Image Credit: Baylor College of Medicine.
“The flu can kill tens of millions of people…” was the news headline I started my day with. Experts believe the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918 was responsible for 50 to 100 million deaths, and the author of the Washington Post article wrote,
“…the 1918 nightmare serves a reminder. If a virulent enough strain were to emerge again, a century of modern medicine might not save millions from dying.” [1]
Like most people, I don’t want to be a flu casualty. I decided to take some time to understand what a century of modern medicine has produced in terms of flu research. Are there any promising findings which could lead to better prevention/treatment?
First, let’s look at where the current approach is failing.
Vaccine Manufacturing and Virus Adaptations
To manufacture a Flu vaccine, the virus is injected into a chicken egg – where it replicates. The virus adapts to this environment, however. In a study of H3N2 (the predominant strain this 2017-2018 flu season), they found,
“This mutation disrupts the region on the protein that is commonly recognized by our immune system. This means a vaccine containing the mutated version of the protein will not be able to trigger an effective immune response. This leaves the body without protection against circulating strains of H3N2.” [2]
That helps explain the low efficacy rate of this year’s vaccine. (Early data from Canada suggest 17% efficacy against H3N2 – which is similar to the 10% seen in Australia.)
Evidence of Increased Shedding of Influenza A with Vaccination
You may have seen the headlines, ‘Flu can spread by breathing alone‘. These articles are referencing the findings of a new study titled,
Researchers made a potentially significant observation which is lacking in most of the news coverage I’ve seen on the study. They reported,
“…In adjusted models, we observed 6.3 (95% CI 1.9–21.5) times more aerosol shedding among cases with vaccination in the current and previous season compared with having no vaccination in those two seasons.” [3]
Further research will need to confirm this observation, but…
“…If confirmed, this observation, together with recent literature suggesting reduced protection with annual vaccination, would have implications for influenza vaccination recommendations and policies.” [3]
When the Government Recommendations Aren’t Evidence-Based
The CDC’s 2017-2018 influenza season recommendations for treatment and prevention include the antiviral medication Tamiflu (oseltamivir) [4].
In 2014 a Cochrane evidence review was published by The British Medical Journal looking at trial data for Tamiflu. The evidence showed minimal benefits but increased risk of suffering from symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. The Tamiflu trial data also confirmed increase risk of headaches, renal events, and psychiatric disturbances. [5]
“There was no evidence of a reduction in hospitalisations or serious influenza complications; confirmed pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis or ear infection in either adults or children. …Evidence also suggests that Tamiflu prevented some people from producing sufficient numbers of their own antibodies to fight infection.” [6]
In June 2017 the World Health Organization (WHO) downgraded Tamiflu from a “core” drug to one that is “complementary” after reviewing the evidence [7].
A decision which came far too late according to some experts who point out the evidence of only minimal benefit was already 18 years old by the time of the decision [8] and came only after $18 billion in sales worldwide (half of that from governments stockpiling the drug) [9].
The British Medical Journal has a page dedicated to the “Tamiflu campaign”. It states,
“CDC and ECDC encourage the use and stockpiling of Tamiflu, but did not vet the Tamiflu data.” [10]
Investigation Time
The fact that the government recommendations aren’t evidence-based is a decent indication digging into the literature is a good use of my time.
Disclaimer: (I am not a physician, and none of this is medical advice. I am only sharing the results of my investigation of the research.)
For a couple years I have been monitoring the daily press releases detailing research being done at universities. I chronicle what I consider to be significant/interesting findings relating to the origins of disease and ways to optimize health. I decided to start this investigation by searching my Facebook posts (@ContraReport) for ‘influenza’.
Search 1:
Facebook.com/ContraReport for ‘influenza’
Results:
Vitamin D
1. Vitamin D protects against colds and flu, finds major global study (2017).
A study led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) was published in BMJ Feb 2017 in which raw data was analyzed from ~11,000 participants in 25 clinical trials in 14 countries.
Conclusion: “Vitamin D supplementation was safe and it protected against acute respiratory tract infection overall. Patients who were very vitamin D deficient and those not receiving bolus doses experienced the most benefit.” [11]
Microbiota
2. A microbial metabolite mediates protection against influenza infection (2017).
A study led by Dr Thaddeus Stappenbeck from the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine found “a particular gut microbe modulates immune response to influenza infection in mice through breaking down flavonoids naturally found in vegetal foods” [12].
The metabolite: desaminotyrosine (DAT)
“When DAT was given to mice and then the mice were infected with influenza virus, the mice experienced less lung damage than mice not treated with DAT, even though the DAT-treated mice showed levels of viral infection that were identical to those in mice that did not receive the treatment.” [12]
This inspired my next search.
Search 2:
PubMed for ‘microbiota influenza’
Results:
Role of the intestinal microbiota in the immunomodulation of influenza virus infection (2017).
This paper presents “the latest evidence for strategies seeking to harness gut microbiota for the management of influenza infections” [13].
The authors discuss research on the impact to the immune system caused by probiotic administration.
“…pretreatment with probiotics prior to influenza virus infection had a positive effect on the cytokines that contribute to influenza-mediated gastroenteritis, and Th1 cytokine responses were also found to be elevated in most probiotic-treated mice. Moreover, probiotic bacteria were found to regulate innate immune cells via interactions between cell wall components or metabolites with host [pattern recognition receptors], effectively activating [dendritic cells] and macrophages that then promote adaptive immune responses.” [13]
They also write that research suggests,
“oral administration of probiotics can differentially affect gene expression, and that the effects may be harnessed to enhance antiviral activity” [13]
The future could involve needleless probiotic vaccines?
“current research is examining the use of probiotics as a vehicle to carry exogenous antigens to mucosal tissues, where they can then trigger a stronger T cell response or enhance IgA production… Compared with current influenza vaccines, probiotic influenza vaccines offer the advantages of needle-free delivery and better safety. In animal models, probiotic vaccines were able to provide sufficient protection against different subtypes and strains of influenza virus, but conflicting results were seen in pilot human trials. To improve the efficacy of such vaccines, further research will be needed” [13]
Some promise for the future, perhaps.
Natural Antivirals
Next thought: Are there antivirals existing in nature today which have been researched?
Search 3:
PubMed for ‘nature antiviral’
Results:
Antiviral Natural Products and Herbal Medicines (2014).
This paper outlines many interesting studies. It references several natural products which have been examined for their effects against influenza. These include: elderberry extract, dandelion extract, and others.
Elderberry
“Rubini elderberry liquid extract is active against human pathogenic bacteria as well as influenza viruses. The activities shown suggest that additional and alternative approaches to combat infections might be provided by this natural product.” [15]
Dandelion Root
“The antiviral activity of dandelion extracts indicates that a component or components of these extracts possess anti-influenza virus properties. Mechanisms of reduction of viral growth in MDCK or A549 cells by dandelion involve inhibition on virus replication.” [16]
Pelargonium Sidoides Root
A licensed commercial extract from Pelargonium sidoides, called EPs® 7630 was studied. “administered by inhalation significantly improved survival, body weight and body temperature of influenza-infected mice, without obvious toxicity, demonstrating the benefit of EPs® 7630 in treatment of influenza.” [17]
Broccoli Sprouts
I just successfully grew my first jar of Broccoli Sprouts after watching this informative video on Sulforaphane by Dr Rhonda Patrick.. As I was eating a handful of them I wondered: Is it possible sulforaphane has been researched in relation to influenza?
Search 4
PubMed for ‘sulforaphane influenza’
Results:
“In smokers, short term ingestion of broccoli sprout homogenates appears to significantly reduce some virus-induced markers of inflammation, as well as reducing virus quantity. Nutritional antioxidant interventions have promise as a safe, low-cost strategy for reducing influenza risk among smokers and other at risk populations.” [18]
Mushrooms
And then finally I remembered something. In his Ted Talk, ‘6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World’, mycologist Paul Stamets mentioned the flu.
Search 5:
Google for ‘Paul Stamets Ted Talk’
Results:
Ted: 6 ways mushrooms can save the world (2008).
From the transcript:
“And so, for the first time, I am showing this. We have three different strains of Agarikon mushrooms highly active against flu viruses. Here’s the selectivity index numbers — against pox, you saw 10s and 20s — now against flu viruses, compared to the ribavirin controls, we have an extraordinarily high activity. And we’re using a natural extract within the same dosage window as a pure pharmaceutical. We tried it against flu A viruses — H1N1, H3N2 — as well as flu B viruses. So then we tried a blend, and in a blend combination we tried it against H5N1, and we got greater than 1,000 selectivity index.” [19]
The image below is from a patent application of Stamets’.
Mr Stamets sells various products made with US grown organic mushrooms at HostDefense.com. One of his immune support products does contain the mushrooms detailed in this patent. (I have no affiliation and am making no claims. I am merely sharing the results of my investigation.)
The Future May Belong to the Heterodox
The solutions to this problem may not come from the pharmaceutical industry, and there may not be one uniform approach which will be applied universally. I do hope that by making choices about where we direct our attention and where we spend/invest our dollars, individuals can encourage innovation which will produce a broader range of solutions.
Most importantly, we as a society must not stifle imagination by forcing each other to subscribe to an illusory reality where the only solutions are industry solutions – branding those who dare examine evidence as heretics. Information should never be discouraged from being discussed. Inquiry should never be shut down. It is never in the interest of progress that dialogue among peaceful individuals is restricted. Truth can’t be discovered without thoughtful examination and analysis of evidence.
2024 Update: I am re-reading this and feel compelled to add a note. This article wasn’t intended to serve as extensive research on a topic. I was intending to encourage thinking and exploration & to cause people to think beyond rigid single solution approaches to viruses
Source Links:
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/01/27/the-flu-can-kill-tens-of-millions-of-people-in-1918-thats-exactly-what-it-did/?utm_term=.723deef17737
- https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-10-flu-shot-influenza-mutate.html
- http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/01/17/1716561115
- https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/antivirals/summary-clinicians.htm
- http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g2545
- https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-04/bmj-tr040814.php
- http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j2841
- http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j2841/rr
- http://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/who-decision-to-downgrade-tamiflu-comes-far-too-late-argues-expert/
- http://www.bmj.com/tamiflu
- http://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583
- http://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/microbial-metabolite-mediates-protection-influenza-infection-type-interferon-signalling-mice/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28939355
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4032839/#!po=35.2273
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21352539/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22168277/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22475498/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049587/
- https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world/transcript
