#053 COVID-19 Q&A #1 with Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick answers listener questions about COVID-19, covering topics like its impact on children, potential therapeutics such as hydroxychloroquine and quercetin, blood type influence, vitamin D's role, sauna use, intravenous vitamin C, and melatonin's potential effects on inflammation and oxidative stress.
Deep Dive Analysis
8 Topic Outline
COVID-19 in Infants, Children, and Pregnant Women
Hydroxychloroquine as a Potential COVID-19 Therapeutic
Quercetin's Role as a Zinc Ionophore
Blood Type Influences on COVID-19 Risk
Vitamin D, ACE2 Receptors, and COVID-19 Susceptibility
Sauna Use and COVID-19 Prevention
High Dose Intravenous Vitamin C for COVID-19 Treatment
Melatonin's Potential Impact on Virus Severity
6 Key Concepts
ACE2 Receptor
The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor is exploited by SARS-CoV-2 to enter cells. It also plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure, inflammation, and body fluid homeostasis, and is protective against acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Zinc Ionophore
A compound that transports positively charged zinc ions across a lipid membrane into cells. This is important because zinc inhibits viral replication (specifically RNA-dependent RNA polymerase), but cannot enter cells on its own.
Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS)
A system involving ACE and ACE2 that regulates blood pressure, inflammation, and fluid balance. Maintaining balance in this system is critical, as an imbalance (e.g., decreased ACE2) can lead to severe lung injury and other conditions.
Cytokine Storm
An excessive and dysregulated inflammatory and immune response, often seen in severe COVID-19, which can lead to extensive cell and tissue damage, multiple organ failure, and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs)
A class of proteins induced by heat stress that maintain cellular homeostasis, protect cells from stress, and activate cellular defense systems. HSPs can stimulate the innate immune response and may directly inhibit viral activity.
NLRP3 Inflammasome
A large intracellular complex that detects and responds to internal and external threats, playing a role in inflammatory disorders. Its activation by viruses like SARS-CoV-1 can trigger NF-kappa B and contribute to a cytokine storm.
8 Questions Answered
Children of all ages are susceptible, but generally experience less severe disease than adults, with infants being more vulnerable to severe illness. While they may play a role in community transmission, more research is needed on their impact on viral spread.
Preliminary, low-quality data suggests it might decrease the length of time the virus remains in the respiratory tract. It may work as a zinc ionophore, transporting zinc into cells to inhibit viral replication, and also by interfering with viral entry and reducing inflammation.
Quercetin, a flavonoid found in plants, has been shown in in vitro studies to have zinc ionophore activity, meaning it can transport zinc into cells. Zinc then inhibits RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, a key enzyme for RNA virus reproduction.
Preliminary evidence suggests people with blood group A may have a higher risk of acquiring COVID-19, while those with blood type O may have a lower risk. This could be due to type A antibodies (present in type O or B blood) inhibiting the virus's interaction with the ACE2 receptor.
Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that helps balance the renin-angiotensin system. While SARS-CoV-2 uses ACE2 to enter cells, ACE2 is crucial for protecting against lung injury. Vitamin D can normalize ACE2 levels in situations where they are downregulated (like in acute lung injury), thereby potentially protecting against severe outcomes.
There is no direct data on sauna use and COVID-19. However, frequent sauna use is associated with a reduced risk of other respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and the common cold, potentially by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, improving lung function, and modulating the immune system through heat shock proteins.
There is no published data on intravenous vitamin C specifically for COVID-19, but a trial is underway. Anecdotal reports from China suggest potential benefits. Published data on sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (complications of severe COVID-19) indicate that intravenous vitamin C can reduce mortality, decrease time in intensive care, and improve organ function, likely by enhancing immune function and generating hydrogen peroxide to kill pathogens.
There is no direct data on melatonin for COVID-19. However, melatonin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, can regulate the immune system (activating or dampening depending on context), and has been shown to be protective against acute lung injury in animal models. It may also modulate inflammasomes and improve sleep, which is vital for immunity.
13 Actionable Insights
1. Seek Professional Medical Advice
Do not use the information provided in this podcast to diagnose or treat any medical condition, as it does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a medical doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
2. Prioritize Sleep for Immune Health
Prioritize getting adequate sleep, as it is crucial for regulating the immune system, and lack of sleep can significantly dampen immunity.
3. COVID-19 Breastfeeding Protocol
If a mother has COVID-19, the CDC recommends continuing to breastfeed, but she should wash her hands before touching the infant and wear a face mask, if possible, while feeding at the breast.
4. Avoid Self-Medicating Hydroxychloroquine
Do not take hydroxychloroquine at home without a physician’s guidance due to potential safety concerns like cardiac toxicity and fatal arrhythmias.
5. Sauna Not for COVID-19 Treatment
There is no data to suggest that sauna use or other heat stress modalities have any effect on preventing or treating COVID-19 illness.
6. IV Vitamin C Not for COVID-19
There is no published data on the effect of intravenous vitamin C on COVID-19, so it should not be relied upon as a treatment.
7. Melatonin Not for COVID-19 Treatment
There is no data to suggest that melatonin may prevent or lessen the severity of COVID-19 illness, so it should not be relied upon for this purpose.
8. Test Vitamin D Levels
The best way to determine appropriate vitamin D supplementation is through a baseline blood test, followed by another test a month after starting supplementation.
9. Vitamin D Upper Intake Limit
Be cautious not to take too much vitamin D; the tolerable upper intake for adults is conservatively set at 4,000 IUs per day.
10. Screen for G6PD Before IV Vitamin C
Patients should be pre-screened for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency before receiving high doses of intravenous vitamin C, as it could lead to hemolysis.
11. Hot Baths for Heat Shock Proteins
Consider taking hot baths (e.g., 140°F from waist down for one hour) as they have been shown to increase heat shock proteins, which play roles in cellular protection and immune response.
12. Avoid Blue Light for Melatonin
To support natural melatonin production, which starts in the evening, avoid blue light exposure as it inhibits melatonin synthesis.
13. Consider Quercetin as Zinc Ionophore
Quercetin, a flavonoid, has shown zinc ionophore activity in vitro, helping zinc enter cells to inhibit viral replication, and has been reported to block SARS-CoV-1 entry.
5 Key Quotes
This is not something people should be taking at home without a physician's guidance.
Rhonda Patrick
When you draw too broad of conclusions from a very isolated interaction that you kind of pull out from a biological system, it can lead to what seems to be a logically consistent conclusion, but it's actually the wrong interpretation.
Rhonda Patrick
It is important to point out that the acute lung injury itself led to a decrease in ACE2, which again I mentioned has been shown to occur with SARS-CoV-1. And this resulted in worse disease outcome.
Rhonda Patrick
While the effect of heat shock proteins on viruses is a bit nuanced, the more important thing is that heat shock proteins activate the innate immune system and sauna use has been shown to increase white blood cell and other monocyte levels.
Rhonda Patrick
While there's no direct evidence that melatonin use could prevent or treat COVID-19, it's plausible that melatonin may possibly have some beneficial role.
Rhonda Patrick
2 Protocols
CDC Recommendations for Breastfeeding with COVID-19
Rhonda Patrick (describing CDC recommendations)- Wash hands before touching the infant.
- Wear a face mask, if possible, while feeding at the breast.
High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C Treatment for Severe COVID-19 (China Trial)
Rhonda Patrick (describing a clinical trial)- Administer 12 grams of intravenous vitamin C.
- Administer a second 12-gram dose later in the day, for a total of 24 grams per day.
- Continue treatment for seven days.