In case you don’t want to read the whole post, let me summarize:
NO. In US studies, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and Zithromax have NOT been shown to significantly help treat Covid-19. In fact, they have caused much more damage, through heart arrhythmias, heart attacks and even death. This has been seen in numerous studies all over the US, as well as locally, at the hospitals I work at. A respected local infectious disease specialist I know well, agrees.
Just as a reminder, Hydroxychloroquine is a drug originally developed to treat Malaria, a disease caused by a parasite, and Zithromax is an antibiotic, already overused to treat bacterial infections.
SARS-Cov-2 is a VIRUS, not a parasite or bacterium. The antiviral Remdesivir, has been shown to help in some people. Makes sense.
So why are some studies in other countries showing some benefit? First of all, many of those studies have been re-evaluated and the benefits may not have been as good as they initially reported. Any benefit probably has to do with the fact that both drugs are also immune modulators, meaning that they impact on our immune response, decreasing inflammation. In fact, most antibiotics are immune modulators to some degree. That is why HCQ is also used as an effective treatment for the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. And, by the way, because of the inappropriate overuse of HCQ with covid, many RA patients are suffering because there is a shortage.
So, the likely mechanism of it possibly showing some benefit is this dampening effect on the immune system. The problem is that, as immune modulators, they are not that potent, unlike dexamethasone (Decadron), a steroid, which has been shown to be effective in dampening the cytokine inflammatory storm..
In the meantime, by taking HCQ and Zithromax, you are killing healthy microbes in the intestines, which is where 70% of our immune system resides, and impair our health and ability to combat other infections and inflammatory processes.
In addition, people in other countries are simply healthier than Americans are so maybe their Covid patients are not as at much risk and would have gotten better anyway. Again, we rank somewhere in the 40s for both degree of chronic disease rate and life expectancy. We are also he mst overweight and obese coountry on the planet. We also take the most drugs. Is there a pattern here?
Why are some US doctors promoting these treatments based on their personal findings? Maybe their populations were also healthier overall or were not that sick with Covid to begin with. Maybe they have ulterior motives? Who knows. It is not clear.
As far as Zinc is concerned, it does impact on the ability for the virus to attach to the ACE-2 receptor, decreasing the risk of infection or the load of infection. HOWEVER, cofactors like Zinc and Vitamin D are only shown to be of benefit if you are deficient to begin with. If you are living a healthy lifestyle, getting some sun, eating your fruits and vegetables, and your levels are normal, supplementing won’t help. If you are not sure, just get tested.
Supplements or superfoods won’t make up for the rest of your diet being crappy, your sleep being poor, you being stressed or not exercising. In the same way, supplements and medications won’t make up for not practicing all the things we know you can do to minimize or avoid being infected with SARS-Cov-2.
WEAR YOUR MASK and wear it properly covering your nose. Stop touching it.
DISTANCE if you must go out or are with vulnerable people.
WASH YOUR HANDS.
WORK ON YOUR HEALTH.
GET VACCINATED, at least for the FLU.
Oh, and stop spraying your bananas 🍌 with windex 😜
Stay safe and be well.
AC 😎✌️🌱❤🐖🏃🏻🧘🏻♂️🌎😷