by Lewis Chang, PhD Introduction Fun fact: Just like us humans, oysters have a sense of hearing and dislike noises. Researchers from France and Morocco conducted an experiment by exposing oysters (in this case, Pacific oysters; n=16) to different noises emitted from underwater loudspeakers and recorded shell movements using sensors attached to the shells. Within a minute these shellfish would shut their shells, particularly when hearing low-frequency noises.1 Food fact: Oysters have the highest amount of the mineral zinc per…

by Bianca Garilli, ND, IFMCP, USMC Veteran Introduction SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) began its destructive path in China in late 2019 and spread, quite literally, across the globe at speeds faster than most could have ever imagined. Worldwide, the COVID-19 virus has left (at the time of this writing) over 190,000 people dead, and nearly 2.7 million infected based on the limited testing that most countries have employed. And the trajectory of the global curve is still uncertain. The fight is real,…

by Lewis Chang, PhD Introduction A quick search on ClinicalTrials.gov identified, as of this writing, 58 quercetin-related clinical intervention studies that are currently ongoing (19) or have been completed (39). Diverse health conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetes, endothelial dysfunction, dyslipidemia, stroke, hepatitis C, acid reflux, inflammation, and oxidative stress, are the subject of interest. And in recent days quercetin’s role in immune health is getting a lot of attention as well. So what exactly is…

by Michael Stanclift, ND Introduction While vaccines and targeted therapies are in development for the treatment of COVID-19, some researchers are looking to known natural molecules as therapeutic agents. Two promising treatments for COVID-19, hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, are derivatives of naturally occurring substances. Some researchers are interested in a compound from green tea with antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Chemists looking at computer models of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 believe epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) from green tea will have high…

by Christopher Moulton, PhD Introduction At this point in the pandemic, clinicians are aware of the most typical symptoms related to COVID-19 infection: persistent fever, a dry cough, and shortness of breath. However, to a lesser extent a variety of other symptoms have been reported in coronavirus-afflicted patients, including fatigue, myalgia, rhinorrhea, and a sore throat.1 Notably, the first documented American patient with the novel coronavirus experienced nausea and diarrhea concurrent with cough, which occurred prior to any respiratory distress.2…

by Lewis Chang, PhD What is cytokine storm? Cytokines are a diverse group of polypeptides secreted by cells that have numerous physiological functions, including regulation of inflammatory and immune responses. The rapid response of our highly complex immune system against pathogens or cellular damage is vital for maintaining homeostasis and health. Cytokine storm refers to a situation in which the protective immune response goes out of control, leading to unregulated release of excessive amounts of cytokines that spill into systemic…

by Michael Stanclift, ND Vitamin C helps with immune system function, but due to its ubiquity, it is often underappreciated clinically. With the current COVID-19 pandemic clinicians are in search of clinical tools that are relatively easy to acquire, safe, and effective. Vitamin C (AKA ascorbic acid/ascorbate) plays an important role in immune function with Swiss Army knife-like utility. We are one of the rare animals that lack the ability to make vitamin C within our body, so we must…

by Kara Fitzgerald, ND It looks like pyroptosis, a novel form of inflammatory cell death, may be a cause of the increased virulence of COVID-19 (although it was seen in SARS-CoV-1, too). Pyroptosis initiates the upregulation of inflammasome NLRP31 via caspase-1 proteases in the canonical pathway. Other caspases can also upregulate the inflammasome initiated by a variety of triggers. The end results of NLRP3 upregulation include IL-1β and IL-18 production and cell death. In COVID-19 patients, higher serum IL-1β (a…

by Lewis Chang, PhD 1 . What was observed among patients with COVID-19 infection? According to three recently published studies, the most common comorbidities in patients with COVID-19 are hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes; roughly 20-30% of them had hypertension, and 6-22% of them had diabetes.1-3 There are other comorbidities reported, such as coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. But hypertension and diabetes appear to be the most common, at least based on currently available data. 2.  Do scientists…

by Lewis Chang, PhD Low levels of vitamin D in the blood (25-hydroxyvitamin D) are associated with higher risks of acute upper and lower respiratory tract infections such as flu, according to a systematic review based on 39 human epidemiological studies.1 During late winter and early spring, solar radiation is weak and the vitamin D synthesis via our skin is at its lowest. As a result, our serum vitamin D levels are much lower compared to during summer.2 It is…