While masses panic and governments spend billions in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, you can fortify immunity with a full-spectrum anti-viral biohacking strategy.
While COVID-19 is novel, it has much in common with other RNA Coronaviruses, so instead of being held in suspense and hoping that big pharma creates a safe and effective vaccine countermeasure, I urge you to bio-prep. Use safe, immune-promoting medicines to enhance your viral defense.
Turkey Tail - The Anti-Viral Mushroom
Also referred to as Coriolus Versicolor, is one of the most renowned natural anti-viral, immuno-fortifying mushrooms. It's a historical immune hack used since time immemorial in Chinese traditional medicine.
American and Canadian researchers collaborated on an authoritative paper in 2017 that was published in Frontiers in Immunology.
We report on the induction of a largely pro-inflammatory cytokine profile by the polysaccharopeptide (PSP) isolated from the Coriolus versicolor (Yun zhi) mushroom... Laboratory studies suggest it may have antimicrobial, antiviral, and antitumor properties.
Numerous studies in vitro, in vivo, and some clinical trials have reported immunopotentiation by [Coriolus versicolor]... In addition to directly affecting cytokine release by immune cells, [Coriolus versicolor] extracts increase the sensitivity of these cells to other stimuli and exert a synergistic effect with other factors... Taken together, these studies implicate a stimulatory effect of [Coriolus versicolor] extracts on the immune system.
A 2015 Canadian systematic review meta-analyzed 28 different studies evaluating its anti-cancer effects via immune empowerment. Given a significant body of clinical evidence, it concluded
[Turkey Tail] may improve immune function, reduce tumor-associated symptoms, and extend survival in lung cancer patients.
There are five scientific papers published delving into its antiviral effects and one clinical trial. It's renowned as an antiviral treatment of HPV, in a French trial 90% of patients managed to clear HPV after using it for 2 months.
Purity is a concern with Nutraceuticals, especially mushrooms.
Mushrooms tend to absorb the toxins in the environment around them, making many of the mushroom supplements that you might find possibly Iatrogenic - they may do you more harm than good. This is why I wouldn't buy any old Turkey Tail that I found on store shelves or online, especially if it's cheap. I'd also prefer not to get my Turkey Tail in a "multi-vitamin" stack that combines it with a bunch of other things unless they prove its purity with a certificate of analysis. I enthusiastically recommend Double Wood Supplements as they have high standards for quality assurance and purity testing.
I've used Turkey Tail during the chilly Eastern European winter and it's kept me healthy and sniffle-free, I used powdered stuff which I consumed in a tea, which I might not do again, I'd take Turkey Tail capsuled as it's not exactly a pleasant powdered herb. It doesn't taste bad powdered but it irritates my throat a bit going down which made me cough a few times.
Its excellent safety profile is one of the things that makes it a great option.
A Portuguese study evaluated for side effects and concluded No adverse or lethal effects were observed as a consequence of the daily administration of [Coriolus Versicolor] biomass.
The Canadian meta-analysis concurred No major adverse effects were reported in the studies reviewed above, even at doses of up to 3 grams daily.
Searching on Google I found a real scarcity of reported side effects.
What people are reporting...
Fights lung Cancer - Ellen Door on Amazon
My husband has small cancer tumors in his growing in his lungs, diagnosed a year ago. Docs insist on surgically removing them. He will not have surgery nor quit chain smoking. Instead, he is keeping them from growing by taking 6 of these Turkey Tail Mushrooms per day. Besides keeping his cancer in check, these also have given his immune system a huge boost. He used to get sick a lot, but since he started taking these, he is rarely sick. These are every bit as potent as their more expensive competitors.
I only tried one bottle and decided to give a second try, but so far I rarely get sick and more importantly, I have better digestion. I used to have bad stomach (which is my first sign of being sick) but I did not really get sick even I traveled a lot on plane (I used to get sick every time after I was done traveling, since there's lots of germ on plane).
My Cat and I Take These - Gray on Amazon
My cat and I have been taking these for over a year. Good value and no side effects. I have not been sick since taking these, and I am still not infected with the Corona Virus.
Glutathione - Immune Enhancement via the Master Antioxidant
At the root of aging and disease is the molecular poop that your trillions of Mitochondria excrete. Free radicals, ions that bounce around wreaking molecular havoc, are an inevitable byproduct of the body's underlying ATP energy generation process. Glutathione is a very special antioxidant because it cleans up all that Mitochondrial poop in your cells. Our natural Glutathione levels decline as we age, which is aggravated by consuming alcohol, a bad diet, or even taking pharmaceutical antibiotics. When we get ill, viruses attack and blow up our cells which flings even more free radicals around our bodies. When we're sick our bodies badly need Glutathione reinforcements.
There are over 800 scientific papers published drawing a connection between immune function and Glutathione, including ten human clinical trials, from which we'll summarize the notable findings.
The Mitochondria manifesto, Head Strong by Dave Asprey, holds Glutathione in high regard...
Glutathione is a protective antioxidant that serves as mitochondria’s main line of defense against damage from oxidative stress, but sometimes your body doesn’t make enough of it. (p. 38)
Glutathione is your body’s master antioxidant in the liver, but it has an impact on every cell in your body. In fact, mitochondrial glutathione is called a “key survival antioxidant.” (p. 268)
Glutathione isn’t something you should take every single day—I skip one to two days a week because I don’t want my body to get used to it and then reduce its own production of natural glutathione. (p. 269)
According to a 2015 placebo-controlled trial of 54 Americans, Glutathione beefs up the innate immune system as...
Natural killer cytotoxicity increased >twofold in the high-dose group versus placebo (P < 0.05) at 3 months.
Swedish and Italian studies noted that N-acetyl-cysteine, an upstream precursor of Glutathione promotes T-cell-mediated immunity in vitro and provides a significant attenuation of influenza and influenza-like episodes, especially in elderly high-risk individuals.
What people are reporting...
Boosts immune system - on Amazon
I think it is the best product for immune health and to keep you from getting sick!
The most noticeable benefits for me seem to healthier and less dry skin, and my immune system seems to stay very strong; I haven't been sick for longer than a day in over a year.
Great antioxidant! - on Amazon
Kept me from getting sick when my whole family was sharing a bad cold.
The most amazing supplement! - on Amazon
My holistic practitioner started me on this product, the best form sold is by this company, and I saw a dramatic change In my health. I am never sick! I sleep well, have energy and just healthier overall. I highly recommend this product!
Magnesium - The Mitochondrial Nutrient
Magnesium is a Glutathione cofactor and plays a number of very important chemical roles in our biology. It's intimately involved in the foundational Mitochondrial energy generation process. There are over 90 published pieces of research exploring the magnesium-immunity connection. From a 2003 paper, Possible roles of magnesium on the immune system
It is one of the most important micronutrients, and therefore its role in biological systems has been extensively investigated. Particularly, [Magnesium] has a strong relation with the immune system, in both nonspecific and specific immune response, also known as innate and acquired immune response.
An Iranian animal study suggested that it's better as a preventative antiviral than as a treatment, working more than 90% at the early stages of infection.
According to a 2013 paper, magnesium regulates antiviral immunity.
In vitro research identifies its immuno-fortifying mechanism as modulation of nuclear processes may be responsible for the enhanced antiviral activity.
Are you an athlete? You probably need a bit more magnesium. Portuguese and German research indicates that strenuous exercise exhausts the body's Magnesium stores, leaving athletes more vulnerable to sickness.
I've used Magnesium L-Threonate and the most obvious effect of the stuff is on sleep quality - this, of course, has everything to do with immunity. You should know that if you ever get sick, it's important to get some quality sleep because sleep allows your body to restore and defend itself. The better sleep you get, the better your immunity.
What people are saying...
This was my magic bullet for sleep issues! - on Amazon
I feel more tried at night when I want to fall asleep. This has cut down on the time it takes me to fall asleep. Usually I can fall asleep within 10-15 minutes as opposed to 30+
Instead of waking up every 3 hours nearly every day I now sleep for a solid 6 hours before waking up 5/7 nights a week. And when I do wake up after 6 hours I fall right back asleep.
I wish I could give this product 6 stars it has been such a tremendous help to me.
I feel 10 years younger! - E K Vukovic on Amazon
If you struggle with sleep issues, try taking them before going to bed. Since starting these I am getting the best sleep I've had in years! I will be supplementing with these for life.
Great for sleep and other things... - Jack on Amazon
I sleep better. Manage to get 7+ hours every night. If I should awaken, I have no problem getting back to sleep. And the dreams tend to be more interesting.
Rhodiola - For Adaptogenic Immunity
Rhodiola is the king of Adaptogens, it has a remarkable effect of restoring much-needed elasticity to the nervous system. Stress is a killer that hurts our immune capacity - this is why you always hear people saying, I was going through [insert stressful life event] and then I got sick on top of it! Rhodiola makes your autonomic nervous system smarter, it's the antidote to chronic stress, and it has a subtle energizing effect at higher dosages while simultaneously enhancing mood. There are a couple of different responses that people have an unreal and terrifying crisis...
Denial - Calling the crisis fake news or coming up with unhinged conspiracy theories. Ignoring anything concerning because they just want to stay positive.
Panic - In the face of crisis many are mesmerized by the news and paralyzed by fear until they rush out of the house to buy toilet paper.
Stoicism - Soberly considering the facts, remaining optimistic, and hoping for the best while planning for the worst. Emotionally preparing oneself for hardship.
Adaptogens like Rhodiola are a key cofactor to Stoicism, they enable resilience for realists. Here's what I gleaned from the scientific papers evaluating its anti-viral effects...
Two Indian studies identified salidroside, a main bioactive compound of Rhodiola rosea, as a Dengue fever anti-viral
The findings presented here suggest that salidroside exhibits antiviral activity against [dengue virus] by inhibiting viral protein synthesis and boosting host immunity by increasing the expression of host innate immune factors...
Salidroside was evaluated as lacking in genotoxicity in a Chinese study and another Chinese study recognized the in vitro and in vivo antiviral effects of salidroside from [Rhodiola] against coxsackievirus B3.
A Chinese study advances Rhodiola as a potential treatment for Ebola virus infections
Rhodiola rosea extract and the effective compounds act at an early step in the infection cycle following initial cell attachment, but prior to viral/cell membrane fusion. Our findings provide evidence that Rhodiola rosea has potent anti-filovirus properties that may be developed as a novel anti-Ebola treatment.
From the book, The Rhodiola Revolution
Adaptogens such as Rhodiola rosea also improve the body’s immune defenses by increasing the production and activity of specialized cells—including natural killer cells and T cells—that fight bacteria, viruses... During the harsh Siberian winters, villagers brewed Rhodiola rosea tea to treat colds and flu...
From another deep-dive book on the subject...
Adaptogens support a healthy immune system that provides protection from acute illness (colds and flu). They also are used to treat immunological health problems such as viral infections, autoimmune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, and cancer. Adaptogens have been shown to improve immune dysfunction and help reverse immunosuppression caused by stress or drugs. (p. 105)
What people are saying about Rhodiola as an immune hack...
Helps me not get sick when I'm stressed - on Amazon
I use Rhodiola because I often get physically sick when I'm stressed out. Stress weakens my immune system and I catch colds or the flu. This has helped a lot! I take a few other things for immunity as well but this has definitely contributed to me not getting sick all the time.
I love rhodiola! I've been taking one before breakfast and a second one around lunch most days for the past 5 months and haven't gotten sick! Before I would catch most of my son's colds & illnesses but not this season.
Great adaptive for overall health in a cold climate with a stressful job - on Amazon
After taking the herb Rhodiola Rosea at my husband's suggestion for approximately one year, during which time I was out of it for around one week, I can affirm with authority that this herb makes a definitive difference in my energy, immune system...
Living in New York, I can also appreciate the positive effect it has on my ability to tolerate cold temperatures. I did not even realize that this was the main element helping me to enjoy the winter so much until I ran out, and then found myself catching a chill so easily, as I always used to do before I started taking this herb.
How to use these together...
The main reason why you would not take all these together daily is economic, that's fine as they play some different roles in the body.
Turkey Tail - I would use this anti-viral in a smaller dosage daily (500 milligrams) during the cold winter and flu season and cycle off it during the summertime and I would up the dosage (1000 - 2000 milligrams) if I was feeling sick.
Rhodiola - Is such an excellent adaptogenic herb that I take it daily (about 500 milligrams), ranks as one of the best natural preventative medicines.
Glutathione - A full spectrum supplement that should be taken year-round if you can afford it, but take two days a week off. If you have to use it episodically, take it whenever you drink alcohol, as it's an excellent boozing biohack, or anytime you're feeling under the weather (up to 200 milligrams daily).
Magnesium - Is another daily driver Nootropic, high-quality Magnesium should be supplemented daily as it has so many positive effects on our health. Take 500 - 1000 milligrams before bed and you'll sleep a little better, enhancing your overall immunity and health.
Update: My wife and I used Turkey Tail and the other immune hacks mentioned here throughout the COVID era; we never got vaccinated and COVID was a walk in the park for us the two times we caught it (no "long COVID" here.)
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Virus-Proof Yourself: 4 Natural Anti-Viral Biohacks