>That is, perhaps these long Covid issues aren't 100% due to the virus.
I agree. But it is hard to find a specific correlation. The neurological complications after Covid affect people of all ages except very young. Even the late teenagers (18 yr) can be affected, albeit to a lesser degree.
> In addition, the severe cases get medical treatment. What contributions are those treatmemts making?
Some antibiotics like Levofloxacin and Fluoroquinolone are known to induce a mitochondrial disease in some people. This may be a contributing factor.
The only thread I can find that runs through all these disorders is an inability to balance oxidative stress. The reason symptomatic COVID will vary so much between people is that genetics, nutrition, and life stress are all variables that no one is tracking.
And the reason fluoroquinolones hurt mitochondria is that they produce an enormous oxidative stress burned on the mitochondria, depleting SOD and Glutathione.
I do not understand your comment and it is probably a result of your misinterpretation of what I have proposed.
I understand that my idea seems simple, but what I am proposing is that many people could have an inability to handle the extra burden of oxidative stress that COVID puts on them, and yet have no current signs of disease. These are the so called "healthy" people who end up hospitalized with COVID.
It is just that people with diabetes and much more likely to be sick because the underlying disability is a poor diet has lead to their inability to handle oxidative stress.
This would link why people with mood disorders are also at higher risk from COVID.
Again, not being snarky but diabetes is a (worse) outcome (of the Western diet + lifestyle). The fact that its been normalized and can be treated (with meds) doesn't change the fact it is a risky and dangerous disease.
Blaming Covid is convenient but it's also deceptive. Is there any science that says diabetes makes you stronger?
Well, it may be that type 2 diabetes has the same mitochondrial roots. Specifically, the oxidative phosphorylation pathway gets wrecked in T2DM. This produces ROS. A lot of ROS, and it looks like the very same defect occurs in long Covid patients. And some of them become type 2 diabetics out of nowhere.
But. I was able to observe, diagnose and treat one person with such condition. She had Covid in August 2020, then vaccinated in 2021 and had the second Covid in August 2021. All episodes were not severe, just usual cold.
During the second Covid, at the very start of illness, she started to develop the signs of POTS. She was administered B1 TTFD, B3 Nicotinamide Riboside, multivitamin, D and C. POTS quickly resolved in 1 week. After that, I had a hard time talking her to continue the medications. She believed that she was strong enough already.
All went seemingly well. She totally got well and fully recovered. On occasional walk I told her about mitochondria, ATP synthesis, electron transport chain, suffering people with burning feet and hands, just for kicks. She told me that I was a mad scientist, that all such diseases are designed by nature to make the Darwin selection work etc. And that I should not really care as people are not able to value that.
The next day we were amid a walk again and that time it was 12 km (7.5 miles) distance. In the middle of the route, she had her first panic attack. All of a sudden, her breath rate increased significantly (hyperventilation) and face were starting to cover in large redish blumishes. She then told me that her knee muscles are going to collapse (miopathy) and she may fall. She felt the need for sugar and water. We were able to go into gas station and get a sweet snack. I estimated the volume corresponding to 15 g of sugar and gave it to here. Panic attack had stopped like it did not happen at all.
Most people will be puzzled by this situation, but it was clear as day to me. Her oxidative phosphorylation pathway got inhibited and she became unable to consume the usual levels of glucose from the blood. Her ATP production was down. When ATP production became critically low, the nervous system began to panic and the endocrinal and cardiovascular systems entered into compensatory state, trying to increase oxygen saturation (hyperventilation), the bloodflow (tachycardia) and glucose levels to overcompensate the ever decreasing ATP production. Once she ate 15 g of sugar compensation of ATP production was reached and she stabilized. Attack was stopped right there. She had a stroke of false hypoglycemia and it was resolved now.
Important observation - this occurred during the long walk which depletes ATP faster due to physical load.
Next morning, I measured her blood glucose level. She went into diabetic area (7.4 mmol/L), despite having an absolute healthy glucose levels (5.2 mmol/L) months before.
I immediately suggested the therapy targeted on mitochondrial ETC. B1 TTFD, B3 (Nicotinamd Riboside), Multivitamin Complex, C, D. This time, I extended the list of supplements with Q10, alpha-lipoic acid, L-Carnitine and Benfotiamine given the seriousness of situation.
Her glucose uptake were gradually improving. After 3 weeks of therapy she had 5.5 mmol/L fasting glucose level which was healthy and totally fine. No diabetes.
We continued with that route for 1 more month, then gradually downgrading to Q10, alpha-lipoic acid and B1 (100mg HCL supportive dose). She was on stable 5.2 mmol/L fasting glucose levels which is excellent.
Currently she is on Q10 60 mg + B1 HCL 100 mg every other day. No signs of regression. We will drop the medications in month or two.
Was I able to treat the diabetes? Probably no. What I've treated is a long Covid syndrome that could lead to diabetes and variety of other induced pathologies.
Why? Because science frees from suffering and I like to help people, despite all their flaws.
I hope that someone somewhere will find this information helpful.
It is not the usual doctor stuff, but it should be.
I was misdiagnosed my whole life even though it was obvious there was some maternal genetic (metabolic/mood/immune) issues passed down through my family. It was only my own efforts at understanding genetics and the role nutrition plays in creating and controlling oxidative stress was I able to ween myself off of medications (many of which made me worse because breaking them down caused even more oxidative stress).
The research fails at being implemented because these are polygenic disorders. ME/CFS can be caused by several different genotypes, so they will have to look at each person individually for answers.
Doctors do not care about nutrition and they do not yet understand the viability of vitamins as cures or prodrugs. I had a doctor yelling, yes yelling, at my friend saying she was not anemic and did not have a B6 deficiency. She went to another primary care doctor and she confirmed the anemia and when's he had her serum B6 tested she had a serious deficiency. The doctor put her on B6.
Since I was a child I had mood issues (Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, Aspergers), fatigue, chronic muscle pain (lactic acid), and immune disorders (Ankylosing Spondylitis). It turned so bad I could not work anymore and have been on disability for 20 years. Yet, I getting any type of non routine test is a battle and when I do, and they are off, they just shrug. Why not look into it more so I can start working again? And it will be the same battle for people with Long Covid.
Regardless, Manganese (not magnesium) has changed my life pretty drastically. I do not think there is a final solution for me since my condition is genetic, but what I have done helped more than any medicine I have ever been on. And when I tell my doctors they say; "Well, I am glad that worked for you." They are not even interested.
Without knowing your genetics or having labs you can test with some supplements, but just know if you have a bad reaction that still tells you some good information! But a bad reaction is a signal what you are taking should be stopped.
Understand haw oxidative stress is controlled in the body and you will make great progress. For example, exercise increases oxidative stress, so, long covid...ya know?
Yeah, it's not easy / simple. But there's risk in allowing a less science aware media dictate the default narrative.
As for antibiotics vs "the gut", what I've read (on the gut) says there are known connections to the immune system, brain, nervous system, etc. Crush your gut (with ABX) and there will be side effects.
p.s. re: late teenagers - in the West youth is no longer synonymous with health. They're on the same diet + lifestyle. But, again, the media consistently fails to mention this. It's easier to blame than to own (a known problem).
I agree. But it is hard to find a specific correlation. The neurological complications after Covid affect people of all ages except very young. Even the late teenagers (18 yr) can be affected, albeit to a lesser degree.
> In addition, the severe cases get medical treatment. What contributions are those treatmemts making?
Some antibiotics like Levofloxacin and Fluoroquinolone are known to induce a mitochondrial disease in some people. This may be a contributing factor.