Supplements to take during the current health crisis
Please note that this information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat. Please check with your medical doctor before taking zinc or following any advice.
In the news, Hydroxychloroquine and Cloroquine known as Plaquenil and an antimalaria drug has been presented as a possible treatment for Covid-19. However, they can cause dangerous side effects such as producing an irregular heartbeat also known as arrhythmia.
One mechanism for the way that these drugs work is by stopping the cytokine storm (the immune reaction gone overboard) that can lead to death from Covid-19. Another possible mechanism is that these drugs act as zinc ionophores which helps zinc to enter into your body’s cells. It is here where zinc can stop the virus's ability to replicate, shortening the severity and duration of the disease.
Natural zinc ionophores include quercetin, which comes from vegetables, fruits and tea, and EGCG, which comes from green tea. Please eat lots of fruits and vegetables and drink organic green tea! However, you should consider taking quercetin and green tea as a supplement since you would have to eat the equivalent of eight or nine cups of vegetables and five to seven cups of green tea to get enough to act effectively as zinc ionophores.
If you are able to purchase zinc, then you should take 30 mg per day as a preventative. If you have Covid-19, then take 60 mg to 80 mg per day. Do not take this high amount of zinc for more than 30 days without taking some copper, the equivalent to what you can obtain in a multi-vitamin. Also, zinc can cause nausea on an empty stomach. It is best to take with food. The best form of zinc is zinc gluconate as a lozenge so that it can coat your mucous membranes.
Other helpful supplements for your immune system include:
Vitamin C 3000-4000 mg per day given in divided doses throughout the day.
Vitamin D3 5000IU once per day with food.
Probiotic (any one) once per day with food.
Do not negate the power of other important lifestyle habits that should be considered such as staying hydrated, making sleep a priority, and managing your stress with exercise and meditation.
In health and gratitude,
Dr. Selassie
Sources:
Dabbagh-Bazarbachi C.G., Quesada I.M., Ortiz M, O'Sullivan C.K. & Fernández-Larrea J.B. (2014). Zinc ionophore activity of quercetin and epigallocatechin-gallate: from Hepa 1-6 cells to a liposome model. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 62(32):8085-93. doi: 10.1021/jf5014633
Phenol-Explorer, Database on polyphenol content in food, Food composition; http://phenol-explorer.eu/contents/polyphenol/293 (Accessed April 15, 2020)
Schrezenmeier E & Dorner T (2020). Mechanisms of action of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine: implications for rheumatology. Nature Reviews Rheumatology 16(3):155-166. doi: 10.1038/s41584-020-0372
