Arginine depletion and T cell suppression in severe COVID may be the rapid onset of a somewhat cancer-reminiscent state where vitamins A and D and other myeloid differentiation factors run out.
Chris, I’ve been learning from you since your early WAPF PhD days. You are always so deeply researched and credible that I take great comfort in knowing I can trust your guidance and protocols. Most of this is way over my head but I know you are providing necessary shading for others in the field to use to keep looking further. Thank you. I know you’ve sacrificed a lot to keep making these necessary and time consuming deep dives. I’ve bought and await your book and totally understand how it keeps being paused by these other emergent red flags. But what I admire most is your new shift towards putting the truth out there knowing it can have a potential negative blowback. Your bravery grows daily and it’s a sight to behold. Keep being you. Keep helping us and know that there are so very many of us who appreciate and respect you, your knowledge and integrity. 👊🏼👏🏼🙏🏼🇺🇸
I’m going to watch more of your videos! Thanks! I have a tendency to think from very fundamental levels and start from the bottom up if you know what I mean. Agni, would seem to be the underlying mechanism of all processes in the body if we looked at it that way. Just very curious on the underlying mechanisms of it all in the human body. Like the main thing that controls all the outcomes of change in the body.
I recently thought about this, that the brain is a physical organ, so what then is mental health!
May 24, 2022·edited May 24, 2022Liked by Chris Masterjohn, PhD
AGNI and less complication. It’s great that nutrients are helpful. I just think we should look at more fundamental aspects of how the body works and start from there. Get nutrients from food.
Hi Chris. I edited my comment forgot a word. I think you are a brilliant mind. Thanks for all you do.
Do you think it’s possible to manipulate elements of the human body for healing?
Like carbon, calcium, oxygen, zinc? Things like that? That’s what I mean by getting more basic in the idea of healing. AGNI is the ancient mechanism of, “digestive fire”. Moreover, though it’s a way of healing the body by creating heat and killing the toxins to get rid of disease. It may be ancient, but firmly believe it exist and is true. It’s present in ever cell of the body.
I don't understand your question. Do I think that we can have better zinc status by eating more zinc? I know with complete certainty that we can do this.
Hi. I’m just thinking about what the human body is made of, on an elemental level. Like the elements from the Periodic Table. On a most basic level that’s what we are made of. I’m sure you know the particular ones.
I mean healing by understanding that, and manipulation of the amount of elements in the body. I guess it would be through food. I hope I don’t sound crazy.
We have carbon? Nitrogen? Zinc, oxygen, and more right?
I simply mean go down a level from macros and vitamins and minerals. The basic stuff that food is made of.
You might want to take my energy metabolism class, which has videos free on youtube but transcripts, slides, references, and further reading materials for Masterpass members.
You get nitrogen from protein, oxygen from all macronutrients as well as breathing, carbon from all macronutrients as well as breathing, all of them can be manipulated through the way you eat, breathe, and exercise.
This was so insightful, thank you. I will admit though I had to keep coming back to it and had to skim over parts, I have really bad brain fog and concentration that make reading quite difficult! I will keep coming back to this and read it in smaller chunks :)
I also wanted to ask if you had any resources/ information you could point me to on loss of taste after Covid? It’s been almost 2 years and I cannot taste a single thing - it’s quite distressing and my medical team can’t give me any solid info. Thanks so much.
I would definitely focus on food first and vitamin A second, although it’s conceivable that someone poorly nourished coming into the ICU should get retinoic acid. Details on supplementation are in the COVID Guide.
I couldn't find it either. I've never supplemented vitamin a in any form, though my vitamin d levels are fine. I just bought some retinyl acetate for now.
Have you come across the work of Dr. Shankara Chetty in South Africa? He's come to understand the difficulty breathing in severe covid (starting around day 8 of infection) to be the result of a type 1 allergic reaction (hypersensitivity) to the spike protein, and claims to have treated many thousands of patients based on that understanding with 100% success.
Thanks for spending a lot of time on this. It is interesting that the FDA decided to suspend NAC availability over the counter (OTC) last June over the protest of many (typically in the Lyme community). I believe there were at least 20 studies in-progress at that time. R-Lipoic Acid may be helpful here as well due to it's nature as a precursor for Glutathione and lowering glycogen.
Norway had a large test underway with Cod Liver Oil, which is a pretty good source of Vitamin A & D among others. I have not seen those results.
I noticed elevated allergies in the Spring of 2020 and now in the Spring of 2022 among many. I believe you may have noticed this as well?
In June of 2020, the FDA decided that NAC could not be marketed as a supplement based on previous prescription usage from many decades ago. I've been able to get it, but I did see people indicating that it was "gone" from Amazon (I see NOW has NAC for sale on Amazon). All I can find are responses to the FDA's decision from CRN suggesting previous supplemental use. It's definitely for sale in my local store and here is the latest from the FDA (it's 2020 decision did reduce sales): https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-issues-response-two-citizen-petitions-nac-dietary-supplements
I was incorrect on R-Lipoic acid as a precursor for Glutathione, but it does seem to enhance it: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12049840/ and I've had my doctor recommend it for detox.
Oxidative stress depletes glutathione and lipoic acid has antioxidant activity but probably much more important is a cofactor in energy metabolism, and energy metabolism is needed for antioxidant protection and the synthesis of glutathione requires energy.
FDA docs say that it concluded NAC was appproved as a drug before it was marketed as a supplement so is excluded from definition of supplement, but since it has been marketed as a supplement for 30 years and they have yet to identify safety concerns, they are likely to allow it for any supplements that do not make claims of treating a disease.
I had seen articles last year about how the FDA had pressured Amazon to take it off their website. When they throw their weight behind something, companies like Amazon always cave, but the smaller companies that aren't targets go on selling it. I don't have any links at hand, but there was definitely a push by the FDA to restrict NAC. My doctor even knew about it (to my surprise) last year.
My opinion of the FDA is very low. They feel so emboldened in their corruption that they no longer even try to hide the obviousness of their advocacy for drug companies' profits.
Hi Chris, really appreciate all your analysis this last two years and looking forward to your book. Could you suggest labs outside the US for testing these levels? For example would genova nutreval and fat soluble vitamin profile cover most bases?
If you are interested, I will give you all the links I have found interesting so far. SLURP1 has some interesting properties related to nicotinic receptors, and we all know by now, the potential, I would say more than potential, for SARS2 binding affinity for the nicotinic receptors (alpha 7). The mimicry with antagonistic properties via Spike, interrupting the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway play right along with the teeter totter role of the MDSCs... And, yes, the MDSCs role in the immune system gets complicated. One way, then another...Driving MDSCs to full maturation is the key, IMO!!
At some point, the correlation with nicotine users and the lower prevalence of infection will possibly find the linkage with the SLURP1 and or the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors , just a theory...I know they teeter back and forth on this correlation... I look at mechanisms and how they can influence the pathology.. Thats all..
And I have more interesting finds.....Nice Work Chris!!
On to the world of ECM ( extracellular matrix), hmmm, the fibrous clots, MKs and Transforming Growth factor beta 1, (TGF-beta-1), do you want more???
Peace!!
FYI if you want to take a look at my FB blog, its private, low key, but tons of info, I know you are busy, but if your looking for more links, you can search in the blog https://www.facebook.com/groups/293396518318566. called MO-MInts, peace
They really need to look at bone marrow of the long COVID that have perished, as well as any active infection, but I know they dont want to.! I wonder it, and have a sense, they will see early onset of myelofibrosis, and this is not good.
Chris, if you had some time. Seriously look into AGNI. It’s very interesting stuff. I’m very scientific on the idea. I’m not a religious person. Don’t wanna confuse research in AGNI for that. Science all the way.
I'm not as familiar with Agni and Ayurvedic theory, but I practice acupuncture, so I am familiar with possibly similar concepts. I see these concepts as a different conceptual framework for looking at the body functionally. In Chinese Medicine, Kidney Yang can be seen as the Fire that supports the Stomach and Spleen at ripening/rotting and transforming the food into the various fluids and Blood. Different modern traditions see the thyroid as an aspect of Kidney Yang or Stomach Fire. I see the traditional models as useful for choosing treatment approaches, but I'm not sure it is distinct from the biomedical understanding of the body. Do you feel differently about AGNI, that it is a force or energy separate from the biomedical and biochemical processes we study in the modern world? I see adrenal hormones and thyroid hormones as aspects of Kidney Yang, and they impact digestion and metabolism. The vagus nerve accomplishes the descending actions of St channel. The pancreatic enzymes, gut flora, and liver metabolism are all aspects of Spleen Qi in transformation, and so on.
"Every immune event taxes the myeloid differentiation factors:"
Yes. This is what I have been saying. There are so many things you could add to your list...cancer...allergies...shingles outbreak...hay fever...etc.
Indeed!
Chris, I’ve been learning from you since your early WAPF PhD days. You are always so deeply researched and credible that I take great comfort in knowing I can trust your guidance and protocols. Most of this is way over my head but I know you are providing necessary shading for others in the field to use to keep looking further. Thank you. I know you’ve sacrificed a lot to keep making these necessary and time consuming deep dives. I’ve bought and await your book and totally understand how it keeps being paused by these other emergent red flags. But what I admire most is your new shift towards putting the truth out there knowing it can have a potential negative blowback. Your bravery grows daily and it’s a sight to behold. Keep being you. Keep helping us and know that there are so very many of us who appreciate and respect you, your knowledge and integrity. 👊🏼👏🏼🙏🏼🇺🇸
Thank you so much!
Thank you Chris for explaining this complex process so clearly. Really impressive!! 🏆
You’re welcome! Thank you for your appreciation.
Brilliant......I always feel just a little bit smarter after I read your writing...thank you for sharing yoru wisdom with us.....
You’re welcome, and thanks!
Very well written Chris and clearly explained . It makes a lot of sense and gives us more tools to protect ourselves . Thank you .
You are the one to analyze it. Thanks!
I’m going to watch more of your videos! Thanks! I have a tendency to think from very fundamental levels and start from the bottom up if you know what I mean. Agni, would seem to be the underlying mechanism of all processes in the body if we looked at it that way. Just very curious on the underlying mechanisms of it all in the human body. Like the main thing that controls all the outcomes of change in the body.
I recently thought about this, that the brain is a physical organ, so what then is mental health!
You are the best Chris. Thanks!
AGNI and less complication. It’s great that nutrients are helpful. I just think we should look at more fundamental aspects of how the body works and start from there. Get nutrients from food.
Hi Chris. I edited my comment forgot a word. I think you are a brilliant mind. Thanks for all you do.
Do you think it’s possible to manipulate elements of the human body for healing?
Like carbon, calcium, oxygen, zinc? Things like that? That’s what I mean by getting more basic in the idea of healing. AGNI is the ancient mechanism of, “digestive fire”. Moreover, though it’s a way of healing the body by creating heat and killing the toxins to get rid of disease. It may be ancient, but firmly believe it exist and is true. It’s present in ever cell of the body.
I don't understand your question. Do I think that we can have better zinc status by eating more zinc? I know with complete certainty that we can do this.
Hi. I’m just thinking about what the human body is made of, on an elemental level. Like the elements from the Periodic Table. On a most basic level that’s what we are made of. I’m sure you know the particular ones.
I mean healing by understanding that, and manipulation of the amount of elements in the body. I guess it would be through food. I hope I don’t sound crazy.
We have carbon? Nitrogen? Zinc, oxygen, and more right?
I simply mean go down a level from macros and vitamins and minerals. The basic stuff that food is made of.
Thanks so much for responding!
I highly respect and look up to you.
You might want to take my energy metabolism class, which has videos free on youtube but transcripts, slides, references, and further reading materials for Masterpass members.
You get nitrogen from protein, oxygen from all macronutrients as well as breathing, carbon from all macronutrients as well as breathing, all of them can be manipulated through the way you eat, breathe, and exercise.
This was so insightful, thank you. I will admit though I had to keep coming back to it and had to skim over parts, I have really bad brain fog and concentration that make reading quite difficult! I will keep coming back to this and read it in smaller chunks :)
I also wanted to ask if you had any resources/ information you could point me to on loss of taste after Covid? It’s been almost 2 years and I cannot taste a single thing - it’s quite distressing and my medical team can’t give me any solid info. Thanks so much.
I’d measure plasma zinc.
Thanks for this. Would standard supplemental vitamin a (often palmitate) work ok or is trans retinoic acid needed?
I would definitely focus on food first and vitamin A second, although it’s conceivable that someone poorly nourished coming into the ICU should get retinoic acid. Details on supplementation are in the COVID Guide.
Where does someone purchase all-trans retinoic acid? A quick search doesn't show it being available for regular people?
I really doubt you can get it without a prescription, and am not sure why you would want to.
I couldn't find it either. I've never supplemented vitamin a in any form, though my vitamin d levels are fine. I just bought some retinyl acetate for now.
Have you come across the work of Dr. Shankara Chetty in South Africa? He's come to understand the difficulty breathing in severe covid (starting around day 8 of infection) to be the result of a type 1 allergic reaction (hypersensitivity) to the spike protein, and claims to have treated many thousands of patients based on that understanding with 100% success.
I have not.
Thanks for spending a lot of time on this. It is interesting that the FDA decided to suspend NAC availability over the counter (OTC) last June over the protest of many (typically in the Lyme community). I believe there were at least 20 studies in-progress at that time. R-Lipoic Acid may be helpful here as well due to it's nature as a precursor for Glutathione and lowering glycogen.
Norway had a large test underway with Cod Liver Oil, which is a pretty good source of Vitamin A & D among others. I have not seen those results.
I noticed elevated allergies in the Spring of 2020 and now in the Spring of 2022 among many. I believe you may have noticed this as well?
How do you figure lipoic acid is a precursor for glutathione?
I don’t believe the FDA did this. It’s still available at retail stores. Can you link to an FDA ruling on this?
Back to time immemorial fishermen of Scotland, Sweden, and Norway used high-dose cod liver oil for any illness.
Yes this year everyone is complaining about allergies.
In June of 2020, the FDA decided that NAC could not be marketed as a supplement based on previous prescription usage from many decades ago. I've been able to get it, but I did see people indicating that it was "gone" from Amazon (I see NOW has NAC for sale on Amazon). All I can find are responses to the FDA's decision from CRN suggesting previous supplemental use. It's definitely for sale in my local store and here is the latest from the FDA (it's 2020 decision did reduce sales): https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-issues-response-two-citizen-petitions-nac-dietary-supplements
I was incorrect on R-Lipoic acid as a precursor for Glutathione, but it does seem to enhance it: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12049840/ and I've had my doctor recommend it for detox.
Oxidative stress depletes glutathione and lipoic acid has antioxidant activity but probably much more important is a cofactor in energy metabolism, and energy metabolism is needed for antioxidant protection and the synthesis of glutathione requires energy.
FDA docs say that it concluded NAC was appproved as a drug before it was marketed as a supplement so is excluded from definition of supplement, but since it has been marketed as a supplement for 30 years and they have yet to identify safety concerns, they are likely to allow it for any supplements that do not make claims of treating a disease.
I had seen articles last year about how the FDA had pressured Amazon to take it off their website. When they throw their weight behind something, companies like Amazon always cave, but the smaller companies that aren't targets go on selling it. I don't have any links at hand, but there was definitely a push by the FDA to restrict NAC. My doctor even knew about it (to my surprise) last year.
Did FDA or Amazon admit this happened or were people just speculating about it?
I could also see Amazon taking it off voluntarily if they anticipated future trouble with FDA.
https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/regulatory/recipients-fda-warning-letters-still-marketing-nac-supplements
https://wholefoodsmagazine.com/columns/legal-tips/nac-the-latest-health-success-story-to-become-an-fda-target/
And here: https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/regulatory/prompted-nac-supplements-controversy-us-lawmaker-presses-fda-new-letter
My opinion of the FDA is very low. They feel so emboldened in their corruption that they no longer even try to hide the obviousness of their advocacy for drug companies' profits.
I did not find any direct evidence from Amazon about restricting sales of NAC, last year (not that I would expect it), just 3rd party articles and references like this: https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/regulatory/amazon-confirms-plans-removing-nac-supplements
Hi, I sent an email to both your addresses, about subscribing. I'm sure you're busy, but giving a nudge here as well, thanks!
Hi Chris, really appreciate all your analysis this last two years and looking forward to your book. Could you suggest labs outside the US for testing these levels? For example would genova nutreval and fat soluble vitamin profile cover most bases?
For fat-soluble vitamins yes. See cheat sheet under ebooks for nutritional testing in general.
Have you ever looked at SLURP1?
If you are interested, I will give you all the links I have found interesting so far. SLURP1 has some interesting properties related to nicotinic receptors, and we all know by now, the potential, I would say more than potential, for SARS2 binding affinity for the nicotinic receptors (alpha 7). The mimicry with antagonistic properties via Spike, interrupting the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway play right along with the teeter totter role of the MDSCs... And, yes, the MDSCs role in the immune system gets complicated. One way, then another...Driving MDSCs to full maturation is the key, IMO!!
At some point, the correlation with nicotine users and the lower prevalence of infection will possibly find the linkage with the SLURP1 and or the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors , just a theory...I know they teeter back and forth on this correlation... I look at mechanisms and how they can influence the pathology.. Thats all..
And I have more interesting finds.....Nice Work Chris!!
I'm not familiar with it. Feel free to post links. Thanks!
"The secreted Ly6/uPAR-related protein-1 suppresses neutrophil binding, chemotaxis, and transmigration through human umbilical vein endothelial cells"
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-42437-x
"Endogenous CHRNA7-ligand SLURP1 as a potential tumor suppressor and anti-nicotinic factor in pancreatic cancer"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5837762/
Dont judge on WIKI, just background, have fun! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SLURP1
On to the world of ECM ( extracellular matrix), hmmm, the fibrous clots, MKs and Transforming Growth factor beta 1, (TGF-beta-1), do you want more???
Peace!!
FYI if you want to take a look at my FB blog, its private, low key, but tons of info, I know you are busy, but if your looking for more links, you can search in the blog https://www.facebook.com/groups/293396518318566. called MO-MInts, peace
They really need to look at bone marrow of the long COVID that have perished, as well as any active infection, but I know they dont want to.! I wonder it, and have a sense, they will see early onset of myelofibrosis, and this is not good.
Chris, if you had some time. Seriously look into AGNI. It’s very interesting stuff. I’m very scientific on the idea. I’m not a religious person. Don’t wanna confuse research in AGNI for that. Science all the way.
Please link to anything you want me to look at.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3221079/
I have found this so far…
I'm not as familiar with Agni and Ayurvedic theory, but I practice acupuncture, so I am familiar with possibly similar concepts. I see these concepts as a different conceptual framework for looking at the body functionally. In Chinese Medicine, Kidney Yang can be seen as the Fire that supports the Stomach and Spleen at ripening/rotting and transforming the food into the various fluids and Blood. Different modern traditions see the thyroid as an aspect of Kidney Yang or Stomach Fire. I see the traditional models as useful for choosing treatment approaches, but I'm not sure it is distinct from the biomedical understanding of the body. Do you feel differently about AGNI, that it is a force or energy separate from the biomedical and biochemical processes we study in the modern world? I see adrenal hormones and thyroid hormones as aspects of Kidney Yang, and they impact digestion and metabolism. The vagus nerve accomplishes the descending actions of St channel. The pancreatic enzymes, gut flora, and liver metabolism are all aspects of Spleen Qi in transformation, and so on.