{"id":13234,"date":"2021-07-31T13:18:35","date_gmt":"2021-07-31T11:18:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.medwellness.it\/?p=13234"},"modified":"2021-09-14T18:14:35","modified_gmt":"2021-09-14T16:14:35","slug":"sindrome-post-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.medwellness.it\/en\/sindrome-post-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"Tackling long Covid, by Antony Haynes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tackling long Covid, by Antony Haynes<\/strong><\/p>\n

by\u00a0Raffaella Quieti Cartledge<\/a><\/p>\n

Having practiced as a Nutritional Therapist for 28 years, Antony Haynes has implemented the principles of Functional Medicine in the UK, since 1992. Over the past decade, he has focused much clinical & research time to addressing chronic hidden viral infections, and in particular their relevance to contributing to auto-immune conditions. He currently focuses on how to mitigate, manage, improve and resolve signs and symptoms of Long Covid. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr Haynes, what is long Covid ? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Long Covid is one of the names given to the condition which manifests in symptoms lasting for more than three months after the first symptom onset. It is also referred to as Long-haul COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 syndrome. The most frequent symptoms of Long Covid are fatigue and shortness of breath. Interestingly, it appears that long Covid affects survivors of COVID-19 at all disease severity.<\/p>\n

A recent study by Gold et al<\/em>, published in June 2021, investigates the relationship between Long Covid prevalence and Epstein-Barr Virus reactivation. \u00a0Epstein-Barr Virus is one of the nine known herpes virus types, one of the most frequent in humans and the cause of infectious mononucleosis, common in teens and young adults. The study shows that many Long Covid symptoms may not be a direct result of the SARS-Cov-2 virus but may be the result of COVID-19 inflammation-induced EBV reactivation. Studying 186 randomly chosen Long Covid 19 patients, found that 66.7% of Long Covid subjects versus 10% of control subjects in the primary study group were positive for EBV reactivation.<\/p>\n

What nutrition can help with symptoms ? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Each person may require a different combination of nutritional and lifestyle interventions. For some, histamine plays a significant role as in Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), a condition in which the patient experiences repeated allergic symptoms such as hives, swelling, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing and even severe diarrhoea.<\/p>\n

Therefore,\u00a0 a diet that is low in histamine is key. Histamine-rich foods are alcohol (and other fermented beverages), fermented foods such as yoghurt, dairy products, dried fruits, avocados, eggplants, spinach, processed or smoked meat.<\/p>\n

There are also a number of foods that trigger histamine release in the body, such as bananas, tomatoes, beans, papaya, chocolate, citrus fruits, walnuts, cashew and peanuts.<\/p>\n

Alongside a watchful diet, useful histamine-lowering supplements are quercetin and vitamin C.<\/p>\n

\"libro\"<\/p>\n

For others, the use of niacin (Vitamin B3) has been shown to reduce fatigue. Niacin can help restore the body\u2019s supply of NADH, a coenzyme which is central to energy production. Apart from enabling ATP (Adenosine 5′-triphosphate, the principal molecule for storing and transferring energy in cells), NADH also supports production of the powerful antioxidant glutathione.<\/p>\n

One of the most common expressions of Long Covid is post exertional malaise, so the intensity level and frequency needs to be approached with care and caution. This is consistent with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in which graded exercise may well NOT be part of the solution. Trial and error should teach the individual pretty quickly as to how much exercise can be done. In my experience and from what I have read, exercising one\u2019s way out of Long Covid has not been successful.<\/p>\n

As with all chronic conditions, it is imperative to have a sound sleep pattern and cycle. In Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and MCAS, disruptions are known, as it is with Long Covid, and this may be due to the shortness of breath \/ dyspnoea.<\/p>\n

Have you created a long Covid protocol ?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

As with any condition, the individual case history is key in order to give you the best overall picture of how it began and how it manifests, rather than to employ a standard protocol to treat a condition.<\/p>\n

Some individuals may have evident gut disorders that need addressing in the first instance, before engaging in anything else or which might be more specific to fatigue or breathlessness of Long Covid.<\/p>\n

Long Covid affects individuals to a different degree to which the original condition affected them. It would only be conjecture as to why this occurs and how one might reduce the chances of this happening. Perhaps, as with Covid-19 itself, the status of zinc, vitamin C & D play key roles; the majority of the population has been shown to be low in vitamin D, at least. Alternatively, general and systemic inflammation from poor diet or imbalanced gut health plays a role in the susceptibility of Long Covid and helps to explain the more widespread appearance of this post-viral condition.<\/p>\n

Although scientists are declaring this an unusual condition, it must be noted that the almost 30 million worldwide sufferers of CFS would not be so quick to agree. It is hoped that more attention can be paid to these existing folks who have been struggling for years to gain recognition of having a \u2018real\u2019 condition.<\/p>\n

In summary, Long Covid lends itself ideally well to a wholistic nutritional therapy intervention with lifestyle changes, judicious use of supplements that have a track record for helping those with CFS and MCAS and reducing excessive inflammation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What supplements are useful to aid the recovery ?\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

My first choices are Quercetin at 300-500mg two or three times daily. Then I consider niacin which elicits a flushing effect and is therefore best built up slowly to minimise the intensity of the flush. Start on 50mg and build up to 250-300mg. Then I would consider N-Acetyl Cysteine at 500mg twice daily, well-absorbed turmeric extract 100-250mg twice daily, zinc at 20-30mg, vitamin C at 500mg, 2-4 times a day, selenium at 100mcg 1-2 times a day. I would also consider COQ10 at 100mg, and a low dose but active-B vitamin complex once or twice a day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Quercetin (300-500mg) – two or three times daily just before meals<\/p>\n

Niacin 50mg & increase the dose \u2013 on empty stomach once or twice daily.<\/p>\n

NAC 500mg twice daily (anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, glutathione precursor)<\/p>\n

Turmeric extract 100-250mg twice daily (anti-inflammatory)<\/p>\n

Zinc at 20-30mg (immune support and anti-inflammatory)<\/p>\n

Vitamin C 500mg – 2-4 times a day<\/p>\n

Selenium 100mcg 1-2 times a day<\/p>\n

COQ10 100mg once daily<\/p>\n

Active-B vitamin Complex 1-2 times a day.<\/p>\n

Vit D \u2013 7K IU daily<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It should be noted that for some an over-the-counter (OTC) anti-histamine drug can be very helpful, and for others an H2-blocker drug on prescription may be more favourable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From : EPIDEMIOLOGY OF LONG COVID: A PRAGMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE (Jan 2021)
\n<\/strong>DIEGO CASTANARES ZAPATERO, GERMAINE HANQUET, KOEN VAN DEN HEEDE<\/p>\n