In my opinion, your best supplemental defense against Covid, is vitamin C at 8 grams or more. Will it protect you from getting it? No - avoidance is your best defense against that. But if you do get it, Vitamin C is necessary for immune function. One of the dangers of Covid is that your immune response becomes so strong trying to fight it that your immune system actually starts destroying YOUR tissue. We know that Vitamin C has many immune functions, and one of these is to clear out or reduce (as in neutralize through oxidative reduction) neutrophils and toxic byproducts created by the immune response to an infection.
Vitamin C is an essential micronutrient for humans, with pleiotropic functions related to its ability to donate electrons. It is a potent antioxidant and a cofactor for a family of biosynthetic and gene regulatory enzymes. Vitamin C contributes to immune ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
We also know that doses as low as 250 mg/day have shown to have benefit in the common cold/flu - but a lot of these studies are conflicting, the results are usually non-significant, etc. Studies comparing 6-8 grams vs. smaller doses show more significant outcomes:
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/4/339
Finally, a Medline screening study published in February shows a reduction of the time spent on a ventilator when 1-6 grams of vitamin C is administered. This study showed 14% reduction in time spent on a ventilator for all patients and a 25% reduction in time spent on a ventilator for the sickest patients.
https://jintensivecare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40560-020-0432-y
Now, some flaws - the last two links are from the same person and he has a lot invested into Vitamin C research. Not saying he is disingenuous, but things like confirmation bias come into play.
Also, these two are basically meta-analysis studies and I usually take those with a grain of salt. Actual controlled observation would be better of course - but who's funding Vitamin C studies? No one. It's seen as quackery (and some of that view I can agree with).
But, based on those facts alone and the low-risk of taking 8 grams of vitamin C a day and the fact that if you show up in the ER and get put on a ventilator it is unlikely the doctors are going to give you any vitamin C (although I have seen articles about it being used in NY and China) - my goal is to be prepared and have as much of it in my luggage (body's cells) as I can when I show up and before they take over and I can't get anymore. Sure, vitamin C is quickly eliminated from the body so I may show up with high levels and have very little within 24 hours - but what else can you do?
With some hope, based on the studies that show reduction in symptoms and duration (as well as some evidence it may reduce the number of incidences of illness) - show me something that is more likely to help, has as many ways it can possibly help, with a lower risk and lower cost than Vitamin C? I am telling everyone I know to just take 8 or more grams a day right now. You can buy a kg of powder for $30 and put it in crystal light, gatorade, juice, etc. and not even think about it beyond that. At 8 grams a day that $30 will get you about 4 months of Vitamin C.
As far as Vitamin D - also a fan. There is always a fear of taking too much - and ideally you should have your levels checked, but I've seen studies giving 500,000 iu as a bolus dose to people with immune diseases, studies giving 100,000 iu twice a year, studies giving 100,000 iu every month, etc. I personally have taken a 200-300,000 iu over the course of a week without any issues. Am I recommending this? No. Long term, I certainly wouldn't recommend those doses. But taking 100,000 i.u per month may actually have a greater impact than taking it daily.
This study shows 50-100k iu per week is safe for the reversal of statin tolerance:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4821095/
Of course this is in a group of sicker people for a specific purpose, but I believe it does provide evidence that even 10,000 iu per day is acceptable. But, you could always just do 50,000 once per week.
Again, this study is more about D3 vs. D2 but uses doses of 300,000 iu:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4128480/
This study shows a single large dose of 100,000 may be enough to elevate levels for 6-7 months, but only in about half the population, and this population is children:
https://trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13063-019-3184-z
Also, I can't find the study, but after my father had his stroke I was looking into that - and there is a curve, sure. It seems that stroke and heart attack risk may actually increase once you get over 110 so I prefer to stay between 60-80 and won't freak if it's under 100 but may reduce my intake. Of course, getting a doctor to check your Vitamin D status gan be tough. Some doctors are all for Vitamin D and believe in it, others see everyone calling it a panacea and reject it and fight even checking it.
If you can't get your blood work, being conservative is still wise - but under 10,000 iu/day or taking (or an equivelant 1X per week dose) is, IMO, very likely to be safe in 90% or more of the population.
clinicaltrials.gov
nypost.com
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