Doc's Viral Defense - 90 Count

Ingredient #1: Zinc

Boost your immune system

• Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage
• https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2054270417694291
• Placebo-controlled zinc lozenge trials, in which the zinc dose was > 75 mg/day. The pooled effect of zinc lozenges on common cold duration was calculated by using inverse-variance random-effects method.
• Seven randomised trials with 575 participants with naturally acquired common colds. Duration of testing last the duration of a common cold.
• The mean common cold duration was 33% (95% CI 21% to 45%) shorter for the zinc groups of the seven included trials. Three trials that used lozenges composed of zinc acetate found that colds were shortened by 40% and four trials that used zinc gluconate by 28%. The difference between the two salts was not significant: 12 percentage points (95% CI: −12 to + 36). Five trials used zinc doses of 80–92 mg/day, common cold duration was reduced by 33%, and two trials used zinc doses of 192–207 mg/day and found an effect of 35%. The difference between the high-dose and low-dose zinc trials was not significant: 2 percentage points (95% CI: −29 to + 32).
• There is no evidence that zinc doses over 100 mg/day might lead to greater efficacy in the treatment of the common cold

Accelerates wound healing

• The effects of zinc supplementation on wound healing and metabolic status in patients with diabetic foot ulcer: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/wrr.12537
• The current randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted among 60 patients (aged 40–85 years old) with grade 3 diabetic foot ulcer.
• Participants were randomly divided into two groups (30 participants in each group) to take either 220 mg zinc sulfate supplements containing 50 mg elemental zinc or placebo daily for 12 weeks. After the 12-week intervention, compared with the placebo, zinc supplementation was associated with significant reductions in ulcer length (−1.5 ± 0.7 vs. −0.9 ± 1.2 cm, p = 0.02) and width (−1.4 ± 0.8 vs. −0.8 ± 1.0 cm, p = 0.02)
• Zinc supplementation for 12 weeks among diabetic foot ulcer patients had beneficial effects on parameters of ulcer size and metabolic profiles.

Reduces the risk of certain age-related diseases

• Zinc supplementation decreases incidence of infections in the elderly: effect of zinc on generation of cytokines and oxidative stress
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523279939?via%3Dihub
• A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of zinc supplementation was conducted in elderly subjects. Fifty healthy subjects of both sexes aged 55–87 y and inclusive of all ethnic groups were recruited for this study from a senior center.
• The zinc-supplemented group received zinc gluconate (45 mg elemental Zn/d) orally for 12 mo. The incidence of infections during the supplementation period was documented
• After zinc supplementation, the incidence of infections was significantly lower, plasma zinc was significantly higher, and generation of tumor necrosis factor α and oxidative stress markers was significantly lower in the zinc-supplemented than in the placebo group.

Decreases inflammation

• Zinc decreases C-reactive protein, lipid peroxidation, and inflammatory cytokines in elderly subjects: a potential implication of zinc as an atheroprotective agent
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523017318?via%3Dihub
• We recruited 40 healthy elderly subjects (aged 56–83 y) and randomly assigned them to 2 groups. One group was given an oral dose of 45 mg zinc/d as a gluconate for 6 mo. The other group was given a placebo. Cell culture models were conducted to study the mechanism of zinc as an atheroprotective agent
• After 6 mo of supplementation, the intake of zinc, compared with intake of placebo, increased the concentrations of plasma zinc and decreased the concentrations of plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin (IL)-6, macrophage chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), secretory phospholipase A2, and malondialdehyde and hydroxyalkenals (MDA+HAE) in elderly subjects
• Regression analysis showed that changes in concentrations of plasma zinc were inversely associated with changes in concentrations of plasma hsCRP, MCP-1, VCAM-1, and MDA+HAE after 6 mo of supplementation
• In cell culture studies, we showed that zinc decreased the generation of tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, VCAM-1, and MDA+HAE and the activation of nuclear transcription factor κB and increased antiinflammatory proteins A20 and peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-α in human monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells and human aortic endothelial cells compared with zinc-deficient cells.

Ingredient #2: Selenium

Acts as a powerful antioxidant

• Selenium supplementation improves antioxidant capacity in vitro and in vivo in patients with coronary artery disease The SElenium Therapy in Coronary Artery disease Patients (SETCAP) Study
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002870308007898?via%3Dihub
• Human coronary artery endothelial cells were incubated with 5.78 to 578 nmol/L sodium selenite
• Assigned to receive 200 or 500 μg sodium selenite daily or matching placebo during a 12-week period.
• Sodium selenite and Se-methyl-selenocysteine hydrochloride increased GPx-1 protein and activity in a dose-dependent manner (P < .0001). The intention-to-treat groups comprised 433 CAD patients. Glutathione peroxidase 1 activity increased from 37.0 U/gHb (31.3-41.7) to 41.1 U/gHb (35.2-48.4) (P < .0001) in the 200 μg and from 38.1 U/gHb (33.2-43.8) to 42.6 U/gHb (35.0-49.1) (P < .0001) in the 500 μg sodium selenite group treated for 12-weeks.
• Sodium selenite supplementation increases GPx-1 activity in endothelial cells and in CAD patients

Important for thyroid health

• Selenium and Thyroid Disease: From Pathophysiology to Treatment
• https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ije/2017/1297658/
• Selenium intake has been particularly associated with autoimmune disorders. The literature suggests that selenium supplementation of patients with autoimmune thyroiditis is associated with a reduction in antithyroperoxidase antibody levels, improved thyroid ultrasound features, and improved quality of life.
• Selenium supplementation in Graves' orbitopathy is associated with an improvement of quality of life and eye involvement, as well as delayed progression of ocular disorders. The organic form of selenium seems to be the preferable formulation for supplementation or treatment.
• Maintaining a physiological concentration of selenium is a prerequisite to prevent thyroid disease and preserve overall health

Boosts your immune system

• Dietary Selenium in Adjuvant Therapy of Viral and Bacterial Infections
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S216183132200624X?via%3Dihub
• Selenium-containing multimicronutrient supplements improved several clinical and lifestyle variables in patients coinfected with HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Selenium status may affect the function of cells of both adaptive and innate immunity. Supranutritional selenium promotes proliferation and favors differentiation of naive CD4-positive T lymphocytes toward T helper 1 cells, thus supporting the acute cellular immune response, whereas excessive activation of the immune system and ensuing host tissue damage are counteracted through directing macrophages toward the M2 phenotype

Ingredient #3: N-acetyl L-cysteine

Boost glutathione levels, improves immune function

• Glutathione Fine-Tunes the Innate Immune Response toward Antiviral Pathways in a Macrophage Cell Line Independently of Its Antioxidant Properties
• https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2017.01239/full
• a 24-h BSO pretreatment decreased glutathione (GSH + GSSG) levels by 99%, and addition of LPS had no effect up to 2 h later. Although LPS induced an oxidative burst in terms of increased ROS production detectable by EPR, this did not affect GSH or GSSG levels significantly. BSO, alone or with LPS, was not toxic to the cells as detected by CellTiter-Blue^® Assay (viability, mean ± SD from five biological replicates: control, 100 ± 1%; BSO, 98 ± 2%; BSO + LPS, 95 ± 1%).

Stabilizes blood sugar by decreasing inflammation in fat cells

• N-acetylcysteine Protects Mice from High Fat Diet-induced Metabolic Disorders
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11095-016-1941-1
• Six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice fed a chow or high-fat diet (HFD) were treated with NAC (2 g/L) in drinking water for 11 weeks
• NAC supplementation inhibited the increase of fat mass and the development of obesity when mice were fed an HFD. NAC treatment significantly lowered HFD-induced macrophage infiltration, and enhanced adiponectin gene expression, resulting in reduced hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, and improvement of insulin resistance
• NAC oral administration suppressed hepatic lipid accumulation, as evidenced by lower levels of triglyceride and cholesterol in the liver.

Boosts brain health by regulating glutamate and replenishing glutathione

• N-acetylcysteine protects memory decline induced by streptozotocin in mice
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0009279716301491?via%3Dihub
• Recently we reported that the N-acetylcysteine (NAC) decreases brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in vitro
• Mice were divided into four groups: I) Sham, II) NAC, III) STZ and IV) NAC + STZ. Animals were daily treated with NAC (50 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for nine consecutive days and with STZ (2.5 mg/kg i.c.v.) at the first and third days
• On the tenth day animals were euthanized for AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activities and ACh, energy-rich phosphate and brain glucose uptake levels evaluations. A learning and memory impairment was observed in SDPA and MWM in those animals that receive STZ. Nevertheless, the same was not observed in those animals that also received NAC
• Brain cortex and hippocampus AChE and hippocampus BChE activities increase induced by STZ were also prevented by NAC treatment. The STZ induced a brain energy metabolism imbalance, decreasing adenosine triphosphate and increasing adenosine levels.
• The glucose uptake decrease in hippocampus was prevented by NAC
• NAC treatment prevented the cognitive disturbance, by restoring the cholinergic system and brain energy metabolism disorders

Ingredient #4: Quercetin

Reduces inflammation

• The Effect of Quercetin on Inflammatory Factors and Clinical Symptoms in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07315724.2016.1140093
• clinical trial in which 50 women with RA were allocated into a quercetin (500 mg/day) or placebo group for 8 weeks
• Quercetin supplementation for 8 weeks significantly reduced EMS, morning pain, and after-activity pain (p < 0.05). DAS-28 and HAQ scores decreased in the quercetin group compared to placebo and the number of patients with active disease significantly decreased in the quercetin group.
• Five hundred milligrams per day quercetin supplementation for 8 weeks resulted in significant improvements in clinical symptoms, disease activity, hs-TNFα, and HAQ in women with RA.

Reduces blood pressure

• Effects of Quercetin on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
• https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.115.002713
• Effect size was expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% CI. Overall, the impact of quercetin on BP was reported in 7 trials comprising 9 treatment arms (587 patients).
• The results of the meta-analysis showed significant reductions both in systolic BP (WMD: -3.04 mm Hg, 95% CI: -5.75, -0.33, P=0.028) and diastolic BP (WMD: -2.63 mm Hg, 95% CI: -3.26, -2.01, P<0.001) following supplementation with quercetin.
• When the studies were categorized according to the quercetin dose, there was a significant systolic BP and diastolic BP-reducing effect in randomized controlled trials with doses ≥500 mg/day (WMD: -4.45 mm Hg, 95% CI: -7.70, -1.21, P=0.007 and -2.98 mm Hg, 95% CI: -3.64, -2.31, P<0.001, respectively)
• The results of the meta-analysis showed a statistically significant effect of quercetin supplementation in the reduction of BP, possibly limited to, or greater with dosages of >500 mg/day

Ingredient #5: Betaine Anhydrous (TMG)

Prevents insulin resistance

• High dietary choline and betaine intake is associated with low insulin resistance in the Newfoundland population
• https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0899900716301964
• We assessed 2394 adults from the CODING (Complex Diseases in the Newfoundland population
• Dietary choline and betaine intake was inversely correlated with levels of fasting glucose and insulin
• individuals with the highest tertile of dietary choline and betaine intake had the lowest IR severity. Dietary choline and betaine intake, however, was the lowest in the high IR group, intermediate in the medium group, and the highest in the low IR group.

Lowers homocysteine levels to improve heart health

• Betaine supplementation decreases plasma homocysteine in healthy adult participants
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3610948/
• Five randomized controlled trials published between 2002 and 2010 were identified using MEDLINE and a manual search. All 5 studies used health adult participants who were supplemented with at least 4 g/d of betaine for between 6 and 24 weeks.
• The pooled estimate of effect for betaine supplementation on plasma homocysteine was a reduction of 1.23 μmol/L, which was statistically significant (95% confidence interval, − 1.61 to − 0.85; P = .01).
• Supplementation with at least 4g/d of betaine for a minimum of 6 weeks can lower plasma homocysteine.