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Protecting yourself from COVID-19

(Because "He who does not deserve to be named" certainly isn't protecting you!)

IMPORTANT: THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES!
Because not enough is known about COVID-19,
the only thing that is guaranteed to work
is to not be exposed to the virus!

I'm not including the various widely publicised control measures to avoid infection and to avoid infecting others, because if you don't know them by now you've been living under a rock!

Unless otherwise stated, all supplement doses below are for a 70kg adult. While they should work for most people you can safely adjust them for your weight if you want - e.g. if you weigh twice as much, take twice as much.

1. Essential Supplements for COVID-19 defense:

• Vitamin D

  Low Vitamin D is one of the biggest risk factors for severe disease with COVID-19, however getting the right amount of Vitamin D from supplements can be confusing, as medical opinions vary widely and except for expensive Liquid Chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) tests, test results for blood levels of vitamin D (25-OH D) are unreliable.

  Given this messy situation, and following extensive internet research, I've concluded that:

  💊 40,000iu/day of Vitamin D3 for 2 days will safely raise your blood levels out of the very high risk zone (if they're in it), and
  💊 then 5,000iu/day should keep you out of the danger zone.

  SMOKERS: Take twice as much.

  Always use vitamin D3, not vitamin D2. D3 is the form the body makes using UVB from sunlight, and not only is D3 about 5 times as effective as D2, but D2 can actually interfere with the function of D3.

  Vitamin D should always be taken with vitamin K2, as vitamin K2 helps vitamin D manage calcium so that it stays in the bones, and not the arteries. Also, when taking large amounts of vitamin D, magnesium improves absorption by more than 30%.

• 💊 Vitamin C, at least 2,000mg/day, as sodium ascorbate.
  Evidence about the Marik Sepsis Protocol suggests that Vitamin C is your best protection against getting Sepsis, which is a major cause of death from COVID-19. While controversial, Vitamin C is also known to be beneficial against respiratory infections in general.
  If you get cold or flu symptoms, take at least 💊 10,000mg/day, in divided doses. Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids, avoiding excess sugar or artificial sweeteners.
  With adequate fluid intake and healthy kidneys the risk of kidney stones is negligible.
  
  If you can’t take that much vitamin C for medical reasons, or you’re just not comfortable taking that much, take as much as is safe/comfortable and also take 600–1200 mg/day Alpha Lipoic Acid, a powerful antioxidant that will help conserve vitamin C.

• 💊 A good strong daily Multivitamin and mineral supplement. 
  Some multis are piss-weak, so my rule of thumb is that if it is a multivitamin and mineral supplement and has at least 20mg of vitamin B6 it is probably okay.

• SMOKERS: DO NOT take a strong multivitamin, as high doses of some B vitamins can triple your already high risk of lung cancer. Instead, take 💊 Thiamine 50mg+/day and optionally an RDA multi.

  If you quit, you can safely take a high dose multi from the day after your last smoke, and it will probably also help reduce cravings.

• 💊 Elderberry Extract (10:1)
  35mg/kg, twice a day, rounded up to the nearest capsule, whenever you have Cold or Flu symptoms. e.g. One 500mg capsule per 15kg bodyweight, twice a day.If this seems like a lot, consider that 5 x 500mg capsules, the dose for a 70kg person, is equivalent to only 25 grams (less than an ounce) of elderberries. 
  Antiviral plus powerful antioxidants. Best taken within 48 hours of onset of symptoms. I find my symptoms generally improve within an hour or two with this dose.
1. Highly Recommended additional supplements include:

   • 💊 Vitamin K2, 1,000μg (1mg)/day., preferably in MK7 form.
     If MK7 is too expensive, use MK4.
     I take a 5,000mcg tablet of MK4 daily, as it's the cheapest option for me.
     Vitamin K is so harmless that it hasn't even been assigned a TUL (Tolerable Upper Limit), so it's virtually impossible to take too much.
     
     Strictly speaking, vitamin K2 is not for COVID-19 defense, but it works synergistically with vitamin D3 so that the higher levels of Vitamin D do not mess with your calcium levels and so that calcium stays in your bones, and not your arteries.
     
   
   
   • 💊 Magnesium 300mg+/day.
     I actually take 1,000mg/day, however if not enough of your magnesium is chelated this can cause diarrhoea due to poor absorption.
     Magnesium boosts immunity, and also can improve absorption of high doses of vitamin D by 36%. Other benefits include reduced blood pressure.

   • 💊 Zinc 30mg/day. 
     Boosts immunity. Necessary for Vitamin A utilization, healing, and lots of other things.
     Exceeding 40mg/day for more than 6 weeks may cause copper deficiency.
     
   
   
   • 💊 Selenium 100-200mcg/day.
     Boosts Immunity. Also may be antiviral, particularly as sodium selenite.
     
     
   Recommended additional supplements include:

   • 💊 Vitamin E 400iu/day.
     Antioxidant, works synergistically with vitamins C and A.
     Assists healing and may improve cells ability to cope with low oxygen.
     Normally reduces risk of blood clots, although COVID-19 blood clots are an unknown.
     
     
   • 💊 Grapeseed Extract 100-1000mg/day.
     (OPCs) Powerful antioxidant, conserves vitamin C, normally reduces risk of blood clots, although COVID-19 blood clots are an unknown.
     1,000mg/day has been shown to help heart patients by boosting revascularisation.
     
     
   • 💊 Vitamin A 10,000iu/day.
     Beneficial to lung tissue. Doses of 50,000iu have been known to eliminate asthma. Requires Zinc.
     Caution: Beta-Carotene is NOT Vitamin A, but a precursor which most, but not all, healthy bodies can convert to vitamin A.
     WARNING: Doses above 10,000iu/day may cause birth defects, even before you know you're pregnant.
     
     
   • 💊 Pepitas (Pumpkin Seed kernels). Contain zinc plus cofactors that make zinc more effective. I try to eat a couple handfuls a day.

2. Probably helpful additional supplements include:

   • 💊 Quercetin 500mg/day. See Another Reason to Add Quercetin to Your Daily Supplements
     
     
   • 💊 Alpha Lipoic Acid 600–1200 mg/day. As mentioned above, a powerful antioxidant.
     
     
   • 💊 Echinacea, Olive Leaf Extract, Garlic, Ginger, and other immune boosting herbs. Caution: Some people are allergic to echinacea.
   Trouble is, there are so many supplements that might help that if you took them all you might not have room for food.

3. Eat healthy. The above supplements are not a substitute for a healthy diet.

4. Stay Hydrated. Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids, avoiding excess sugar or artificial sweeteners. I mentioned this under vitamin C, because you need plenty of fluids if taking plenty of vitamin C, but it’s also important in its own right.

5. Moderate exercise. Exercise boosts the immune system, however over-exertion can weaken the immune system.

6. Adequate rest. Lack of sleep weakens the immune system. E.g. Inadequate sleep the night after being vaccinated can render the vaccination ineffective (not that I’m much of a fan of most modern, dollar-driven vaccinations).

7. Take care of your mental health. Depression in particular weakens the immune system, plus it feels awful.

8. Remember, being crazy can help you stay sane (well it works for me).

If you test positive for COVID-19:

• Increase Vitamin C intake to at least 10,000mg/day, (with plenty of fluids) if your body will tolerate it. Unless you have kidney problems, intolerance consists of diarrhoea caused by your body not absorbing all the Vitamin C. The left over Vitamin C draws water into the intestines, causing the diarrhoea, and bacteria turn some of the Vitamin C into carbon dioxide gas.

  If you can’t take that much vitamin C for medical reasons, or you’re just not comfortable taking that much, take as much as is safe/comfortable and also take 600–1200 mg/day Alpha Lipoic Acid, a powerful antioxidant that will help conserve vitamin C.

  People have been able to take up to 100,000mg/day of Vitamin C orally to good effect when sick, in 2,000mg doses 20 minutes apart.
  With adequate fluid intake and healthy kidneys the risk of kidney stones is negligible.
  If you have G6PD deficiency, do not exceed 40,000mg/day except on medical advice.
  One level teaspoonful of Sodium Ascorbate powder is about 5,000mg (5 grams).

• If you want to take advantage of the claimed immune benefits of high levels of vitamin D, you can take an additional 💊 400,000iu of vitamin D, along with 💊 Magnesium 300mg+/day, preferably spread over a few days, and increase your daily vitamin D dose to 10,000iu for the duration of the infection, but IMO you MUST also take 💊 Vitamin K2, 1,000μg (1mg) twice a day for at least 3 months. I would also suggest discontinuing Vitamin D supplements completely for 3 weeks once cleared of COVID-19, before resuming at 5,000iu/day.

• Take 💊 Elderberry Extract (10:1), 35mg/kg, twice a day, rounded up to the nearest capsule.
  Same as recommended above for cold or Flu symptoms.
  You can safely increase the dose if it's not working, as it's just an extract from an edible berry.

• Consider adding 💊 Selenium 100-200mcg/day and/or 💊 Quercetin 500mg/day to your daily supplements, for their likely antiviral effects.

  Hope that it works, but don't avoid standard medical treatment.

• Hopefully these supplements will prevent you from needing hospitalisation, however as I stated earlier there are no guarantees, so if it seems likely that you'll need hospitalisation, do the following while you still have the energy:

  1. Create a "Go Bag" with six weeks' worth of supplements, plus any other items you'll want to have if in the hospital. I recommend having Vitamin C tablets or capsules rather than powder, for ease of use and to make it easier for the staff to assist you with taking the vitamin C if necessary, thus making it more likely that they will do so. I suggest 1,000mg vitamin C tablets or capsules - cheaper and easier to take than 1500mg or 2,000mg.

  2. Make a written note of which supplements you're taking, at what dose, with unambiguous instructions that the supplements are to be continued if you are hospitalised unless the particular supplement is clearly doing harm.

     Include in the note that if you are too sick to take the supplements yourself the Vitamin C MUST be continued or replaced with IV vitamin C, to prevent withdrawal scurvy. While it's unclear whether withdrawal scurvy would occur, it's a good excuse to ensure compliance. Based on the effectiveness of the Marik Sepsis Protocol, Vitamin C is probably your best defense against sepsis, a major killer of COVID-19 patients.

  3. Add to that note that if you develop sepsis you are to be treated immediately with the Marik Sepsis Protocol unless clearly contraindicated, that G6PD deficiency is not to be considered a contraindication, and that the IV Vitamin C component of the protocol is to be continued until you are able to resume taking oral vitamin C, and when discontinued is to be immediately replaced with the vitamin C component of your supplement regimen at a minimum, to avoid vitamin C withdrawal scurvy.

  4. Add to that note that it is not to be overridden by relatives, and not to be overridden by yourself unless you are clearly alert and mentally competent and not under any pressure to override it. Allegedly some medical "professionals" will go to extraordinary unprofessional lengths to find ways or excuses to NOT follow patient's or family's instructions involving the use of Vitamin C.

  5. If feasible, do what's required in your jurisdiction to give this note the legal power of a "living will".

  6. Make multiple copies of this note, as follows:
     • One to be placed in your "Go Bag".
     • One to be placed in a protective sleeve and attached (e.g. by safety pin) to your Pyjama Top, so that it is clearly visible when you arrive at the hospital.
     • One or more to be placed with a trusted person or persons for safekeeping.
     • One to be given to a trusted person to be posted or delivered to the hospital administration.

  7. Take steps to ensure that your "Go Bag" accompanies you to the hospital. If necessary attach another note to yourself, saying something like "Please take my bag with me. Bag is just inside my bedroom door". When it's time to go to hospital you may not have much energy for thinking.
  
  
  GOOD LUCK!

  Written and posted by: Andrew Hicks, aka Andrew the Longwinded
  27th August 2020.