Healthy Skeptics / My2048 Newsletter for November 2020

In this newsletter, we will cover:

Stephen and Dr. Natalie’s COVID update, including links to their recent video blogs
Update on availability of MMIS
Launch of two new products: High potency Icelandic Fish Oil and Timed Release Protein
Timeline of new products for 2021

COVID-19. What do we know and how do I protect my family?

A. As cases surge in 43 states to record numbers, with increasing hospitalizations and deaths, it is imperative to maintain effective infection control measures:

* Social distancing. The 6 foot “rule” is not enough. We recommend limiting exposure to groups of people. Limit shopping to absolute necessities, and when you need to shop, choose times when stores will be less crowded.

* Masks work. Reliable data shows that in areas where people wear masks, there are fewer COVID-19 cases.

Watch this VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obZNB_4K8no

B. Two new nasal spray vaccine candidates

An Australian team has developed a nasal spray that works by stimulating mucosal immunity.

Link: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.25.309914v1.full.pdf

Stephen Comment: We like the concept, but will require large-scale human clinical trials, since stimulating immunity with other drugs has led to increased autoimmunity (eg interferon). The natural way to stimulate mucosal immunity in a balanced way is to maintain optimum levels of DHEA. Human clinical trials have shown that higher serum levels of DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) are strongly associated with more robust mucosal immunity.

REF: J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2010 May 31;120(2-3):127-36. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2009.12.016. DHEA as a regulator of immune cell function. Jon Hazeldine , Wiebke Arlt, Janet M Lord

2. A team from Columbia University has developed a nasal spray that prevents entry (fusion) of the coronavirus with host cell. We are watching this closely as the material is apparently inexpensive and stable at room temperatures. That means a freeze-dried powder could be stored and shipped, then dissolved in sterile saline to make a spray to be used once a week. Exciting.

Link: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.04.361154v1?rss=1

C. Forget Herd Immunity for two reasons.

Reinfection is possible. Meaning that people who recover are not necessarily immune.
Antibodies may persist for only 4 to 6 months. Herd immunity requires that roughly 60% of the population carries protective antibodies for at least 1 year.

D. Thus, BUILDING IMMUNITY must be our top priority. Yes, a vaccine may be available sometime in 2021, and therapeutics and critical care are improving the survival rate, but on Saturday, this nation logged over 125,000 new cases. And yes, the vast majority of those people will recover but more than 1,000 will die… every day, and many survivors will have long-lasting (perhaps life-long) symptoms. Your chances are directly related to the competence of your immune system. Print our Four Stages of Infection recommendations and stick it on your refrigerator or kitchen cupboard.

Link: https://my2048.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/4-Stages-of-Infection-1.pdf

E. Another reason to supplement with DHEA.

As we have discussed, COVID-19 is both an organ (lung, heart) disease and a blood disease. In fact, the blood disorder (abnormal clotting) most likely causes the organ failure. Breakthrough research last week revealed that the increased blood clots appear to be caused by autoantibodies called anti-phospholipid antibodies.

REF: J Thromb Haemost. 2020 May 28 : 10.1111/jth.14893. Coagulopathy of COVID‐19 and antiphospholipid antibodies. Nathan T. Connell, Elisabeth M. Battinelli, and Jean M. Connors.

This rang a bell because this class of antibodies predominates in a disease known as lupus, and DHEA has been shown to be a valuable part of the treatment plan for that disease. In fact, studies show that:

Lupus patients have lower levels of DHEA compared to people of the same age who do not have lupus.
Lupus patients with anti-phospholipid antibodies have even lower levels of DHEA compared to lupus patients who do not have these antibodies.

REF: Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol August 2018; 17(4):336-345. Sex Hormones and Their Association with Anti Cardiolipin Antibody in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Dariyush Raeisi, et al.

And

Supplementing with DHEA is an effective adjunct treatment for lupus. REF: Arthritis Rheum. 2002 Nov;46(11):2924-7. DHEA treatment of women with mild-to-moderate systemic lupus erythematosus: a multicenter randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial Deh-Ming Chang, et al.

To explore this further, please watch our video blog of November 6, available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvCMCJZJbIA

Bottom line: DHEA plays a vital role in all four stages of infection and now we see how it may also help prevent the central feature of COVID-19 infection: abnormal blood clots.

Action steps:

If you are over 30, you should be watching your DHEA blood levels on an annual basis. Simply instruct (do not ask) your doctor to include serum DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) on your blood chemistry requisition form. NOTE: You do not need a doctor to obtain this information. A variety of blood panels can be purchased at AnyLabTestNow, where the results are sent directly to you.

Link: https://www.anylabtestnow.com/

Optimum DHEAS serum level for men: 350 to 500 mcg/dL
Optimum DHEAS serum levels for women: 250 to 350 mcg/dL

If you are over 50, you should start on DHEA right now. Test later if you want to make sure you’re staying in the optimum range.

FAQs

* What’s the difference between Synergized DHEA and the DHEA at the health food store?

Answer:

We use pharmaceutical grade, micronized DHEA with laboratory documented purity and potency, and maximum bioavailability.
We feel strongly that DHEA should not be supplemented without DIM (diindolylmethane). According to WebMD, “Diindolylmethane is used for preventing breast, uterine, and colorectal cancer. It is also used to prevent an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hypertrophy, BPH) and treat premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It is used for breast pain and weight loss.”

REF: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1049/diindolylmethane

Each capsule of Synergized DHEA for Men provides 50 mg of DIM. Synergized DHEA for Women provides 75 mg of DIM per capsule.

Synergized DHEA for Men and Women also provides 50 mg of a primary metabolic modifier known as Alpha Lipoic Acid. Synergized DHEA for Women also includes 50 mg of Chaste Tree Berry extract. If you were to purchase all of these ingredients at the same potency, you would pay almost $40.00. If you purchase a four-pack of Synergized DHEA for Men or Women, or a four pack containing 2 of each, your price per bottle is only $28.75.

II. Good News on MMIS (Multi-Mushroom Immune Support)

The fall harvest of medicinal mushrooms (shiitake, chaga and reishi) has been dried and processed. Thus we are lifting the maximum 3 per customer limit. Raw material prices continue to rise, however, so expect a price increase in January. Bottom line: stock up now.

III. Two New Products!

Clinical Strength Icelandic Omega-3 Fish oil

If you read The Metabolic Makeover, you know that Natalie and I believe omega-3 fatty acid (EPA / DHA) supplementation is important, especially for people who do not eat fish. These essential fatty acids are true metabolic modifiers that can support cardiovascular health, brain health and weight management. What’s more, they help to maintain ideal blood viscosity by lowering triglycerides and reducing risk for abnormal blood clots.

For that reason, we added fish oil to our COVID protocol back in April. That brought up a flood of questions from Healthy Skeptics Members who were confused by the wide variety of fish oil products on the market. Since the amount of EPA and DHA required for benefits seen in clinical trials is known, we recommended high-potency products providing 900 mg of EPA and 600 mg of DHA per daily dose. At the same time, we looked for products that were independent assay guaranteed to be free of PCB’s and heavy metals. And our final criteria were lemon flavoring in the capsule and the oil, which prevents “fish burps.” The only problem with the few brands that provided all of these advantages was cost, so we decided to launch Altea Health Sciences Clinical Strength Icelandic Omega-3 Fish oil.

* Three lemon-flavored gelcaps provide 900 mg EPA, 600 mg DHA and total Omega-3 potency of 1800 mg.

* A bottle of 90 gelcaps is only $24.50. Healthy Skeptics Member price: $22.00

* A two pack of Clinical Strength Icelandic Omega-3 Fish Oil is only $45. Healthy Skeptics Member price: $39.95

To learn how to become a member, please click here:

Become a Member HERE

For more detailed information, please see our fully referenced product education at TheHealthySkeptics.com or My2048.com.

Timed Release Protein

The idea for a timed release protein came from our KickStart intermittent fasting strategy described in The Metabolic Makeover. The idea is to maximize fat-burning by having only protein for breakfast and delaying lunch to 2:PM. To make this easy, we needed a way to support energy and satiety (hunger satisfaction) for at least 5 hours. Most protein powders last for a few hours, leaving users feeling ravenous by 11AM.

Athletes and body-builders also need slow and steady protein delivery for full recovery. All of this was accomplished by a four-phase formulation.

Phase 1: Whey Protein Isolate. This is a super-clean dairy protein (no lactose or casein) that delivers amino acids fast.

Phase 2: Soy Protein isolate. A clean plant-based protein with slower digestion.

Phase 3: Sacha Inchi. Also known as Inca Nut, Sacha Inchi is an amazing seed protein from the Amazon. Extremely high in Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) with the slowest digestion.

Phase 4: Fibersol™ soluble dietary fiber, providing bulk, appetite control and supporting blood sugar balance.

Cost: 18 generous servings: $39.95.

Healthy Skeptics Member price: 34.95

For more detailed information, please see our fully-referenced product education at TheHealthySkeptics.com or My2048.com.