We are getting a lot of enquiries about supplements that may help your body protect itself or help your immune system fight off COVID-19.
We have not seen any messaging from the Government (in NZ or elsewhere) encouraging us to regularly exercise, nutritionally support the immune system or otherwise protect ourselves, but instead place heavy reliance on getting the vaccine, which the Government (Ashley Bloomfield) has been clear about – does not stop you from contracting COVID-19 or passing it on. We have seen cases in the latest Delta outbreak of fully vaccinated people catching and passing on the virus. We have been told that the vaccination reduces hospitalisation and risk of death. Even if over time the evidence backs this up, everyone is still at risk from this virus – vaccinated or not. On 29 August, Stuff published an article where infectious disease specialist Dr Richard Webber claimed, we will all catch COVID-19.
As far as we are aware, if you are a confirmed COVID-19 case, you are told to stay at home and keep getting tested. We have not heard of any Government advice to minimise symptoms by supplementation or medicine (in fact medicines such as Ivermectin are specifically being refused by the Government) and there is only intervention if hospitalisation is required. We do not believe it is good enough from our Government and Ministry of Health to tell people who have caught this virus to just wait and see what happens, so we have done some research (with links to the relevant papers) to help people.
To be clear, we have no stance or judgment on whether you choose to be vaccinated or not – we believe that is a personal decision. But we do know that being vaccinated does not afford the protection we had hoped for.
We would just like people to get more information than they are being given and have the ability to make educated choices about protecting themselves.
With this in mind, here are some of the supplements that research has shown to protect against this virus:
Quercetin & Zinc
Zinc is a well know supplement with anti-viral effects. Zinc is a nutrient that supports growth during childhood and the immune system. Low zinc levels can increase a person’s risk of disease and illness. Quercetin is known as an ionophore, that increases the bioavailability of zinc within cells.
Zinc supports a number of functions in the human body. As well as supporting the immune system, it enables the body to make proteins and DNA, contributes to wound healing, and plays a role in childhood growth and development. It also has antioxidant properties.
There has been some research done into Zinc’s role in helping combat COVID-19.
From the US National Library of Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7923946/
From Institut Hospital del Mar
Department of Public Health North South University - Bangladesh
This research indicated that zinc alone may not provide as good a protection against COVID-19 and that Quercetin and Zinc may have a better clinical outcome in COVID-19 therapy.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is technically not a vitamin as our body can produce with sunlight exposure. Vitamins are nutrients our body cannot create and must be consumed in the diet. Benefits of Vitamin D are known to be, promoting healthy bones and teeth, supporting immune, brain, and nervous system health, regulating insulin levels and supporting diabetes management & supporting lung function and cardiovascular health.
Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with higher hospitalisation risk from COVID 19
Royal College of Physicians
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7385774/
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/advance-article/doi/10.1210/clinem/dgab439/6303537
N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
NAC has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant, anti-toxin, and immune support compound. It is a precursor to glutathione, a substance that protects cells from oxidative damage.
NAC administration in combination with other antiviral agents may dramatically reduce hospital admission rate, mechanical ventilation and mortality.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7649937/
Journal of Inflammation Research
Here are some links to the products mentioned above:
We hope this information has been of assistance and we wish you the very best in health.
From the Tasman Health Family.
