Dr. Richard Cheng, Cheng Integrative Health Center

A brief review of the Safety and Effectiveness of Vitamins C and D in Covid-19 Treatment

This is for information exchange only, not to be used without the supervision of a trained and experienced physician.

Cytokine storm has recently been recognized as the key pathology responsible for the severe symptoms of Covid-19 and other viruses and non-viral agents. The underlying biochemical cause of cytokine storm is excessive oxidative stress. Cytokine storm and its associated oxidative stress appears to be a universal non-specific mechanistic pathway common among many causative agents, for example viruses, that leads to severe clinical disease.

A biochemical sequence known as “lipid peroxidase chain reaction” (LPCR) plays a critical role in oxidative stress and cytokine storm. Prevention and blocking the occurrence of cytokine storm/oxidative stress appears to be a logically sound and effective strategy to prevent the severe symptoms of Covid-19. If this could be performed world-wide, it could reduce the devastating medical, economic and societal impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Preventing or blocking LPCR and the excessive oxidative stress requires intact antioxidant systems, especially the antioxidant vitamins and nutrients, including vitamins C, E, CoQ10, alpha lipoic acid, glutathione and niacin (to promote NADP+/NADP), selenium and others. Insufficiency or absence of any of these antioxidant agents may render these antioxidant systems ineffective, which may be responsible for the inconsistent results of antioxidant therapies in the literature. Here we propose an integrative and systematic therapy that includes these antioxidant vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. The “universal and non-specific nature” of cytokine storm/oxidative stress makes possible a pre-emptive treatment to prevent or block cytokine storm/oxidative stress induced by severe diseases, even before full recognition of the underlying causative agent. This is very significant because it allows us to potentially prevent and block a pandemic of a new virus or a new viral mutant when it happens without requiring the extended time needed to develop a specific drug or vaccine treatment. With the seemingly endless mutations of SARS-Cov-2, we may still have time to apply this strategy to break the Covid-19 pandemic¹.

Vitamin C

1. Safety of high dose vitamin C.

Vitamin C, when taken by mouth or intravenously, is very safe, even at high doses. “Vitamin C has low toxicity and is not believed to cause serious adverse effects at high intakes. The most common complaints are diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, and other gastrointestinal disturbances due to the osmotic effect of unabsorbed vitamin C in the gastrointestinal tract” , according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements².

Vitamin C can also be safely administered at high doses of up to 1.5 g/kg body weight, when properly used under an experienced physician. “Studies have shown that vitamin C can be safely administered to healthy volunteers or cancer patients at doses up to 1.5 g/kg…” according to the National Cancer Institute, NIH³. For a 170-pound person, up to 115 grams of vitamin C can be safely given intravenously.

2. Vitamin C has immune-enhancement properties.
   1. Reduces oxidative stress, as an antioxidant^{4 5 6}
   2. Reduces inflammation⁶
   3. Supports epithelial barrier function (e.g., alveolar membranes) and endothelial barrier protection⁷
   4. Supports differentiation and maturation of T cells and NK cells⁸
   5. Enhances microbial killing and antibody production^{8 9}
   6. Enhances migration of immune cells to sites of infection^{8 9}
   7. Impaired chemotaxis observed in severely infected patients⁶
   8. Protects immune cells from oxidative burst (rapid release of ROS)⁶
   9. Promotes programmed cell death (cell death)⁶
3. Vitamin C deficiency is common, especially in Covid-19 patients
   12. “The available evidence indicates that vitamin C hypovitaminosis and deficiency is common in low- and middle-income countries and not uncommon in high income settings.”¹⁰ Vitamin C deficiency is also common in the Western countries^{11 12}. Insufficiency and deficiency of micronutrients including vitamin C and D are also rampant in the US. A recent US national nutrition survey found “Specifically, 45% of the U.S. population had a prevalence of inadequacy for vitamin A, 46% for vitamin C, 95% for vitamin D, 84% for vitamin E, and 15% for zinc.”¹³
   13. Lower plasma vitamin levels are associated with greater risk of organ failure and death in patients with septic shock¹⁴
   14. The average plasma vitamin C concentrations in COVID-19 patients were five times lower than in healthy volunteers¹⁵
   15. Vitamin C levels are undetectable in more than 90% of COVID-19-associated ARDS patients¹⁶
   16. Vitamin C intake of at least 2-3 g/day may be required to maintain normal plasma vitamin C levels during viral infection¹²
   17. Covid-19 patients had significantly lower plasma vitamin C levels than controls, longer hospital stays, and higher mortality¹⁷
4. Clinical studies show effectiveness of Vitamin C in Covid-19 treatment.
   18. A review of twelve studies, including five “gold standard” randomized controlled trials, shows that this simple vitamin saves lives when given in the right dose¹⁸. Vitamin C can prevent a serious Covid infection. The current level of evidence from the RCTs suggests that intravenous vitamin C intervention may improve oxygenation parameters, reduce inflammatory markers, decrease days in hospital and reduce mortality, particularly in the more severely ill patients. High doses of oral vitamin C supplementation may also improve the rate of recovery in less severe cases. No adverse events have been reported in published vitamin C clinical trials in COVID-19 patients¹⁹. Vitamin C has been shown to be effective in the prevention and treatment of various other viral infections¹². Despite the fact that vitamin C is safe, now proven effective, inexpensive and widely available, it is not widely accepted nor promoted by medical authorities or hospitals.  In some instances, high dose vitamin C usage is even prohibited, allegedly due to medical reasons.
   19. Beneficial aspects of high-dose intravenous vitamin C in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia: a retrospective case series²⁰.
       19. High-dose intravenous vitamin C for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe COVID-19.
       20. Improvements in inflammatory response and immune and organ function are beneficial.
   20. Phase I safety trial of intravenous ascorbic acid in patients with severe sepsis²¹.
       3. Daily IV infusions of 3.5 and 14 g of vitamin C for four days significantly reduced multiorgan failure scores, with the higher dose showing twice as much reduction in failure scores as the lower dose.
   21. Vitamin C improves the disease and shortens ICU stay²².
   22. Vitamin C may shorten duration of mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients²³
   23. In this RCT, hospitalized elderly patients with acute respiratory infection received 200 mg of vitamin C orally per day for 4 weeks. Taking vitamin C can reduce the severity of disease and reduce mortality²⁴.

Vitamin D

1. Supports transcription of antimicrobial peptides that have activities against various bacteria, viruses, and fungi ^{25 26 27}.
2. Induces autophagy (cleaning out of damaged or unnecessary cellular components) thereby enhancing clearance of viruses and viral constituents²⁸.
3. Modulates innate and adaptive immune activity²⁹.
4. Regulates growth and differentiation of several types of immune cells³⁰.
5. Suppresses over-expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines³⁰.
6. Supports gut integrity and gut microbial balance³¹.
7. Helps maintain the integrity of epithelial tight junctions which decreases risk of infection and pulmonary edema³².
8. Helps maintain TH1:TH2 immune balance²⁸ by reducing TH1 and inducing TH2 immune responses²⁶ (Bae & Kim, 2020).

Vit D in Covid-19

• Serum vitamin D3 levels < 27 ng/ml: significant increase in Covid-19 mortality. Vit D3 > 30 ng/ml. the mortality rate is close to zero.
• Large study of >1.4 million people (54 studies) again shows: low blood vitamin D levels associated with higher risk of Covid-19 infection, ICU admission and mortality³³
• The 2-year survey of 662,835 U.S. military veterans concluded that vitamin D3 and vitamin D2 supplementation reduced the risk associated with COVID-19 infection by 20% and 28%, and reduced the risk of death from COVID-19 infection within 30 days. The associated risk reductions were 33% and 25%.³⁴
• 50,000 IU per day x 5 days in COVID-19 patients resulted in less inflammation and shorter recovery times compared to patients receiving 1000 IU/day³⁵.
• Combined with standard care, early high-dose vitamin D therapy avoids ICU admission in COVID-19 patients³⁶.
• “The mean vitamin D3 dose was 35,291 ± 21,791 IU per day…We found a very weak relationship between oral doses of vitamin D3 and subsequent calcium levels, both in serum and 24-hour urine.”³⁷

Intervention of Covid-19:

Case 1. Mr. W, an 80-year-old man in China with history of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, brain infarction and Alzheimer’s disease, has been in ICU for Covid-19 pneumonia, high fever (~39.5 C) for 20 days, with standard hospital care including auxiliary oxygenation, without much improvement.  The family sought our consultation. We recommended our Integrative Orthomolecular Covid-19 Treatment Protocol. He improved quick with the high fever gone the same night and never came back. His inflammatory markers and other lab parameters improved.  He was off auxiliary oxygenation and moved from ICU to a regular ward on day 3. The family was pleasantly surprised.

Case 2. A 4-year-old boy was diagnosed of Covid-19 pneumonia with high fever of 39 C. There was no bed available at the hospital. The mother sought our consultation and we recommended our Integrative Orthomolecular Covid-19 Treatment Protocol. The boy improved significantly the next morning with fever gone, with some residual respiratory symptoms. By the 2^nd day, the boy was happy and playful. The mother thanked us profusely and called the Protocol “miraculous”.

Case 3. We previously reported a case of rapid recover from severe Covid-19 (1). Briefly, Robert, a 60-year-old man with diabetes, was admitted into an ICU at a local hospital with severe Covid-19 pneumonia. His lab showed very high inflammatory markers (ferritin, D dimer, CRP) as well as reduction of oxygen saturation. We offered the same protocol (adjusted to the hospital requirement). The patient recovered quickly.

Case 4. A diabetic whose blood sugar has been stable on a low-carb diet, suffered a stroke and was intubated 2 weeks after receiving 2 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. He later developed pneumonia with a fever. The family consulted me and I recommended similar antiviral and antioxidant therapies with detailed guidance and follow-up. Within 3-4 days, his fever subsided.

Intervention of Non-Covid cases:

Case 5. Acute liver failure. Dr. F is a professor of music and an old friend of mine in the United States. About a year ago, her 80-year-old mother was admitted to the ICU with acute liver failure. Dr. F received a notice that his mother was critically ill. Her journey back to China to visit her mother was extremely difficult due to Covid travel restrictions. She consulted with me and I recommended a comprehensive antioxidant regimen (similar to the one described above). I also discussed options with her mother’s attending physician. In just 2-3 days, her mother has improved and was transferred from the ICU to the general ward, and later discharged to home care. Her mother is in good health and continues to receive antioxidant therapy including vitamin C.

The following is what we have been using for our clients (primarily in China. For information exchange only.  The information here should not be used without a qualified physician’s supervision).

Integrative Orthomolecular Covid-19 Prevention Protocol.

1. Vitamin C, 3,000mg – 10,000mg/day, divided into 2-3 times.
2. Or liposomal vitamin C (Liposomal-Vit C), 1-2 grams / day.
3. Vitamin D3, 5,000 IU/day; blood vitamin D3 levels of 50 – 100 ng/ml are recommended.
4. Zinc, 30 mg/day.
5. Magnesium ions, 500-1000 mg/day.
6. 1-3% hydrogen peroxide atomized inhalation, 5-15 minutes, return from going out or have suspicious contact.
7. Cheng TotoCell Nutrition (with high levels of all vitamins plus mitochondrial and micronutrients)
8. Vitamin E, 400 – 2000 IU/day.
9. Quercetin (promoting the virus-killing effect of zinc) 500 mg, 3-4 times/day.
10. Melatonin (melatonin 5 – 20mg/night), a powerful immune booster

Integrative Orthomolecular Covid-19 Treatment Protocol.

1. Vitamin C, 1,000 – 3,000 mg/hour (first to diarrheal dose).
   1. Or liposomal vitamin C (Liposomal-Vit C), 1-2 grams/time, 1-4 times a day. Or IV: 30-60 g/day.
2. Vitamin D3, 50,000IU/day x 5-7 days; then, 5,000 IU/day; after 1-2 months, blood vitamin D3 (50-100 ng/ml).
3. Liposomal Glutathione (Liposomal-GSH), 1-2 g/day
4. Zinc, 50-100 mg/day x 7-10 days.
5. Magnesium, 500-1000 mg/day.
6. 1-3% hydrogen peroxide atomized inhalation, 5-15 minutes, 3-4 times/day.
7. Melatonin (melatonin 5 – 20mg/night), a powerful immune booster.
8. Cheng TotoCell Nutrition (with high amounts of all vitamins plus mitochondrial and micronutrients)
9. Vitamin E, 400 – 2000 IU/day.
10. Quercetin (promoting the virus-killing effect of zinc) 500mg, 3-4 times/day.
11. Other: healthy lifestyle habits, sun exposure, exercise, other antioxidants.

References:

1. Cheng, R. A Hallmark of Covid-19: Cytokine Storm/Oxidative Stress and its Integrative Mechanism. http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v18n03.shtml (2022).
2. Office of Dietary Supplements – Vitamin C. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/.
3. Intravenous Vitamin C (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version – NCI. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/vitamin-c-pdq (2013).
4. Richard Cheng MD PhD. Oxidative Stress, Ignored Key Pathology of Covid-19. (2021).
5. Cheng, Richard Z. Can early and high intravenous dose of vitamin C prevent and treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)? Medicine in Drug Discovery 5, 100028 (2020).
6. Milani, G. P., Macchi, M. & Guz-Mark, A. Vitamin C in the Treatment of COVID-19. Nutrients 13, 1172 (2021).
7. Gröber, U. & Holick, M. F. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – A supportive approach with selected micronutrients. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 92, 13–34 (2022).
8. Iddir, M. et al. Strengthening the Immune System and Reducing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress through Diet and Nutrition: Considerations during the COVID-19 Crisis. Nutrients 12, 1562 (2020).
9. Cerullo, G. et al. The Long History of Vitamin C: From Prevention of the Common Cold to Potential Aid in the Treatment of COVID-19. Front Immunol 11, 574029 (2020).
10. Rowe, S. & Carr, A. C. Global Vitamin C Status and Prevalence of Deficiency: A Cause for Concern? Nutrients 12, 2008 (2020).
11. Gröber, U. & Holick, M. F. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – A supportive approach with selected micronutrients. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 92, 13–34 (2022).
12. Holford, P. et al. Vitamin C-An Adjunctive Therapy for Respiratory Infection, Sepsis and COVID-19. Nutrients 12, E3760 (2020).
13. Reider, C. A., Chung, R.-Y., Devarshi, P. P., Grant, R. W. & Hazels Mitmesser, S. Inadequacy of Immune Health Nutrients: Intakes in US Adults, the 2005-2016 NHANES. Nutrients 12, E1735 (2020).
14. Borrelli, E. et al. Plasma concentrations of cytokines, their soluble receptors, and antioxidant vitamins can predict the development of multiple organ failure in patients at risk. Crit Care Med 24, 392–397 (1996).
15. Xing, Y. et al. Vitamin C supplementation is necessary for patients with coronavirus disease: An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry finding. J Pharm Biomed Anal 196, 113927 (2021).
16. Chiscano-Camón, L., Ruiz-Rodriguez, J. C., Ruiz-Sanmartin, A., Roca, O. & Ferrer, R. Vitamin C levels in patients with SARS-CoV-2-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome. Crit Care 24, 522 (2020).
17. Sinnberg, T. et al. Vitamin C Deficiency in Blood Samples of COVID-19 Patients. Antioxidants (Basel) 11, 1580 (2022).
18. Holford, P., Carr, A. C., Zawari, M. & Vizcaychipi, M. P. Vitamin C Intervention for Critical COVID-19: A Pragmatic Review of the Current Level of Evidence. Life (Basel) 11, 1166 (2021).
19. Carr, A. C. Vitamin C in Pneumonia and Sepsis. in Vitamin C: New Biochemical and Functional Insights (eds. Chen, Q. & Vissers, M. C. M.) (CRC Press, 2020).
20. Zhao, B. et al. Beneficial aspects of high dose intravenous vitamin C on patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in severe condition: a retrospective case series study. Ann Palliat Med 10, 1599–1609 (2021).
21. Fowler, A. A. et al. Phase I safety trial of intravenous ascorbic acid in patients with severe sepsis. J Transl Med 12, 32 (2014).
22. Hemilä, H. & Chalker, E. Vitamin C Can Shorten the Length of Stay in the ICU: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 11, (2019).
23. Hemilä, H. & Chalker, E. Vitamin C may reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients: a meta-regression analysis. J Intensive Care 8, 15 (2020).
24. Hunt, C., Chakravorty, N. K., Annan, G., Habibzadeh, N. & Schorah, C. J. The clinical effects of vitamin C supplementation in elderly hospitalised patients with acute respiratory infections. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 64, 212–219 (1994).
25. Vyas, N. et al. Vitamin D in Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19: Current Perspective and Future Prospects. J Am Coll Nutr 40, 632–645 (2021).
26. Bae, M. & Kim, H. The Role of Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Selenium in Immune System against COVID-19. Molecules 25, 5346 (2020).
27. Mitchell, F. Vitamin-D and COVID-19: do deficient risk a poorer outcome? Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 8, 570 (2020).
28. Malaguarnera, L. Vitamin D3 as Potential Treatment Adjuncts for COVID-19. Nutrients 12, 3512 (2020).
29. Radujkovic, A. et al. Vitamin D Deficiency and Outcome of COVID-19 Patients. Nutrients 12, 2757 (2020).
30. Sulli, A. et al. Vitamin D and Lung Outcomes in Elderly COVID-19 Patients. Nutrients 13, 717 (2021).
31. Charoenngam, N. & Holick, M. F. Immunologic Effects of Vitamin D on Human Health and Disease. Nutrients 12, 2097 (2020).
32. Shakoor, H. et al. Immune-boosting role of vitamins D, C, E, zinc, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids: Could they help against COVID-19? Maturitas 143, 1–9 (2021).
33. Chiodini, I. et al. Vitamin D Status and SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Clinical Outcomes. Front Public Health 9, 736665 (2021).
34. Gibbons, J. B. et al. Association between vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 infection and mortality. Sci Rep 12, 19397 (2022).
35. Ohaegbulam, K. C., Swalih, M., Patel, P., Smith, M. A. & Perrin, R. Vitamin D Supplementation in COVID-19 Patients: A Clinical Case Series. Am J Ther 27, e485–e490 (2020).
36. Entrenas Castillo, M. et al. Effect of calcifediol treatment and best available therapy versus best available therapy on intensive care unit admission and mortality among patients hospitalized for COVID-19: A pilot randomized clinical study. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 203, 105751 (2020).
37. Amon, U., Yaguboglu, R., Ennis, M., Holick, M. F. & Amon, J. Safety Data in Patients with Autoimmune Diseases during Treatment with High Doses of Vitamin D3 According to the ‘Coimbra Protocol’. Nutrients 14, 1575 (2022).

OXYGEN THERAPIES A) HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY (HBOT)

by Charles Wile, MD

{According to a lecture by Jason Sonners at the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) Module VIII conference, in Charleston, S.C. on 10/29/2022:} Oxygen is our primary nutrient. Without oxygen we won’t survive for more than several minutes. There are several principles that are necessary for understanding the physiology of oxygenation. With a GRADIENT, atoms, electrons, ions (charged particles), and molecules move-diffuse from a higher concentration to a lower concentration until an equilibrium is achieved. The rate of diffusion is relative to the size of the gradient. The atmosphere of Earth contains 21% oxygen everywhere. The PRESSURE-weight of air is variable: At sea level the pressure of the air is “1- atmosphere”. With ascending up a mountain or by flying to 18,000 feet above sea level, the pressure differential is ½-atmosphere. With descending down below the sea to 33 feet, the pressure differential is 2-atmospheres. At sea level our blood is approximately 100% saturated with oxygen– almost all is carried– (bounded)– by our red blood cells (RBCs). Normal pulse oximetry measures the normal range @ 96% to 100%. Our bodies will shunt our blood flow to the “working tissues” as a function of need: eg. to our gut after eating or to our legs if we need to run to escape a threat. Other than the oxygen saturation of our RBCs, oxygen is also carried directly in the plasma as a function of pressure. {Consider a bottle of seltzer: at rest, a bottle of plain-water and a bottle of seltzer-water appears to be identical. However, once the seltzer-water bottle is opened, the pressure-dissolved carbon dioxide gas becomes released and the gas bubbles from the water as a function of the gradient: fast at first, and then slowing as it approaches equilibrium.} Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) bypasses using RBCs to carry oxygen in the blood stream. For example, blood at 1-atmosphere will carry 3 ml of oxygen per liter of plasma. And, with HBOT pressure, the plasma can carry 60 ml of oxygen per liter of plasma. Therefore, if there is tissue damage– with damage to the capillaries and an inability of RBCs to traverse the damaged tissues, freefloating oxygen in the plasma, with the quantity enhanced by HBOT, can maintain cellular functioning and promote healing– {the added oxygenation will also stimulate an angiogenic effect for healing repair.} HBOT is both safe and effective for a range of treatments. The “trick” is to match the intensity of the therapy– the pressure and duration of HBOT– to the severity of the problem. And, there are many protocols that have been developed and that are still under investigation to identify optimum treatments. If there is an inflammatory response, there is a loss of the tissue-oxygenationgradient which triggers a cascade of problems which interfere with a healing response. HBOT increases the free-floating arterial pressure of oxygen: the pO2. Our cells require 40 – 50 mmHg of oxygen. Capillary oxygen pressure is sufficient at room air: with 21% concentration of oxygen at a “normal” (sea level—1 atmosphere) pressure resulting in a pO2 of 50 mmHg. By using 100% oxygen at 1 atmosphere of pressure, the pO2 is increased to 75 mmHg. There is an exponential increase of the pO2 with increasing pressure: eg. at 1.3 atmospheres the pO2 is 246, and at 1.5 atmospheres the pO2 is 437.5. HBOT is currently used to prevent and treat “the bends” associated with under-sea diving, and a total of 14 FDA recognized medical conditions, including wound healing. However, there are 150+ offlabel conditions where HBOT can be beneficial: eg. to stimulate angiogenesis, mitogenesis, neurogenesis, fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis, boost stem-cells, for antibiotic synergy, and others. The “Hallmarks of Aging” are analogous to the “Hallmarks of Disease”. There is a concept called “hormesis”– creating a little stress to stimulate an adaptive/resilience response. HBOT can be used to create an hormetic response for mitochondrial and cellular repair/healing, and for decreasing senescent cells and increasing telomere lengths, which helps to reverse the pillars of chronic illness. Rather than using HBOT as a last-resort in a treatment protocol, HBOT should be considered as the cornerstone in order to start a healing protocol. With very few exceptions, eg. a pneumothorax, HBOT can be used to benefit a healing protocol. The “magic” of HBOT comes from the cumulative effects of hyper-oxygenation followed by a RELATIVE HYPOXIA over time: it is not a “one-and-done” therapy. There is a healing response timedelay for HBOT to trigger signaling-responses to take effect, eg. stimulating stem-cell mobilization and activation. Whereas chronic hypoxia is detrimental, the intermittent relative hypoxia of HBOT is beneficial– (that is: after leaving the hyperoxia in the chamber). This is the so-called “hyperoxiahypoxia paradox”. External environmental oxidation depletes our anti-oxidant systems. Whereas, internal oxidation increases our antioxidant systems. The hyper-oxygenation-induced increased mitochondrial ATP energy production, with its corresponding natural increase in free-radicals, is counteracted by also stimulating our anti-oxidation molecules and enzymes, eg. glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and others. We need to consider that HBOT should be a non-specific therapy, like administering an extra-dose of a vitamin. The use of 100% oxygen is not always needed in order to be beneficial. The hyperbaric chamber can be used with room air with a pressure of 1.3 atmospheres, resulting in an increased cellular oxygenation by 30%. The relative hypoxia, on exiting the chamber, can also promote beneficial metabolic cascades. A specific protocol for chamber usage, therefore, depends upon the individual and the problem being addressed. Here’s an example of an HBOT prescription: the chamber is set at 100% oxygen and 1.3 atmospheres, for 60 to 90 minutes, and used 4 to 6 times per week, for 6 to 10 weeks. Although chamber usage has been around for several hundred years, use of this treatment is still in its infancy. Also, when using oxygen to treat a medical problem, such as COPD and emphysema, the use is typically constant and persistent, perhaps only varying in the concentration of the oxygen delivered. [When I was using oxygen in the Emergency Department 40+ years ago up until about 10 years ago, the rule-of-thumb was: “oxygen for everybody all the time”. Now, because of concerns about oxygen toxicity, the use of oxygen in the ER is guided by a finger-tip plethysmographic monitoring of the PO2.] It is important to be flexible in our thinking as we learn more. {We always need to consider the risk-benefit ratio when evaluating any treatment.} There is a big difference when using oxygen to enhance fitness-performance and for wellness: because here the use of oxygen is intermittent and briefly transient. Thus, the risks associated with using oxygen this way seem to be mitigated by the extended health benefits. OZONE THERAPY { According to a lecture by Phillip Mollica, DMD at the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) Module VIII conference, in Charleston, S.C. on 10/29/2022:} Low-dose ozone is non-toxic, safe, effective, and economic with minimal to no side-effects. Pure ozone (O3) is never used for therapy. Ozone therapy is always a mixture of oxygen and ozone (O2/O3). Ozone is negatively charged– meaning it has an electron available to donate. Please remember: “the poison is in the dose” {Paracelsus}. Ozone therapy uses the principle of hormesis. For example, ozone can be used to improve and accelerate wound healing. A little ozone-stress triggers the healing cascades. With disease and injury, the tissues are dysregulated and the ecology is imbalanced. Ozone therapy helps to disinfect tissues, activate RBC metabolism (via 2,3-DPG), activate enzymatic antioxidation, and scavenge free radicals. Ozone has anti-inflammatory effects, and upregulates the production of nitric oxide (NO) used to dilate blood vessels in order to improve the micro-circulation and to stimulate angiogenesis. Ozone will activate immunocompetent cells to release cytokines (such as interleukens and interferons), and help to modulate the immune system. Our environment is filled with biotoxins– (such as heavy metals, pesticides, plastics, solvents, and others)– which cause an imbalance of anaerobic organisms in our microbiome. Anaerobiosis causes vascular and lymphatic congestion, which causes the tissues to shift towards a more acidic terrain, which is a part of chronic diseases. Oxygen based ATP-energy metabolism is balanced by naturally produced antioxidants, such as glutathione. Anaerobic metabolism– that is: fermentation– not only produces less ATP-energy, but also free radicals are over-produced, which leads to oxidative-stress and tissue injury. Ozone is produced when a source of energy– such as lightning, ultraviolet radiation, waterfalls, ocean movement– breaks stable oxygen O2 into a highly reactive singlet oxygen, which then combines with stable O2 oxygen to create reactive O3 as peroxides. Because pathogens don’t have antioxidant protective enzymes in their cell membranes, our white blood cells naturally produce ozone-peroxides for protection during a bacterial infection in order to punch holes in the micro-organism’s membranes, in order to kill the infecting organisms. Also, WBCs produce ozone for programmed cell death– apoptosis. Exogenous antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, act within our cells to balance the innate production of ozone. Endogenous antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase and SOD, are also produced within our cells to balance the innate production of free radicals– reactive oxygen species (ROS). Small doses of ozone gently stimulate– or “shock”– and upregulate our multivaried biological protective responses. Since infections are positively charged, they attract the negatively charged ozoneperoxides. Since gaseous ozone is a biological precursor, it instantly goes into solution, and then it is transformed into oxygen and water, with the singlet oxygen producing peroxides which do the work. Thus, one should never fear an air embolism when gaseous ozone is injected into the body. Ozone creates a cascade of secondary reactions that stimulate immune activation and recruit growth factors for healing. The rule-of-thumb: “start low and go slow” applies to ozone therapy. High quality equipment is required to produce a precise concentration of ozone when it is bubbled into distilled water, where it becomes “trapped” within the structure of the water. {Ref. The Longevity company for quality ozone generators.} Typically one desires to produce an ozone concentration of 25 to 30 ug/ml, varying up to 40 to 60 ug/ml. And, for example, when an infection has been controlled, the dose may be reduced to a 10 to 20 ug/ml concentration. The distilled water becomes maximally concentrated in about 6 minutes. It can be stored as an ice cube, and, when refrigerated, it maintains its potency for 3 days. While ozone concentrations remain the same, treatments vary by the route and the frequency of administration. Here are some examples of how (O2/O3) ozone therapy can be used: a) ear insufflation using ozonated water with a fan for about 5 minutes, for an external ear infection; b) limb bagging with gaseous ozone to treat skin ulcers; c) directly injecting gaseous ozone into and/or around warts; d) injecting ozone mixed with procaine– “prolozone”– into knees or into trigger points. Procaine is added to minimize an associated burning sensation. e) Rectal insufflation of gaseous ozone to manage ulcerative colitis, cancers, and HIV. f) Ozone can be mixed with a person’s own blood and injected IM as an “auto-vaccine” for herpetic lesions, or when they are experiencing symptomatic allergies, and repeated in a week. g) Ozone can be simply used IV in a 50-50 mixture using the patient’s blood and ozone {by using a self-contained kit from Germany which avoids using a plastic bag and heparin}. It can also be irradiated with UV light, and followed with IV vitamin C. h) Ozonated olive oil is also great for helping with healing. One should avoid using ozone in the eyes and the lungs because these tissues have poor antioxidant systems. However, using ozone gas with nasal prongs while mouthbreathing is OK. {Also, Ref. The American Academy of Ozone Therapy.}

Recently I interviewed Aasmund from Norway, on his cancer fighting journey. I am very happy to report that 10 years after his initial lymphoma diagnosis, he has been cancer free for 4.5 years. He now lives a normal life in Norway as an IT engineer with his partner and 2 beautiful children.

Interview on Rumble：https://rumble.com/embed/v1nt9y9/?pub=1iq9nn

Please note that I have been suspended or severely restricted on major social media (for sharing scientific research data and my medical understanding and experience of Covid-19). We just set up an account on Rumble and WeMe.

WeMe: www.mewe.com/i/richardcheng

Aasmund was athletic in his late 20s when he was diagnosed of an aggressive form of mediastinal large cell lymphoma 10 years ago in 2012 without any warning. He was shocked and severely depressed as anyone else would react the same. He was given standard chemo + radio therapy, from which he developed sever side effects. In one of the PET-CT exams, he was told the principle of PET-CT was to inject radio-labeled glucose solution. Cancer cells will pick up a lot more (can be up to 50-200 times more) glucose than the surrounding normal cells and will show on on the PET-CT scan. As the doctor casually explained the mechanism to him (yes, PET-CT has been a standard cancer diagnostic tool for decades), Aasmund was smart enough to think: well, if cancer cells like sugar, what if I cut off sugar from my diet? Aasmund is the first patient ever who thought this way. Out of the many cancer patients, I have never heard any other patient thinking this way. Often even after I explain in detail of how cancer cells depend largely on glucose for survival, many patients still don’t want to believe. So when I heard this from Aasmund around 7-8 years ago, I was impressed. Aasmund immediately started web search and sure enough he found out about cancer metabolic research.  It’s around this time, that Thomas Seyfried’s Cancer as a Metabolic Disease book was published. (I have this book translated and published in China several years ago. I also organized several international conferences in Shanghai with Dr. Seyfried as the main guest).  Aasmund discovered several experts in the field and also contacted me.  He started restricted ketogenic diet-based (R-KD) cancer therapy.

Aasmund with his daughter, ~2016

He recovered quickly from the side effects of chemo + radiation and felt good on R-KD and nutritional supplements. His lymphoma gradually decreased in size from the original 10 cm down to 2-3 cm after 2-3 years later. Aasmund immediately started web search and sure enough he found out about cancer metabolic research.  It’s around this time, that Thomas Seyfried’s Cancer as a Metabolic Disease book was published.  Aasmund discovered several experts in the field and also contacted me.

He started restricted ketogenic diet-based (R-KD) cancer therapy.  He recovered quickly from the side effects of chemo + radiation and felt good on R-KD and nutritional supplements. His lymphoma gradually decreased in size from the original 10 cm down to 2-3 cm after 2-3 years later. but the residual 2-3 tumor stayed there and wouldn’t shrink any further. He consulted me again and I suggested adding high dose Vit C IV (HDIVC) and glycolysis inhibitors.

After some trouble to get a central venous line in place, finally he got a central line placed from a Helsinki hospital in Finland. He received HDIVC 5 days a week as well as  intravenous glycolysis inhibitors. He tolerated these well without significant side effects. However he noticed a nodule on his left neck gradually growing which later turned out to be Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His hospital insisted on chemo + radiation again. Aasmund received about 8-9 months later, by March of 2018, the enlarged lymph node in the left neck has also disappeared (on PET-CT).

In the 4.5 years since then, He’s been living a normal life without any medical treatment nor any sign of tumor, he felt good and energetic. He continues his ketogenic diet, although he does enjoy some carbs on the weekends. He continues to take nutritional supplements.

Between 2016 and 2018, in a period of about 2 years, I sent several emails to Aasmund but without response. I got worried that something might have happened to him. But in late 2018 or 2019, one day I received an email from Aasmund telling me everything is fine and that he changed his website and email. I felt really thrilled and I remember my eyes even got wet when I heard this good news. I was really really happy for him and his family. Thank God, nothing bad happened to him.

I was scheduled to present at a national Cancer conference in Beijing. I told Aasmund’s story to the conference president who kindly extended invitation to Aasmund to attend the Beijing cancer conference in 2020. But then Covid-19 disrupted everything. I got into a super busy mode ever since.

I wish Aasmund and his family best of luck!

Comment: The Wall Street Journal published an article titled “Rethinking the Origins of Inflammatory Diseases” by Dr. Shilpa Ravella of Columbia University on Oct. 6th, 2022. This article examines gaps in the medical community’s understanding of Covid-19. Much of what Dr. Lavera wrote is now well known in the literature, but remains largely unaccepted by mainstream medicine and incorporated into medical practice. What’s interesting about this article is that the Wall Street Journal published it. The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, etc. are some of the major news outlets that typically do not publish articles that are harshly critical of mainstream medicine​. Sure enough, if you read the entire article, you’ll see that what she wrote was actually pretty mild and only scratched the surface of the core of the health problems plaguing us today.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/rethinking-the-origins-of-inflammatory-diseases-11665068467

A key point of my presentation at the Tokyo International Symposium of Nutritional Medicine (1):

The hard and undisputable facts show: the global C0vid-19 policies focusing on the virus only are incomplete, unscientific, and not aligned with the best interest of public health.

ttps://www.newagemedicine.net/

Covid-19 pandemic sweeping through the entire Planet Earth leaving nowhere untouched, causing tremendous damages. We have been promoting many known and existing antiviral agents available to us even before Covid-19 outbreak. These natural antiviral agents include vitamins C, D3, zinc, and hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide has been known for more than 200 years and has been clinically used (including intravenous administration) for over 100 years.

Back in 2004, in a study 96 cases of pediatric mycoplasma pneumonia patients, several Chinese doctors reported the safe and effective use of 2% hydrogen peroxide ultrasound inhalation.

观察超声雾化吸入2%双氧水配合治疗儿童支原体肺炎的临床疗效.方法:96例支原体肺炎患儿分为A,B 2组,均采用阿奇霉素口服,B组同时使用2%双氧水漱洗及超声雾化.结果:治疗1～6个疗程后,B组患儿治疗时间及疗效均优于A组.结论:儿童支原体肺炎配合超声雾化可明显提高临床疗效,并可作为支原体预防.

[1]章奕, 陈康, 赵志红. 超声雾化吸入2%双氧水佐治儿童支原体肺炎[J]. 中国康复, 2004, 19(3):1. 10.3870/j.issn.1001-2001.2004.03.026

Announcing the Y-Fountain Anti-Aging

Lecture Series

A healthier, happier, and longer life is only possible with the priority on the prevention, treatment and potential reversal of chronic diseases, followed by specific anti-aging targeted therapeutics.

Aug 13th (this Sat), 9pm

 Zoom (ID: 332 511 4061; Passcode: 999999)

A healthier, happier & longer life is the eternal dream of the mankind. But all of us mortals want a quick fix: to enjoy all the “sins” (e.g., smoking and drinking, staying up late playing mahjong), and then expect to pop a miracle pill to rid us of all the illnesses and live a long life. Where there is a market need, there is a “solution”. The market is full of profit-driven “smart” businesses and unscrupulous “scientists” trying to sell you a miraculous longevity pill.

A “Healthier, happier, longer life” is not just a miracle longevity pill. You pay for it and you “sacrifice” for it: you need to “sacrifice” (change your unhealthy habits and unhealthy lifestyle). Abundant research, life experience and common sense tell us that the vast majority of us are not able to reach the biological limits of our life (estimated to be ~125 years of age) because most of us suffer from chronic diseases, which greatly cut short of our expected lifespan.

A healthier, happier and longer life starts with the prevention, treatment and reversal of the common chronic diseases first. Dr. Cheng, in the upcoming Lectures Series (How to Live a Healthier, Happier & Longer Life), will share with you his experience and learning of the past 40+ years. Please note this is a public English lecture series.

Initiated, organized and sponsored by:

1. The Y Fountain Inc, a San Francisco-based biotech firm, pioneering in developing anti-aging drugs and nutraceuticals using cutting edge technology.
2. Richard Cheng, M.D., Ph.D.
   • Board certified anti-aging specialist
   • President, Cheng Integrative Health Center (www.DrWLC.com), with offices in Columbia, SC, USA and Shanghai, China
   • Editorial Board Member, Orthomolecular Medicine (orthomolecular.org)
   • Executive Editor, Orthomolecular Medicine Education Service (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1dbpz2xB3jhAAyjvLn2yOQ).

by Richard Z. Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., Thomas E. Levy, M.D., J.D.

Summary: Osteoporosis, like most other disease, is caused by not just Vitamin D deficiency, but by many other factors. But the central dogma has been promoting just prescription drugs and calcium supplements. This strategy sounds simple and straight, unfortunately not only they don’t work, they may even be harmful to you.  There is a rich body of data in the literature that show lifestyle, nutrition, toxin and hormonal balance (or lack thereof) have an impact on bone health and osteoporosis. A brief summary of these research data is presented here.  The practical management of osteoporosis, and other chronic diseases, should incorporate these aspects for optimal results.

The recent issue of NEJM published an article showing Vit D supplementation does not improve osteoporosis. ¹ Forbes magazine immediately jumped the gun: Stop Taking Vitamin D Already! ²

Vitamin D is more than just a vitamin, it is more like a hormone with pleiotropic effects on human, including immune boosting effects to fight against Covid-19. Declaring to stop taking Vit D based on just one negative study is not only unscientific, it’s against common sense.  (I will not discuss the study design issues, as Dr. Bill Grant will offer his critique of NEJM’s poor study design soon). There have been many clinical studies on Vit D3 and Covid-19 in the last 2 years, including a special collection of Micronutrients for Viral Infections – Reference Bibliography by International Society for Orthomolecular Medicine, ³ and several such papers on Orthomolecular Medicine News Service including a recent review by Dr. Bill Grant. ⁴ Have the author and editor of the Forbes article either not been updated on the Vit D research or is there something else?

Prescription drugs and calcium supplements have no significant benefits on osteoporosis.

Earlier this year, a meta-analysis published on JAMA found that bisphosphonates, a major class of prescription osteoporosis drugs offer very few benefits to osteoporotic patients. ⁵ Another meta-analysis on JAMA showed calcium supplements do not offer significant help to osteoporosis. ⁶

Calcium supplements increase your risks of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

To make matters worse, calcium supplements not only do not improve your health, but may actually increase your risks of cardiovascular diseases and cancer, as reported on a recent study. ⁷

There are actually many studies in the literature demonstrating the increased risks of calcium supplements, as elegantly summarized by Thomas Levy, M.D., J.D.^{8 9}

Prescription drugs and calcium supplements are not helpful and may be even harmful.  So, are osteoporosis patients doomed?

Not at all. There is a rich body of evidence in the medical literature showing that osteoporosis is a multifactorial disease, and a healthy lifestyle, toxin overload (hence detoxification), optimal nutrition and hormonal balance are effective in improving not only osteoporosis but your overall health. I’ll summarize these findings below. ⁸

Highlights of some of the relevant research:

• Vitamin C and Osteoporosis:
  • Increased oxidative stress (= inflammatory response) in the bone is accompanied by an increase in C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP can accurately predict fracture risk in older women with osteoporosis.¹⁰
  • Increased other inflammatory markers are also closely associated with increased fracture risk. ¹¹
  • High-dose vitamin C can significantly reduce CRP and many other markers of inflammation. ¹²
  • Vitamin C stimulates the development of osteoblasts.^{13 14}
  • Vitamin C is necessary for the synthesis of progenin (class III), which is required for the growth of osteoblasts. ¹⁵
  • Dietary vitamin C, which is negligible compared to any form of vitamin C supplementation, does not reduce fracture risk.¹⁶
  • Elderly osteoporosis patients with a history of fractures had significantly lower levels of vitamin C than those without a history of fractures.¹⁷
  • Supplementation with vitamin C, but not calcium, significantly increased bone mineral density in all bones.¹⁸
  • In ovariectomized mice, vitamin C prevents bone loss.¹⁹Vitamin C significantly accelerates fracture healing (PMID: 11510911).
  • Vitamin C significantly improves the strength of healed fractures.²⁰
• Magnesium deficiency and osteoporosis:
  • Magnesium is a natural calcium antagonist.^{21 22}
  • Magnesium dissolves calcium deposits in soft tissues.²³
  • Magnesium deficiency leads to an increase in intracellular calcium. ²⁴
  • Magnesium increases bone density and reduces fractures.²⁵
  • Magnesium reduces all-cause mortality.^{26 27}
  • Usual supplemental doses have no toxic side effects.

• Vitamin K deficiency and osteoporosis:
  • Inhibits ectopic calcification by activating proteases such as osteocalcin and matrix Gla proteins.²⁸
  • Helps dissolve deposited calcium.²⁹
  • Neutralizes warfarin (warfarin can cause ectopic calcification). ³⁰
  • Reduced fracture risk. ³¹
  • Improves bone quality. ³²
  • Reduces cardiac and all-cause mortality. ³³
  • At any dose tried, there was no apparent toxicity. ³⁴

• Vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis
  • A normal level of vitamin D ensures that the body gets enough calcium from the diet.
  • The role of vitamin D goes far beyond the metabolism of bone and calcium.
  • Vitamin D regulates about 2000 genes. ³⁵
  • Deficiency of vitamin D leads to osteoporosis. ³⁶
  • Too much vitamin D exacerbates osteoporosis. ³⁷
  • During bone growth and development, it plays an important role in bone density. ³⁸
  • Reduced all-cause mortality at therapeutic doses of vitamin D. ^{39 40}

• Estrogens and Osteoporosis:
  • Reduce coronary calcium deposition. ⁴¹
  • The higher the E2, the lower the CAC score. ⁴²
  • Inhibits a calcification-promoting protease. ⁴³
  • Estrogen deficiency leads to an increase in cytokines that promote inflammation. ⁴⁴
  • Reduction of fracture risk in patients with osteoporosis. ⁴⁵
  • Estrogen deficiency increases all-cause mortality. ⁴⁶
  • Estrogen deficiency promotes metabolic syndrome. ⁴⁷

• Androgens and Osteoporosis:
  • Testosterone deficiency is a well-established fracture risk factor. ⁴⁸
  • With calcium channel blocking function. ⁴⁹
  • Prostate cancer patients often have low testosterone levels (PMID: 22068548).
  • Testosterone levels are inversely proportional to coronary calcium index. ⁵⁰
  • Testosterone deficiency increases all-cause mortality. ^{51 52}

• Thyroid hormones and Osteoporosis:
  • Thyroid hormones have a significant effect on the metabolism of cells throughout the body. ⁵³
  • Early skeletal development and the highest bone mass (Peak Bone Mass) have essential roles. ⁵⁴
  • Both high and low thyroid function increase fracture risk. ⁵⁵
  • TSH has a direct (non-thyroid-related) bone-protecting function. ^{56 57}
  • Both too high and too low thyroxine independently increased all-cause mortality. This includes subclinical hypothyroidism and subclinical hyperthyroidism. ^{58 59}
  • Thyroid hormones status should be a part of routine medical examination, and should be checked regularly (at least annually), especially in the elderly population.

• Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) and Osteoporosis:
  • Some EFAs have calcium channel blocking capabilities. ^{60 61}
  • Numerous EFAs have been shown to protect bone mineral density. ^{62 63}
  • Blood EFA levels are inversely related to all-cause mortality. ⁶⁴
  • Not toxic, may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in large quantities.

• Calcium Supplements Are Not Only Unhelpful, They Are Harmful: Chronic Hypercalcemia Is Common in Adults, and Calcium Supplements Promote Coronary Calcium
  • A more recent study (2017) showed that calcium supplementation has no effect on osteoporosis. ⁶
  • One-third of Americans over the age of 45 have CT-detected arterial calcification. ⁶⁵
  • Coronary heart disease is positively associated with osteoporosis. ⁶⁶
  • Aortic calcification is positively associated with osteoporosis (PMID: 16704561). ⁶⁷
  • Calcium supplements promote coronary calcium deposition.
  • A recent 10-year large study of 5448 subjects in the United States found that calcium supplementation was 22% more likely to be positive for CAC (coronary calcium index) than those who did not. CAC has been generally recognized as a reliable predictor of atherosclerotic plaque burden, coronary heart disease, and all-cause mortality. ^{68 69 70}
  • A recent (2022.6) meta-analysis once again showed that calcium supplements increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. ⁷

• Significant calcifications outside the bones: indicating calcium excess
  • Ectopic calcifications are very common in cancer.
  • Using the latest MRI, 22 of 23 prostate patients were found to have prostate calcification. ⁷¹
  • Excessive intracellular calcium is associated with cancer:
  • The relationship between intracellular calcium and cancer is well established. Higher intracellular calcium concentration increases cancer cell growth and metastasis. ^{72 73 74}
  • Conversely, a drop in intracellular calcium reduces cancer cell metastasis. ⁷⁵
  • Women with the highest scores on a bone density test had an increased risk of breast cancer. ⁷⁶
  • Calcifications are usually seen on mammography in patients with breast cancer. ⁷⁷
  • Calcium and calcium channel blockers (CCBs. Also known as calcium ion antagonists, which have the effect of reducing intracellular calcium ions).
  • Calcium channels are proteins on the cell membrane that selectively allow calcium to enter and leave the cell.
  • CCBs were originally used to treat high blood pressure (which has a vasodilatory function), but are now used for a variety of diseases.
  • The only serious side effect of CCBs is excessive calcium antagonism, resulting in vasoconstriction disorders and hypotension.
  • The hypotensive and other therapeutic effects of CCBs can only be demonstrated on the basis of increased intracellular calcium. Although different CCBs have other different effects, their main function is to block calcium channels. Therefore, we can conclude that any disease for which CCBs are effective is due to the increased intracellular calcium ion concentration affected by the disease.
  • In addition to high blood pressure, CCBs are also effective against the following conditions:
  • Coronary spasm (PMID: 21389642);
  • Angina pectoris (PMID: 23016717):
  • Anti-atherosclerotic (PMID: 22653165);
  • Pulmonary hypertension (PMID: 20543192);
  • Raynaud’s phenomenon (PMID: 21704799);
  • Acute Brain Injury (PMID: 22854593).
  • Epilepsy (PMID: 19303743);
  • Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuritis (PMID: 23206755):
  • Alzheimer’s Disease (PMID: 21925266):
  • Parkinson’s disease (PMID: 22387374):
  • Osteoporosis (PMID: 21881574):
  • CCBs reduce all-cause mortality (PMID: 10323641; 10922432; 15716708; 19451836).
  • Further evidence that increased intracellular calcium leads to increased intracellular oxidative stress (toxicity):
  • CCBs can prevent methylmercury-induced nerve damage in rats (PMID: 8882354);
  • The use of CCBs is inversely related to the occurrence of prostate cancer (PMID: 23280547);
  • CCBs reduce intracytoplasmic iron accumulation and further increase the increase in intracellular oxidative stress. The accumulation and increase of intracellular iron are also important factors in the carcinogenesis of cells (PMID: 21860702).

To put these altogether, we recommend an integrative management of osteoporosis to include at least the following:

1. Healthy lifestyle
   1. Sufficient sleep, exercise, outdoor activities and relaxation
   2. Nutrition rich anti-inflammatory healthy diets to include low carbohydrates, sufficient proteins and healthy fats; minimize processed foods and synthetic food additives, agricultural chemicals, antibiotics and hormones, and other environmental pollutant.
2. Nutrition: In addition to what’s described above, macro- and micro-nutrients play a significant roles in the prevention and reversal of bone health and osteoporosis, as reviewed in ⁷⁸. Broad spectrum optimal vitamins and micronutrients, esp. vitamin C, D3, K2, and magnesium, as these nutrients require each other for optimal effects, as described in ⁷⁹.
3. Toxins and detox. Environmental toxins are major category of root causes to our health.
4. Hormonal balance. Monitoring the status of the thyroid, adrenal and sex hormones and balance if indicated, is another under-recognized area in medicine today.

References:

1. LeBoff, M. & et al. Supplemental Vitamin D and Incident Fractures in Midlife and Older Adults | NEJM. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2202106.
2. Salzberg, S. Stop Taking Vitamin D Already! Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2022/08/01/stop-taking-vitamin-d-already/.
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Dr. Richard Cheng, M.D., Ph.D. will start a series of regular online interactive presentations, sharing with you his 4o+ years medical experience on 

How to Live a Healthier, Happier and Longer Life.

We need both the general and the specific anti-aging medicine measures to live a healthier, happier and longer life.

The dream to live a healthier, happier and longer life dates back at least to the beginning of recorded civilization.  The vast majority, if not all, of us do not die at the end of natural lifespan, but die of chronic diseases.

Common chronic diseases cut short our lifespan by an estimated ~40 years or so. If one does not suffer from any diseases, one is expected to live to ~120 years of age, then dies of “true natural aging”.

So anti-aging medicine is about the study, prevention, treatment and reversal of chronic diseases. If we can prevent, reduce or slow down this chronic disease driven aging process, then we can extend life-expectancy beyond an average of ~80 years, up to ~120 years. I consider this as the general anti-aging medicine.

The specific anti-aging medicine is the effort to “tweak” our “natural aging process” to extend the estimated natural aging beyond 120 years, once we succeed in preventing chronic diseases to achieve expected lifespan of ~120 years.

We need both the general and the specific anti-aging medicine measures to live a healthier, happier and longer life.

Most, if not all, chronic and acute diseases are due to multifactorial causes. Take Covid-19, an acute viral infection, for example. It’s well known that most people contracted Covid-19 show no or mild symptoms.  Only a very small percentage of patients develop severe disease.  Why?

Whether you develop Covid-19 disease and how severe are your clinical symptoms depend more on your immunity.

The Balance of Covid-19 Virus and Your immunity

determines Your Clinical  Disease

Ms. FCD, 60 years of age, came to our service，~6 months ago at the end of 2021, with diagnoses of：

1. Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques (Fig. 1).
2. Hyperlipidemia
3. Thyroid Nodules

I advised her to go on low carb/ketogenic diet, exercise, nutritional supplementation including high dose Vit C, niacin, Vit D3, Vit K2,  magnesium, other antioxidants and mitochondrial nutrients and special amino acids (mostly in our TotoCell Nutrition package).  She later confessed that she did only low carb diet (not the more complete ketogenic diet) and did take the nutritional supplements, but at lower doses of what I recommended.  A repeat ultrasound exam ~6 months later, June 2022, did not show those plaques. Ms. F said the examining doctor looked hard in the same area where those plaques were seen back in 2020, but she couldn’t find them this time.

We have reversed several cases of carotid atherosclerosis as well as coronary atherosclerosis with plaques and stenosis, with a similar approach.

Top Figure. Ultrasound, Dec. 9th, 2020. Left carotid plaque (0.2 x 0.18 cm).

Center Figure, Ultrasound, June 11th, 2022, No carotid plaques seen.

Bottom Figure, front page of the recent report showing the examining date.