6 Antiviral Nutrients and Their Effects on Coronavirus – Informed Opinion

by | May 5, 2020 | COVID-19, Featured Writer

Written by Sarah Hung, ND, MSOM, L.ac.  As our featured guest writer, Dr. Hung provides a holistic and integrative approach to the Covid-19 crisis.

How do nutritional interventions differ from pharmacological interventions for COVID-19?  Here’s an introduction to the antiviral effects of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, selenium and N-acetyl cysteine.

Note: Inspiration and sourcing for this post mainly comes from Dr. Alex Vasquez’s book, “Antiviral Nutrition” published in 2014.

Lately, it’s been a quest of mine to fully understand the implications of SARS Corona Virus 2 and the potential interventions ranging from pharmacological to botanical to nutritional. And while the last blog post mainly focused on lifestyle and dietary interventions to support the innate immune system, this post will mainly focus on specific antiviral nutrients and the research backing them.

Introduction

What is the difference between some of the potential pharmacological interventions vs. nutritional interventions for COVID-19? To answer this question, we must first look at the different mechanisms antiviral therapeutics act on, by:

  1. Blocking attachment of the virus to a cell in the upper or lower respiratory tract and therefore preventing the “takeover” of that cell by the virus.
  2. Blocking the replication of the virus in other cells.
  3. Enhancing the immune response of the human host.
  4. Supporting cellular and whole body health.

Antiviral medications, such as Remidesivir and the anti-malaria drug, Hydroxychloroquine mainly work by either:

  1. Blocking attachment of the virus to a cell.
  2. Blocking the replication of the virus as it spreads to other cells.

They may also do so at an impressive rate. However, they are unable to enhance the immune response of the human host or support cellular and whole body health.

A future SARS Coronavirus 2 vaccine would mainly address the enhancement of an adaptive, or specific host immune response. In other words, it would involve cellular memory, the production of antibodies, and the summation of an immune response to one current, non-mutated version of SARS Coronavirus 2. This could serve to be problematic in the future, as members of the Coronavirus family, which consists of over 100 different viral strains, many harmless, often experience frequent genetic mutations leading to antigenic drift. Although this phenomenon is not seen in diseases with more immune durability such as measles, it is commonly seen in the Influenza virus, requiring constant updates in the development of associated vaccines. Any vaccine designed for Coronavirus is therefore likely to lead to impermanent and non-durable immunity. (3)

In my humble opinion, the pharmacological therapies listed above, are certainly effective strategies with the potential to save many lives. However, they are limited in their effect on overall human health and should only be used in conjunction with, or secondary to nutritive therapies. The therapies I’m about to introduce below not only block viral attachment and replication, but they have the broader health implications of supporting both innate and adaptive immunity, supporting cellular health and supporting whole body health. So without further ado, here is an introduction to our 6 antiviral superstars:

#1: Vitamin C: Probably the best well known immune supportive nutrient. As a matter of fact, major medical journal,The Lancelet, recently recommended the nutrient as a treatment for respiratory distress in late stage COVID-19 (7). Also known as ascorbic acid, this nutrient supports innate immunity by up regulating activity natural killer cells and macrophages. It also helps reduce histamine which at high levels inhibits a proper immune response. Finally, vitamin C has been shown to sequester high levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), which is a marker of inflammation produced during a highly dangerous stage of COVID-19, known as a “cytokine storm.” (2, 13). This stage of the illness, which is a result our own immune system, is characterized by high levels of unbridled inflammation within the lungs, often leading to tissue damage and severe respiratory distress.

#2: Zinc: This nutrient has been shown to be especially effective in impairing RNA viruses, which includes the coronavirus. It is able to inhibit coronavirus in vitro (in laboratory settings) and in vivo (in human subjects). It does so by blocking attachment of the virus at a cellular level and also inhibits the replication process (12). Additionally, zinc has been shown to support adaptive immunity and the production of antibodies. Similar to vitamin C, it has been shown to reduce the inflammatory response seen in late stages of COVID-19 by reducing the NF-KB (NF Kappa Beta) pathway and sequestering Interleukin-6 (9). Perhaps this is the reason that zinc is beginning to be used as an adjunct therapy in certain ICU’s across the country.

#3: Vitamin D: Vitamin D is one of the most potent immune nutrients that works at a cellular level. In regard to innate immunity, it helps protect the barrier of mucous membrane and supports secretion of IgA (an immunoglobulin) and antimicrobial peptides. It further supports the immune system by modulating the adaptive immune system, and the vitamin D receptor is expressed on B cells, T cells and antigen presenting cells (10). Decreased vitamin D levels have been associated with increased risk of respiratory infections and increased mortality in elderly individuals (11).

#4: Vitamin A: Works synergistically with vitamin D as they both affect nuclear transcription factors that influence the nucleus of cells (8). It also protects mucous membrane barriers and decreases susceptibility to all infectious diseases. It further helps up regulate the activity of T cells, such as T regs and increases production of various antibodies by B cells. It therefore supports both innate and adaptive immunity, and as an antioxidant, also helps reduce oxidative stress caused by pathogenic organisms (6).

#5: Selenium: In most cases, studies have demonstrated an enhancement of both cell mediated and humoral immune responses by increasing levels of selenium intake. It has been shown to inhibit the NFKB pathway which is the inflammatory pathway hijacked by viruses to promote replication (5). Additionally, it has been shown to promote lymphatic flow as a result of its antioxidant properties (1).

And…last but not least, #6: N-Acetyl Cysteine. This is a nutrient that is unique when compared others, in the fact that:

  1. It is an amino acid and has a unique chemical structure when compared to the first fore mentioned nutrients.
  2. Unlike the other nutrients mentioned in this post, it already has a traditional use within hospitals, particularly as an antidote to over dosage of Tylenol (acetaminophen).

N-acetyl cysteine is a powerful antioxidant, a conjugating agent for detoxification and is anti-viral by way of blocking attachment to cells. It has been studied for its intravenous and oral use against H1N1 in Europe (4). Such as in the case of vitamin C and zinc, it is also a strong modulator of inflammatory mediators such as NF-KB, Interleukin 6 and Interleukin 10. Additionally, it is strongly mucolytic, making it a useful nutrient to address the dry cough often seen in COVID-19 patients with deep, hard to expectorate mucus in the lungs (14).

The next blog post will mostly focus on botanicals that have been used alongside traditional medicine in Chinese hospitals treating COVID-19. Please stay tuned!

Sarah Hung, ND, MSOM, L.ac., is a Doctor and Licensed Acupuncturist with an interest in complete mind and body wellness, individualized nutrition, chronic pain and hormonal imbalances. Visit her website at www.innatenaturalhealthcare.com.

Sources used:

  1. Bruns, F., Micke, O., & Bremer, M. (2003). Current status of selenium and other treatments for secondary lymphedema. J Support Oncol, 1(2), 121-30.
  2. Carr, A. C., & Maggini, S. (2017). Vitamin C and immune function. Nutrients, 9(11), 1211.
  3. Coronavirus: The Next Disease X? Sourced from: https://thenativeantigencompany.com/coronaviruses-the-next-disease-x/
  4. De Flora, S., Grassi, C., & Carati, L. (1997). Attenuation of influenza-like symptomatology and improvement of cell-mediated immunity with long-term N-acetylcysteine treatment. European Respiratory Journal, 10(7), 1535-1541.
  5. Hoffmann, P. R., & Berry, M. J. (2008). The influence of selenium on immune responses. Molecular nutrition & food research, 52(11), 1273-1280.
  6. Huang, Z., Liu, Y., Qi, G., Brand, D., & Zheng, S. G. (2018). Role of vitamin A in the immune system. Journal of clinical medicine, 7(9), 258.
  7. Matthay, M. A., Aldrich, J. M., & Gotts, J. E. (2020). Treatment for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome from COVID-19. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
  8. Petkovich, M. (1992). Regulation of gene expression by vitamin A: the role of nuclear retinoic acid receptors. Annual review of nutrition, 12(1), 443-471.
  9. Prasad, A. S. (2008). Zinc in human health: effect of zinc on immune cells. Molecular medicine, 14(5), 353-357.
  10. Prietl, B., Treiber, G., Pieber, T. R., & Amrein, K. (2013). Vitamin D and immune function. Nutrients, 5(7), 2502-2521.
  11. Remmelts, H. H., van de Garde, E. M., Meijvis, S. C., Peelen, E. L., Damoiseaux, J. G., Grutters, J. C., … & Rijkers, G. T. (2012). Addition of vitamin D status to prognostic scores improves the prediction of outcome in community-acquired pneumonia. Clinical infectious diseases, 55(11), 1488-1494.
  12. Te Velthuis, A. J., van den Worm, S. H., Sims, A. C., Baric, R. S., Snijder, E. J., & van Hemert, M. J. (2010). Zn2+ inhibits coronavirus and arterivirus RNA polymerase activity in vitro and zinc ionophores block the replication of these viruses in cell culture. PLoS pathogens, 6(11).
  13. Vitamin C Infusion for the Treatment of Severe 2019-nCoV Infested Pneumonia. Sourced from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04264533
  14. Zhang, Q., Ju, Y., Ma, Y., & Wang, T. (2018). N-acetylcysteine improves oxidative stress and inflammatory response in patients with community acquired pneumonia: A randomized controlled trial. Medicine, 97(45).