
In fact, people now are being told if they can manage this at
home, [then] please stay home. Leave the hospital beds for those who
really need them, and reduce risk of infection.
Remember, a hospital, by definition, is where we have our very
sickest people with the greatest load of viruses and drug-resistant
bacteria that you'll ever find … We don't live in a bubble, we live in a
world of viruses, and they're constantly mutating, and they're
constantly developing …
So, for prevention, the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service
Editorial Review Board and the Japanese College of Intravenous Therapy
both recommend 3,000 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C a day in divided
doses, 400 mg of magnesium … 20 mg of zinc … 100 micrograms (mcg) of
selenium … and 5,000 units of vitamin D, scaling down to 2,000 units of
vitamin D a day after the first week.
That is a big difference. So, between the vitamin D and the
vitamin C, we have something that will strengthen the immune system.
When a person is in hospital, they are less likely to have access to
supplements, at a very time when they're going to need them more.
This is why we have to push, and the only way to do that is for
the family to get in there and make it happen. More and more doctors are
willing to do it because of the studies … in New York … So, the cat's
out of the bag … and it's not going to go back in. There is a
precedent. Just say to your doctor, 'I want you to do what they're
doing in New York' …
What we should learn from history is "have a strong immune system
and you will survive." This is the way it works. And the emphasis now
is on scaring people, and actually telling them in the media,
"Don't take vitamin C, it won't help you. Don't take extra vitamin D,
you don't need it. There's nothing you can do to build your immune
system."
You'll actually see this on some news reports, and some
newspapers. But, you'll also see others that are reporting that it's
working in China and other parts of the world."
Zinc With Hydroxychloroquine
Some doctors are promoting the use of the antimalarial drug
hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) combined with azithromycin (Z-Pak) for
seriously ill COVID-19 patients. Apparently, many are seeing good
results, although not universally.
According to Newsweek, some Swedish hospitals have stopped using chloroquine due to severe side effects in some patients.6
That said, it appears one of the reason quinine drugs work is because
it allows zinc to enter the cells. Saul comments on the use of
hydroxychloroquine saying:
"I think if you can use a nutrient with a drug, you get better
results than if you use the drug alone. Dr. Abram Hoffer, who was my
personal mentor … said, 'Sometimes you need a drug. Sometimes the drug
will get you that immediate result that you've got to have, but you
have to have nutrition if you want it to stick.'
So, if you use medication and the nutrient, you're going to do
better than if you use the medication alone … If the drug will help get
the zinc to where it needs to go, that just makes good sense to me."
Since the drug is now being rationed to those who need it most,
you'd be wise to take zinc preventively. Your body only needs a small
amount of it, and knows exactly what to do with it. Your immune system,
for example, requires it to function. The elderly, who tend to eat less
and eat less wholesomely, have a greater need for zinc
supplementation.
"This is in every nutrition textbook ever written," Saul says.
"So, what we want to do right now is tell people, 'Don't worry about
the drug unless you really need it. It'll be at the hospital pharmacy.
But for the rest of us, let's stay out of the hospital by taking a step
so we won't need the drug.'
It's not about avoiding doctors; it's about not needing them. And
that means you have to get on the wagon here. We have to do this every
day. We have to be sure we take our supplements and eat a good diet,
and avoid the junk and continue to get our fresh air and exercise."
Ventilators May Do More Harm Than Good
In recent days, we're seeing more and more reports of doctors saying the use of ventilators may be misguided.7 According to Business Insider,8
80% of COVID-19 patients in New York City who are placed on ventilators
die, causing some doctors to question their use. As reported by STAT
News:9
"What's driving this reassessment is a baffling observation
about Covid-19: Many patients have blood oxygen levels so low they
should be dead. But they're not gasping for air, their hearts aren't
racing, and their brains show no signs of blinking off from lack of
oxygen.
That is making critical care physicians suspect that blood
levels of oxygen, which for decades have driven decisions about
breathing support for patients with pneumonia and acute respiratory
distress, might be misleading them about how to care for those with
Covid-19.
In particular, more and more are concerned about the use of
intubation and mechanical ventilators. They argue that more patients
could receive simpler, noninvasive respiratory support, such as the
breathing masks used in sleep apnea, at least to start with and maybe
for the duration of the illness."
Some doctors have noted their patients' symptoms have more in common with altitude sickness than pneumonia.10
This situation highlights the problems inherent with strategic standard
of care. We thought we had a serious ventilator shortage and
industries such as the auto industry redirected their manufacturing
capacity to making ventilators.
In the final analysis, it may turn out that ventilators are
inappropriate for a majority of patients. A far better alternative may
actually be hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
"Making the oxygen available in a way that's appropriate to the severity of the patient is the answer," Saul says.
"We have to remember that our body is singularly good at taking in
oxygen or we wouldn't be here. And our lungs have a huge amount of
absorptive space. I mean, that's what they do. It's just an
extraordinary system that we have.
Oxygen goes in by diffusion. You don't push it in; the body sucks
it in because if you have more oxygen outside than you do inside, it
just goes through. All you do is give a lot of absorptive surface. And
if you flattened out all the little alveoli in the lungs, you'd have an
enormous area …
So, by providing the oxygen and then see if the body will take it
up, you've made the first step. That can be done preventively by fresh
air and exercise and going out and playing …
If somebody needs more oxygen, and you want to give them a little
pressure, if that makes the patient better, then you do it. But the
idea that you've got to ram this oxygen like a supercharger on a
Mustang is, I think, a little bit, shall we say, industry friendly …
[The alveoli] are tiny, tiny little sacks. They have some of the
thinnest little membranes you've ever seen. Look at them under a
microscope. They're very delicate. So, the last thing you want to do is
add injury to insult."
Hydrogen Peroxide Therapy
Saul, along with Dr. Thomas Levy, recommend nebulized hydrogen peroxide therapy. Similarly, Dr. Robert Rowen has published a commentary11
about the use of ozone therapy against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Both of
these treatment alternatives are inexpensive and safe, and could be
administered at home.
One point I want to stress after looking more deeply into this is
that you may want to be careful about using regular 3% hydrogen
peroxide, as they use proprietary stabilizers. By law, they're not
required to disclose those chemicals. So, ideally, you'd want to use
food grade hydrogen peroxide and carefully dilute it to a 3%
concentration.
What to Do if You're Feeling Under the Weather
So, to recap, what can you do if you're suddenly feeling under the
weather and suspect a viral infection? Saul recommends taking vitamin C
to bowel tolerance.
"Take enough C to be symptom free, whatever the amount might be.
Dr. Cathcart would say take vitamin C to bowel tolerance, and that's
exactly what you think it means. The sicker you are, the more you hold.
So, if you are really facing an influenza outbreak, you'll hold a lot
of C before you get to bowel tolerance.
This is something that everyone can do at home. My grandchildren
can do this. When they get sick, they manage their own case by taking
vitamin C until they get to bowel tolerance. Use whatever kind of
vitamin C you can afford … [and] take enough C to be symptom free.
The more frequently you can take the vitamin C, the better off
[you'll be]. Vitamin C being water soluble is constantly lost … The more
often you take it, the better results you will have, and you will need
less to do so.
So, taking a small amount of vitamin C every half-hour is
actually much better than taking a large amount of C twice a day. And
taking a large amount of C twice a day is better than taking a huge
amount of C every other day. So, the more often you take it, the
friendlier it is for your body."
For acute infection, you may need to increase your dosage somewhat
beyond bowel tolerance. Keep in mind that taking it more frequently,
such as every half-hour, will allow you to take more before you hit
bowel tolerance. Other alternatives include taking a liposomal vitamin C
or getting an IV infusion of vitamin C. Liposomal vitamin C can
achieve intracellular levels very similar to IV vitamin C at a fraction
of the cost and inconvenience.
B Vitamins (Thiamine)
Thiamine (vitamin B1)
is also important, and works synergistically with vitamin C. Any
infection increases your body's need for thiamine. You can read more
about this in "Vitamin B1 Is Vital to Protect Against Infectious Disease."
The recommended daily allowance for thiamine is well below 2 mg. For
acute illness or short-term prevention, Saul suggests taking 50 mg to
100 mg of thiamine per day, ideally in divided doses.
"Thiamine is the vitamin that smells funny," he says. "When you
open the bottle of your multiple vitamin, or your B complex, that smell
is thiamine. So, when your urine smells like thiamine, you're probably
getting more than you need, but that's not a problem.
Thiamine is safe, and you can excrete that. The excretion is an
indicator of saturation. Thiamine, really, is best taken with the entire
B complex. The B complex vitamins work better together.
For prevention, most people will get a B complex, B50 … Generally
speaking, what I would tell people to do is take a look at the RDA,
and you can do that on the internet in seconds, and take more than that. A B complex is this cheapest and safest way to do that."
Melatonin for COVID-19
Another strategy that appears useful against both bacterial and
viral infections is hormone melatonin. I review this in greater depth
in "Melatonin for Sepsis." Saul comments:
"Melatonin is a wonderful thing, because the safety studies are
very encouraging. If you want to hurt yourself, melatonin will not do
the job … Melatonin is inexpensive, it's non-prescription and,
obviously, something that safe deserves a try … And a little bit of
melatonin can go a long way.
The older you get, the less you make. Now, if you keep your
bedroom dark at night, you will make more melatonin. I'm about to impart
a piece of wisdom that makes me very unpopular very quickly with a
large number of people, and that is if you go to bed early, you will
make more melatonin, and you will sleep better.
If you go to bed at 7:30 or 8:00 o'clock at night, you will have a
far better sleep than if you go to bed later, even if you have the
same number of hours. The old adage is, each hour of sleep before
midnight is worth two hours of sleep after midnight. There's something
to that."
Nitric Oxide Helps Inhibit Viral Replication
Another strategy worth mentioning is nitric oxide, which appears to
inhibit viral replication. To boost nitric oxide, you could use
precursors such as arginine or citrulline, but exercise and near-infrared radiation (such as a near-infrared sauna) will also do the trick.
"Exercise is absolutely crucial. I'm so big on that, and I would
like to underscore that this is something that doesn't cost a dime,"
Saul says. "What is missing from most discussions on COVID-19 is an
appreciation of how far we have let ourselves go. We've been eating
crummy food for a long time.
We've been doing behaviors for a long time that don't work. And
sooner or later, the body is going to be weakened by that. Too much of
the wrong thing, not enough for the right thing, and the immune system
is going to be weak. And viruses, unfortunately, to put it very coldly,
will thin the herd.
This is the way nature works … Now, this is a very harsh lesson
from nature, but we would do well to learn it. If we let ourselves go,
as my mother would say, 'If you do this wrong, and you know it, don't
come crying to me afterwards.' We have to take responsibility, and
right now the COVID-19 epidemic is pointing that out in a very, very
strong way.
It is most unpleasant to see this, but bearing in mind that we
are not a healthy nation, we have to immediately take steps to become
one, or there will be another virus, because this is not the first, and
it is not the last … It just makes my day when I learn about people
that … are not watching the news, they're going out and they're getting
well."
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