Plaquenil and other treatments for COVID 19

Bottom line? It is an excellent idea!

Although the studies have been small, they were well done and the treatment is very safe and effective. And costs ~$10/person

Why the debate on it? Academic medicine defines “proven” as having repeated large placebo-controlled studies that normally take years to run. For new treatments that have high risk and cost, and other alternative treatment options, this is reasonable.

But being trapped by that old mindset here runs the known risk of millions of deaths. Our current situation requires a more reasoned approach.

Instead, as we already have two well done studies, it is reasonable to begin with what we know:

1. Taking the Plaquenil for six days resulted in only 25 percent of the treatment group still being contagious by day six, versus 100 percent of the untreated group.
2. The treated group had milder illness.

So the potential and likely benefit is very very high. The next two things to look at are cost and risk:

1. Cost- Under $10/person versus as much as $1000+ for other much less proven and more toxic treatments.
2. Safety- used for decades in millions of people. Main (uncommon, transient and benign) side effects are nausea, headache, or itching. This medication is VERY safe. The risks of eye and heart problems are only in those using it for over five years. They simply are NOT seen with these shorter courses.

Running this equation shows that it is both good science and common sense to use this medication. Now!

The problem—media misinformation—even from usually reliable sources. I like Dr. Fauci. But I strongly disagree with him here. To say this treatment is “unproven” is misleading. He is using the regulatory definition of “unproven” and not using the scientific combined with common sense approach needed for this situation.

The other problem? Pharmacies are sold out. We need to focus on increased production (easy and low cost) and getting it to the public. Health care workers should be on the medication now, and stay on it till the pandemic passes.

Each person over 20 years of age should have the medication, taking two 200 mg tabs twice a day the first day, then one twice a day for five days. I begin it at first sign of infection. It is best absorbed if taken with food. The medicine then stays in the body, offering protection, for months.

As a physician, this is my perspective on what a substantial body of effectiveness and safety research is showing. Of course, this decision is between you and your physician.

Also important? Optimizing your immune function with Zinc 15–50 mg a day for one to two months. Then 15 mg a day. Also get vitamin C 500 mg a day, and 1000+ units daily of vitamin D*. The zinc is especially crucial.

Hoping this is helpful, as we all weather this storm together.

TotalHealth Note: It is very important to have your vitamin D levels tested in order to establish a health protective level of vitamin D. We are providing you with links to the research performed by or analyzed by GrassrootsHealth. GrassrootsHealth is a nonprofit public health research organization dedicated to moving public health messages regarding vitamin D from research into practice. It has a panel of 48 senior vitamin D researchers from around the world contributing to its operations. GrassrootsHealth is currently running the D*action field trial to solve the vitamin D deficiency epidemic worldwide. Under the D*action umbrella, there are also targeted programs for breast cancer prevention and a ‘Protect Our Children NOW!’ program to stop vitamin D deficiency where it starts, in utero.

Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 1

Vitamin D Helps Fight COVID-19: Part 2

Review Suggests Ensuring Adequate Zinc, Selenium and Vitamin D May Protect Against SARS-CoV-2

As COVID-19 ravages the countryside, we have garnered a new understanding of how this disease preys on a weakened immune system. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now tracking the top three conditions linked to the virus: diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease and cardiovascular disease.¹ Each is linked to vitamin D deficiency.

Former CDC Chief, Dr. Tom Friedan was recently quoted on Fox News affirming, “Vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of respiratory infection², regulates cytokine production³ and can limit the risk of other viruses⁴ such as influenza. A respiratory infection can result in cytokine storms⁵—a vicious cycle in which our inflammatory cells damage organs throughout the body— which increase mortality for those with COVID-19.” Dr. JoAnn Manson, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School⁶ states in a video presentation on Medscape, “There is emerging and growing evidence that vitamin D status may be relevant to the risk of developing COVID-19 infection and to the severity of the disease,” adding, “Vitamin D has an immune modulating effect and can lower inflammation.”

Sadly, we are also seeing evidence of health care disparity among African Americans who, in an analysis conducted by the Washington Post₇, are contracting and dying of the disease at a higher rate. The Post analysis shows that counties that are majority-black have three times the rate of infections and almost six times the rate of deaths as counties where white residents are in the majority. In Michigan, African Americans, who represent 14 percent of the population, account for more than 33 percent of cases and 40 percent of deaths. Similar statistics are mirrored in Chicago where 70 percent of COVID-19 related deaths were black, a rate six times higher than that of white residents. It is bears noting that vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent among African Americans than other Americans and, in North America, most young, healthy blacks do not achieve what scientists consider an optimal blood serum level, defined as 30 ng/ml by the Institutes of Medicine at any time of year.⁸

The CDC has acknowledged that the data suggests health disparities, including underlying health conditions, access to health care, and living and work conditions, make the African American population particularly vulnerable⁹. According to their analysis of COVID-19 deaths for New York, where race and ethnicity data were available, the death rate among Black/African American persons was 92.3 deaths per 100,000 population, and 74.3 for Hispanic/Latino persons; figures substantially higher than that of white (45.2) or Asian (34.5) persons. Which takes us back to vitamin D.

There is a sound body of research on the health and immune system benefits of vitamin D and a flurry of new reports, some of which have not yet been peer reviewed, from scientists and health care providers around the world who are working to connect the dots between vitamin D deficiency and the underlying conditions associated with increased severity or complications of COVID-19. The most recent is a report on the mean levels of vitamin D for 20 European countries. The study concluded low levels of vitamin D were strongly linked to morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 in yet another highly vulnerable group, the elderly population.¹⁰

Achieving an effective vitamin D level is essential for your overall health and it is a critical component for building your immune system. An estimated 89 percent of U.S. adults overall, and 91 percent of U.S. children and teens, aren’t getting recommended levels of vitamin D.¹¹ What is the recommended level? Forty-eight high-profile vitamin D researchers from around the globe agree that 40–60 ng/ml is the ideal range for vitamin D. If you’ve had your level tested recently it’s likely your test result ranged from 10-30 ng/ml. If you do take vitamin D on a regular basis, you may be higher. Efective supplementation, however, requires you know your serum level.

The primary source of vitamin D is the sun, and we live in a society that no longer tolerates extended time in the sun without applying sunscreen. Stay-at-home orders have complicated getting enough sun and frankly, unlike many nutrients, you can't eat your way to a healthy vitamin D level. Fortunately, vitamin D supplementation is an inexpensive, effective and simple way to resolve deficiencies if taken in the right amounts. Knowing your levels requires testing, and that can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Put the power of prevention in your own hands¹².
GrassrootsHealth, offers a simple blood spot test you can have delivered to your home. With your results, you can use the vitamin D calculator to see how much vitamin D you need to take to get achieve that optimal level of 40-60 ng/ml. According to published research, vitamin D levels of 50 ng/ml appear to protect against viral respiratory infection.12 Everyone has just enough time before the winter flu and cold season to monitor and increase your vitamin D level to bolster your immune system.

There is no reason to hesitate. Supplementation is safe. The latest Institute of Medicine report indicates 10,000 IU/day is considered the NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) and 4,000 IU/day is safe for adults who are age 19 and older. The appropriate intake for you depends on your age, race, lifestyle and latitude of residence. Know your vitamin D level so you can live your future life well.

References

1. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6913e2.htm?s_cid=mm6913e2_w#T1_down
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3543548/
3. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0130395
4. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/91/5/1255/4597253
5. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140227142250.htm
6. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/930152?utm_source=Dr.+Manson+Vit+D+COVID+-+Thurs+5%2F14&utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email
7. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/04/07/coronavirus-is-infecting-killing-black-americans-an-alarminglyhigh-rate-post-analysis-shows/?arc404=true
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16549493/
9. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/racial-ethnic-minorities.html
10. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40520-020-01570-8
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2883344/
12. https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202003.0235/v1?fbclid=IwAR3aL2ljr6KgZvjOk8S1Q0_lK62p7lVW_MlI2EnqdzCxINy0LyotJhJuYYs