%%related: %% ![[8E6DE64C-762D-486D-B122-1C57A9A87C55_1_201_a.jpeg]] # Vitamin C #on/health/naturopathy/nutraceutical/vitamin-C - Vitamin C, even in small quantities, protects proteins, lipids and even DNA and RNA in your body from reactive oxygen species that are generated during normal metabolism as well as due to toxin exposure - Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant within your cells, helping to protect immune cells from incurring damage, and may promote the production of interferon, which helps defend against viruses - Vitamin C’s anti-cold effects are among its most-studied uses, and research suggests that using vitamin C prophylactically as well as therapeutically at the onset of cold symptoms may reduce symptoms and cold duration - Bioavailability of vitamin C varies by form; intravenous is most bioavailable, but liposomal vitamin C, in which vitamin C is encapsulated in a lipid particle, may increase bioavailability of oral vitamin C considerably The Australian Government publishes a [Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) for each vitamin](https://www.nrv.gov.au/nutrients). For an adolescent, the RDI is 40 mg/day. This heroic dose of 2,000 mg is intended to assist during periods of illness. Excessive vitamin C is excreted though our urine. Red capsicum contains more vitamin C than any other fruit, including citrus. # Vitamin D #on/health/naturopathy/nutraceutical/vitamin-D The following is an excerpt from Dr Mercola's notes relating to his [LECTURE AT THE 2021 BIOHACKING CONFERENCE](https://www.bitchute.com/video/cw6QiMsOXqbA/) > ..vitamin D can reduce your risk of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections, including but not limited to the following: [2](https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/11/3361/pdf) > > - Reducing the survival and replication of viruses [3](https://www.grassrootshealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Grant-GRH-Covid-paper-2020.pdf) > - Reducing inflammatory cytokine production > - Maintaining endothelial integrity — Endothelial dysfunction contributes to vascular inflammation and impaired blood clotting, two hallmarks of severe COVID-19 > - Increasing angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) concentrations, which prevents the virus from entering cells via the ACE2 receptor — ACE2 is downregulated by SARS-CoV-2 infection, and by increasing ACE2, you also avoid excessive accumulation of angiotensin II, a peptide hormone known to increase the severity of COVID-19 > > Vitamin D is also an important component of COVID-19 prevention and treatment for the fact that it: > > - Boosts your overall immune function by modulating your innate and adaptive immune responses > - Reduces respiratory distress [4](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6186338/) > - Improves overall lung function > - Helps produce surfactants in your lungs that aid in fluid clearance [5](https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.201010-1596OC) > - Lowers your risk of comorbidities associated with poor COVID-19 prognosis, including obesity [6](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6780345/) , Type 2 diabetes [7](https://www.diabetes.co.uk/food/vitamin-d.html), high blood pressure [8](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(14)70119-6/fulltext), and heart disease [9](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3449318/) > > ## **Other Health Benefits of Vitamin D** > > Aside from its benefits against infections, vitamin D also has many other health benefits through both direct and indirect activities. Among its direct actions are: > > - Reducing DNA damage > - Improving central nervous system functions > - Improving cognition and depression > - Reducing risk of cardiovascular disorders, including heart attacks and strokes > > Indirectly, vitamin D also: > > - Improves your mitochondrial function > - Reduces obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes > - Improves autoimmunity > > Through these direct and indirect actions, plus its ability to control oxidative stress, vitamin D helps to both facilitate healthy aging and prevent pulmonary diseases, falls, cancer and sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss). See also a compendium of Dr John Campbell's vitamin-D presentations https://www.youtube.com/@Campbellteaching/search?query=vitamin%20d # Vitamin K2 MK7 #on/health/naturopathy/nutraceutical/vitamin-K The following is an excerpt from Dr Mercola's notes on Dr Campbell's [Vitamin D reduced dementia by 40%](https://youtu.be/-U4CD1uKnZA) presentation > ## **The Interplay of Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin K2** > > If you are unable to maintain optimal levels of vitamin D from sensible sun exposure, it's important to remember there are synergistic effects with other nutrients when you're supplementing. When taking a vitamin D supplement, you may also need to increase your intake of magnesium, vitamin K2 MK7 and calcium. > > Together, these vitamins work in tandem, and an imbalance is why calcium supplements have been associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and why some experience symptoms of vitamin D toxicity. Here's a summary of some of the most important correlations: > > - Excessive vitamin D without adequate vitamin K2 may cause overabsorption of calcium, which in turn may result in calcium deposits in the tissue. Part of the explanation for these adverse side effects is that vitamin K2 keeps calcium in its appropriate place — in your teeth and bones and out of soft tissues and arteries. > > While the optimal ratios between vitamin D and vitamin K2 have yet to be established, taking somewhere between 100 and 200 micrograms (mcg) of K2 is beneficial. Telltale signs of vitamin K2 insufficiency include osteoporosis, heart disease and diabetes. You’re also more likely to be deficient if you rarely eat vitamin K2-rich foods. > > - Vascular calcification is also a side effect of low magnesium, so when taking vitamin D3, you need both vitamin K2 and magnesium to make sure everything is working properly. > > - Maintaining an appropriate calcium-to-magnesium ratio is also important, as magnesium helps keep calcium in your cells so they can function better. Based on your personal health needs an ideal ratio of calcium-to-magnesium may vary from 1-to-1 to an optimal 1-to-2. > > - Magnesium and vitamin K2 also complement each other, as magnesium helps lower blood pressure, which is an important component of heart disease. > # Zinc #on/health/naturopathy/nutraceutical/zinc [[2021-05-07 How to Improve Zinc Uptake With Quercetin]] The following is an excerpt from Dr Mercola's [[2022-04-17 The Secret of Zinc's Immunity-Boosting Power Revealed|The Secret of Zinc's Immunity-Boosting Power Revealed]] article > - Zinc has been acknowledged as an essential mineral for human health since the 1970s. More than 300 enzymes in your body require zinc for normal function, and it’s well-recognized for its role in immunity and normal immune system development > - A March 2022 study has now shed new light on how zinc influences immune function. Zinc is required for the development of disease-fighting T cells, and for the regeneration of your thymus, which produces T cells > - Zinc ionophores, which act as a shuttle to transport the zinc into the cell, improves zinc uptake. Zinc ionophores include hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), chloroquine, quercetin and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) > - Excessive zinc supplementation can cause an imbalance in your zinc-to-copper ratio, which can impair immune function. Copper, in turn, is interdependent on iron ... > Zinc affects your immune function and helps prevent infections in a variety of ways. For example, data have shown: [^10] > > - People who are deficient in zinc have an increased susceptibility to pathogens, as zinc helps prevent viruses from entering [^11] and replicating [^12] inside your cells. > - Zinc mediates nonspecific immunity, including natural killer cells and neutrophils. > ... > > - Zinc is central to DNA replication, RNA transcription and cell activation and division. > - Zinc supports growth and function of ciliary hairs in your respiratory system. One study published in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy [^14] showed zinc stimulates ciliary beat frequency and may help improve mucociliary clearance, which is essential for clearing the lungs of mucous. Another group of scientists found that supplementing animals deficient in zinc affected the length of the cilia and number of epithelial cells in the bronchus. [^15] > - Zinc also improves your respiratory epithelial barrier. [^16] [^17] > - Zinc influences interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), which plays a significant role in defending against intracellular pathogens. [^18] When there is a reduction in this cytokine, your immune function will be impaired. > ... > # Zinc lonophores Improve Zinc's Effectiveness > > While zinc is a crucial mineral for normal immune function, supplemental zinc is not very bioavailable. So, to improve zinc uptake into the cell, a zinc ionophore can be very useful. Zinc ionophores basically act as shuttles that transport the zinc through the cellular membrane into the cell, and getting the zinc into the cell is crucial for stopping viral replication. # Quercetin #on/health/naturopathy/nutraceutical/polyphenols/flavonoids/quercetin The following is an excerpt from Dr Mercola's [More Health Benefits of Quercetin Revealed]() article > - Quercetin has been shown to combat inflammation and acts as a natural antihistamine. Several studies have highlighted quercetin’s ability to prevent and treat both the common cold and influenza > - Another, less known benefit and use for quercetin includes the prevention and/or treatment of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, certain cancers, gout, arthritis and mood disorders .. > ## Quercetin Is a Powerful Antiviral > > As mentioned, one of the most well-studied attributes of quercetin is its antiviral capacity, which have been attributed to three main mechanisms of action: > > 1. Inhibiting the virus' ability to infect cells > 2. Inhibiting replication of already infected cells > 3. Reducing infected cells' resistance to treatment with antiviral medication > > ... > In 2014, researchers noted that quercetin appears to be "a promising treatment for the common cold," caused by the rhinovirus, adding that "Quercetin has been shown to reduce viral internalization and replication in vitro, and viral load, lung inflammation and airways hyper-responsiveness in vivo." [^36] ... > ## Quercetin Combats Inflammation and Boosts Immunity > > Aside from its antiviral activity, quercetin is also known for boosting immunity and combating inflammation. As noted in a 2016 study [^42] in the journal Nutrients, mechanisms of action include (but is not limited to) the inhibition of: [^43] > > - Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) production in macrophages. TNF-α is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation, secreted by activated macrophages, a type of immune cell that digests foreign substances, microbes and other harmful or damaged components > - LPS-induced mRNA levels of TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-1α in glial cells, which results in "diminished apoptotic neuronal cell death" > - The production of inflammation-producing enzymes > - Calcium influx into the cell, which in turn inhibits: > - Pro-inflammatory cytokine release > - Histamine and serotonin release from intestinal mast cells release [^44] > > ... > Considering its wide-ranging benefits, quercetin may be a useful supplement for many, either acutely or more long-term. It's one of the supplements I recommend keeping in your medicine chest for times when you feel you're "coming down" with something, be it the common cold or influenza. > > If you're prone to colds and flu, you could consider taking it for a couple of months before cold and flu season hits to boost your immune system. More long-term, it appears useful for those with metabolic syndrome, although it would be foolish to rely on any given supplement without also addressing more fundamental strategies such as diet and exercise. >