This article by Dr Eric Topol presents a recent finding on possible mechanisms behind the Long Covid disaster, and surprise, here is rapamycin being put forward as a possible treatment! The new finding is that mitochondrial damage was found, and that does make sense as a way to explain many long covid symptoms. A recent post (9/1/23) here by RapAdmin mentions that the process of recycling/replacing mitochondria within a cell, Mitophagy, is promoted by rapamycin. Considering the tens of millions of people suffering from Long Covid, one would hope some attention would be paid to rapamycin for once, despite its out-of-patent status. Maybe this will put rapamycin on the map?
Part of the problem with understanding long Covid is the lack of a good definition of what the disease is.
1 Like
As I give weekly doses of Sirolimus to my standard poodles, Ziggy and Zara, and my twin brother and I take it as well, I have been wondering if Sirolimus would be a solution to my sister’s 3 years of Long COVID. I have been reluctant to give her some of my nefarious stock pile since I didn’t think it was fair to offer this as another wack a mole approach to her suffering. We have discussed it. I feel awkward sharing my current uses of Sirolimus with anyone at this time as well!
Since mTor inhibitors do exert with some long term atophagy benefits to mitochondria, this is intriguing if mitochondrial dysfunction is at the root cause of my sister’s suffering. But as a practicing internist I agree with what well stated above, is the realization that this is a very heterogenous group of patients. Some have clear autoimmune problems and other do not.
I would wonder what dose would be offered for Sirolimus for long COVID, if any? Is it still a pulse weekly dose but maybe higher than the geroprotective doses I and her brother are taking (6 mg/weekly) or Ziggy and Zara (4 mg /weekly).
I appreciate the above post and would be grateful for any further literature or expertise from this community. I have seen a cluster of Phase 2 or 3 trials, one looking at a two week treatment of daily sirolimus at 0.5, 1 or 2 mg. But no data. Will dig more and post if I find anything that is potentially significant.
4 Likes
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhl/article/PIIS2666-7568(20)30068-4/fulltext
The potential of rapalogs to enhance resilience against SARS-CoV-2 infection and reduce the severity of COVID-19
-
Prof Matt Kaeberlein, PhD
Very thorough and well written
4 Likes
Interesting Eric Topol interview with Aikiko Iwasaki. Long-covid, nasal vaccines, neomycin, etc:
3 Likes
Didn’t see this paper posted here. Want a long Healthspan?….don’t get long covid. I’ve been afraid of long covid since early 2020 (before that name emerged) after i read about a fellow Colorado cyclist…super fit guy who didn’t recover well from covid. I was determined to avoid that outcome.
Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations
3 Likes
It might be worthwhile to sit inside the batcave and monitor the current viral transmission and not go into crowds while it’s peaking as then it’s near certainty to catch it.
Might be true for all viral diseases that are tracked though.
1 Like
I first started taking papa for my long covid. It has definitely helped. Not fully back to where I was prior to Covid, but I dread to think of going back to where I was before taking it! And I have tried a lot of treatments.
4 Likes
I was just at a longevity meeting this week and a longevity doctor (out of UCSF, here in San Francisco) conveyed the opinion that not getting covid (and other infections more generally) is very important for brain health too. He says the science clearly points towards lower cognitive / brain health with increased number of covid infections. He wore a mask when in the crowd, but not when talking on the stage.
5 Likes
@RapAdmin Right. I need to start being more careful. Of course I feel weird about wearing a mask. I almost never get sick, which has made me complacent. The downside might not be a huge cliff (get sick and become disabled) but rather an irreversible decline from the accumulation of whatever happens each time COVID (and the other bad ones) gets inside. I fear it is similar to the chronic effect of a Lyme infection (I’ve had tick bites but no known Lyme illness).
I’m not sure what to do instead of wearing a mask. I suppose making my immune system as robust as possible is a good start. Melatonin, vitamin D, sunshine, good sleep, no alcohol, nasal breathing, daily sinus rinsing. These are all things I do anyway.
1 Like
Yeh, I’m not going to wear a mask everywhere, but I do when flying and when moving through airports.
2 Likes
How many microplastic fragments will you suck into your lungs whilst wearing a mask?
@Joseph_Lavelle
I use enovid spray when I don’t mask
There was talk in her post about a new one coming out.
In my CA town, there are enough people who mask that I feel very comfortable doing so, but I have been masking less and less all the time. When I don’t, I try to remember to use the spray. I have no idea if it works, but two docs told me it’s at least harmless, and I have not had a known case of covid (does not mean it’s from the spray)
@RapAdmin it’s helpful to know that this is still the thinking, vs just the outcomes from early on BAD covid.
I had shortness of breath in aprox 2021 and my ucsf cardiologist had me come do all the tests because they were seeing so much heart damage from covid (incase I had an asymptomatic case). I was fine and it went away.
The new spray that was discussed was https://www.profispray.com/
Would love updated thoughts of that vs enovid if anyone has one!
1 Like
Does anyone know why anything is better than a saline sinus rinse? Saline sinus rinses (daily) 100% eliminated my sinus infections.
1 Like
NO idea. Early on in the pandemic, I was told not to use rinses because you don’t want to be pushing anything pasts your nose. This was early on and have no idea if that thinking has changed. ?
And yes, I used to do that when I had recurring sinus infections, too… with a little silver… worked like a charm. I’m not living where I used to be triggered, so stopped a long time ago.
1 Like
I don’t “approve” enovid. Never used it, and my research came back with mixed assessments as to efficacy. My mother loves it, though, if that’s approval enough for you. 
Me, I make my own nasal spray based on the thread I linked to above.
1 Like
Viruses contributing to aging, and more. Amy Proal PhD on Lustgargens @ConquerAging YouTube show. More fuel on the virus fire, and new benefits of rapamycin (new for me).
Some notes:
Dr Proal takes:
- Lumbrokinase (biofilms and blood clot defense)
- Nattokianase (biofilms and blood clot defense)
- methylene blue (mitochondria defense)
- anti virals for herpes (periodically to keep herpes in check). Also mentioned Cats Claw
Gut health is a key to avoid overwhelm by viral (and bacteria, fungal) load. Major path of pathogen infestation of gut barrier is weakened. Common reservoir for Covid virus. Known source of Alzheimer’s source virus.
Lustgarden (@ConquerAging) shared his 1mg / day for 5 of 7 days of rapamycin made him feel terrible and worsened bio markers without lowering his fungal IGG target. This is why he quit. He should have asked for advice from this group.
2 Likes