Day: October 16, 2022

• Rinsing your nasal passages with a saline solution within 24 hours of a COVID-19 diagnosis could reduce your chances of being hospitalized by 8.5-fold

• Among people with COVID-19 who used nasal irrigation twice daily, 80% had zero or one mild symptom, compared to 42% of those who irrigated less often

• Only 13% of those who used nasal irrigation still had symptoms at day 28, compared to nearly 50% of those in another study

• Other research also supports the use of nasal irrigation as a “useful add-on to first-line interventions for COVID-19”

• Nebulized hydrogen peroxide diluted with saline, with or without iodine, can also be safely used by most people for prevention of respiratory infections — and in cases of active infection

Rinsing your nasal passages with a saline solution within 24 hours of a COVID-19 diagnosis could reduce your chances of being hospitalized by 8.5-fold.1 Why hasn’t your doctor told you about this? And why haven’t public health agencies shared the good news with the public that they can significantly reduce their risk of severe COVID-19 with a simple nasal wash?

The practically free solution is just too inexpensive. Unlike Pfizer’s Paxlovid, which was granted emergency use authorization to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in December 20212 — and is slated to make the company $22 billion in profits in 20223 — there’s little money to be made by promoting the ancient practice of nasal lavage.

Further, if its benefits are confirmed, widespread usage could have drastically altered the course of the pandemic, rendering the entire pandemic response completely unnecessary.4

Nasal irrigation, sometimes referred to as nasal lavage, is a relatively popular method for relieving cold symptoms, often via the use of a neti pot. The practice is an ancient technique with roots in the traditional Indian health care system, however.

Irrigating the nasal passages with saline is used in traditional yoga practice, where it’s known as jala-neti.5 It involves the use of a saline solution in teapot-like device, used to flush out the nose and sinus cavities. After inserting the end of the pot in one side of your nose, the solution moves through your sinuses and out the other nostril. A bulb syringe or squeeze bottle can also be used.

In the U.S., nasal irrigation continues to be an adjunctive therapy for upper respiratory conditions and is currently prescribed after nasal and sinus surgeries.6 The featured study, which was published in the Ear, Nose & Throat journal in August 2022, involved 79 participants 55 and older who were diagnosed with COVID-19.7

They were randomly selected to use either one-half teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate (alkalinization) with an isotonic normal saline (0.9% saline) rinse twice a day for 14 days or to include 2.5 milliliters (roughly a half-teaspoon) of povidone-iodine (PVP-I) 10% solution (antimicrobial) for the same period. The researchers then followed up with each group 14 days after their final intervention.

Those who used nasal irrigation were more than 8.5 times less likely to be hospitalized compared to the national rate, the study found. A dose-response relationship was also found. Among those who irrigated twice daily, 80% had zero or one mild symptom, compared to 42% of those who irrigated less often.

Further, only 13% of those who used nasal irrigation still had symptoms at day 28, compared to nearly 50% of those in another study, who had continued symptoms for 21 days or more.8 According to the researchers:9

“Our results support that pressurized nasal irrigation reduces the likelihood of hospitalization in high-risk COVID-19 + outpatients, suggesting a safe and over the counter measure with potentially vital public health impact.

The reduction from 11 to 1.3% as of November 2021 would have corresponded in absolute terms to over 1,000,000 fewer older Americans requiring admission. If confirmed in other studies, the potential reduction in morbidity and mortality worldwide could be profound.”

Senior study author Dr. Richard Schwartz noted, “We found an 8.5-fold reduction in hospitalizations and no fatalities compared to our controls. Both of those are pretty significant endpoints.”10 In addition to the featured study, other research also supports the use of nasal irrigation as a “useful add-on to first-line interventions for COVID-19.”11

Dr. Amy Baxter, featured study author and emergency medicine physician at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, said she got inspiration for the study from visits to Southeast Asia, where nasal irrigation is used daily as part of personal hygiene. She explained:12

“What we say in the emergency room and surgery is the solution to pollution is dilution … If you have a contaminant, the more you flush it out, the better you are able to get rid of dirt, viruses, and anything else … One of our thoughts was: If we can rinse out some of the virus within 24 hours of them testing positive, then maybe we can lower the severity of that whole trajectory.”

That indeed turned out to be the case, a finding that should not come entirely as a surprise. In 2019, researchers with Khon Kaen University in Thailand similarly found that nasal irrigation was an effective treatment for nasal disease, helping to clear nasal secretion, improve nasal congestion and improve sinus pain, headache, taste and smell, and even sleep quality.13

Steve Kirsch, executive director of the Vaccine Safety Research Foundation, took it a step further, explaining that the impressive effectiveness of nasal irrigation for reducing COVID-19 hospitalizations renders the pandemic response “unnecessary and harmful”:14

“All the pandemic mitigations were unnecessary. Simply telling newly infected people to rinse their nose with a saline rinse if they got sick would have reduced the hospitalization rates to levels comparable to the flu. The CDC is still not telling people to do this today even though there is no risk to anyone …

This would apply to any other virus or bacteria as well, based on the mechanism of action. It’s also extremely safe … This treatment is still being ignored by every mainstream medical institution … Universities should mandate students do nasal washes after getting COVID instead of taking vaccines.”

Nasal irrigation is just one tool to help protect against COVID-19. A simple mouth and nose spray containing povidone iodine (PVP-I), a microbicidal agent with a virucidal efficacy of 99.99%,15 could also act as an effective shield to protect against COVID-19.

A study in the Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, recommended the PVP-I oro-nasal spray for health care workers and anyone else to help prevent COVID-19,16 echoing a number of other studies that have also found benefits to gargling, nasal irrigation and nebulization of PVP-I and other compounds, including Lugol’s iodine, saline and hydrogen peroxide.17

In this case, the spray formulation was particularly effective because it allowed the active ingredient to diffuse further and reach deeper into the nose and nasopharynx, which is the upper part of the throat behind the nose. The oro-nasal spray acts as a protective layer, coating the nasal and oral mucosa.

Typically, if you’re exposed to SARS-CoV-2, it will enter your body through your nose and mouth, remaining there for a time before binding with ACE2 receptors and entering cells. Once inside your cells, the virus has an opportunity to multiply.

By creating a protective shield, oro-nasal spray helps prevent SARS-CoV-2 from binding with ACE2 receptors and gaining entry into your cells. In a clinical trial that has not yet been published,18 researchers got positive results using 0.6% PVP-I oro-nasal spray in 189 patients with COVID-19. The 0.6% solution had an efficacy rate of about 81.5%, which was greater than that of other concentrations (0.4% and 0.5%) and produced “almost no mucosal irritation.”19

It was impressive to see that the simple normal saline nasal irrigations had such a dramatic impact on reducing COVID hospitalizations. My favorite intervention for COVID involves nebulizing normal saline but adding a very small amount of hydrogen peroxide. Most over-the-counter peroxide has a concentration of 3%, but I recommend diluting it 30-fold to 0.1%.

Remember, the study above shows simple saline nebulization is useful. You don’t need much peroxide to enhance the effect of the saline. The video above goes into great detail on how to prepare and implement the hydrogen peroxide solution and how to use the nebulizer.

The KEY here is to have the nebulizer and peroxide solution locked and loaded. You need to have it in your home BEFORE you get sick. Waiting several days to obtain it, if you even can, could radically reduce its effectiveness.

I recommend using nebulized peroxide for any suspected respiratory infection, and the earlier you start, the better. There is no danger in doing it every day if you’re frequently exposed, and there may even be additional beneficial effects, such as a rapid rise in your blood oxygen level and optimization of your microbiome.

Since early treatment is vital, ideally on day one, you want to have the nebulizer and materials already in your house ready to go. I would avoid using a battery powered hand held nebulizer and rather opt for a unit you plug into the wall.

I’ve embraced nebulized peroxide since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and have received many anecdotal reports from people who have successfully used it, even at more advanced stages. Dr. David Brownstein also successfully treated hundreds of COVID-19 patients using immune-boosting strategies such as intravenous or nebulized hydrogen peroxide, iodine, oral vitamins A, C and D, and intramuscular ozone.

In a case report of 107 confirmed COVID-19 patients that he treated, 91 (85%) used nebulized peroxide diluted with normal saline, plus Lugol’s iodine.20 Based on Brownstein’s experience, I also recommend adding iodine when nebulizing, as it appears to make it even more effective.

Traditionally, slightly warm saline water — a solution of 2.5 grams of salt in 500 milliliters of water — is recommended for nasal irrigation.21 For additional antimicrobial action, povidone iodine (0.5% to 1%) can be added to the saline solution.

A study published in the Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery advised that using saline and PVP-I “as irrigation solution can combine and enhance the protection against COVID-19 and this can be an important armor in the fight against COVID-19.”22

If you want to try nasal irrigation with a neti pot or other device, and you’re thinking of making your own saline solution, it’s important to remember to use only distilled, sterile or cooled, boiled water. Tap water can contain bacteria and protozoa that can be harmful if they receive access to your nasal passages,23 so unboiled tap water should not be used for this purpose.

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Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked.

The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. The subscription fee being requested is for access to the articles and information posted on this site, and is not being paid for any individual medical advice.

If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.

• A Japanese study identified one mechanism behind the blood pressure-lowering actions of quercetin. It is related to the action of negative chloride ions in the cell’s cytosol, influencing volume-dependent high blood pressure

• Quercetin is often combined with vitamin C or bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme found in pineapple stems. The combination increases the absorption and bioavailability of the supplement

• Quercetin is known to combat inflammation and support your immune system. It has strong antiviral properties and likely is a far safer alternative to antiviral drugs like Tamiflu, which shortens flu by only hours and has significant side effects such as convulsions, hallucinations and memory deterioration

• Other lesser-known health benefits of quercetin include the prevention or treatment of metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), gout, mood disorders and against aluminum-induced neurodegenerative changes

Quercetin is a flavonol found in red grapes, onions, red leaf lettuce, elderflower and green tea, to name a few.1 Research has demonstrated the positive effect it has on blood pressure. A Japanese study2 identified one mechanism behind the blood pressure lowering actions, which is related to the action of negative chloride ions in the cell’s cytosol.

Flavonols, like quercetin, are antioxidants,3 which scavenge free radicals, helping to prevent DNA damage and cell death. In the past two years, the antiviral benefits of quercetin have been the focus of many studies.4 However, there are also many other lesser-known benefits, making it useful for a variety of different health conditions.

In many instances, quercetin is sold in combination with bromelain or vitamin C.5 Quercetin is not water-soluble which reduces the absorption rate. However, when administered with vitamin C or bromelain, absorption and bioavailability increase.

Bromelain6 is a proteolytic enzyme found in the stem of the pineapple plant, which has been used independently to reduce swelling after surgery or injury and has been used topically to help treat burns.

Quercetin can reduce the effectiveness of some antibiotics7 and enhance the effect of blood thinners. This can increase the risk of bleeding. It may also interact with corticosteroids, cyclosporine, digoxin and fluoroquinolones.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services,8 nearly 1 out of every 2 adults have high blood pressure in the U.S., and most are recommended prescription medication with lifestyle changes. High blood pressure increases the risk for stroke and heart attack, which are two of the leading causes of death in the U.S.

The featured study9 evaluated the blood pressure-lowering actions of quercetin on the body. According to the researchers, there are many factors that help to regulate blood pressure, including the nervous system, cardiac output, total blood volume and the renin-angiotensin system.

The researchers noted several past studies that demonstrated taking between 150 mg per day and 730 mg per day could lower high blood pressure, decreasing systolic and diastolic pressures.

The scientists wrote quercetin’s antihypertensive actions operated through a modification of a variety of factors, including vascular compliance and resistance, total blood volume and the autonomic nervous system. In addition to these global actions, quercetin appears to have a unique ability to regulate gene expression that is mediated by controlling negative chloride actions in the cell’s cytosol.

Negative chloride ions help control the intracellular activity of many other ions10 in the cytosol, which is the water-based fluid that surrounds intracellular structures. The gene expression that controls the chloride ions triggers sodium reabsorption, which then reduces body fluid volume and therefore influences volume-mediated high blood pressure.

A 2016 study11 in the journal Nutrients detailed quercetin’s properties for combating inflammation and supporting immunity. The mechanisms of action were many and included, but we’re not limited to, inhibiting:

• Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) production in macrophages. TNF-α is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation, secreted by activated macrophages, a type of immune cell that digests foreign substances, microbes and other harmful or damaged components

• LPS-induced mRNA levels of TNF-α and interleukin (IL)-1α in glial cells, resulting in “diminished apoptotic neuronal cell death”

• The production of inflammation-producing enzymes

• Calcium influx into the cell, which in turn inhibits:

  • Proinflammatory cytokine release

  • Histamine and serotonin release from intestinal mast cells release

According to the researchers, quercetin stabilizes mast cells, has cytoprotective activity in the gastrointestinal tract and “a direct regulatory effect on basic functional properties of immune cells,” which allows it to inhibit “a huge panoply of molecular targets in the micromolar concentration range, either by down-regulating or suppressing many inflammatory pathways and functions.”12

In a 2016 paper13 published in the journal Molecules, the researchers wrote that the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties can be used in the treatment of restricted peanut-induced anaphylactic reactions, allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma response. They concluded:

“Plant extract of quercetin is the main ingredient of many potential anti-allergic drugs, supplements and enriched products, which is more competent in inhibiting of IL-8 than cromolyn (anti-allergic drug disodium cromoglycate) and suppresses IL-6 and cytosolic calcium level increase.”

In the past two years, research into quercetin’s antiviral properties has risen dramatically. In fact, this is one of the most well-studied attributes of quercetin. One study14 funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) used an animal model demonstrating subjects treated with quercetin had lower morbidity and mortality after being challenged with the highly pathogenic H1N1 influenza virus.

Multiple other studies have also demonstrated quercetin’s effectiveness against a variety of viruses including influenza A and B,15 and a wide variety of influenza viruses, including H1N1, H3N2 and H5N1.16

Combining quercetin with bromelain or vitamin C has been a component of several successful COVID-19 protocols. Quercetin is a zinc ionophore,17 which helps improve the cell’s ability to absorb zinc where it is effective as an antiviral. Dr. Vladimir Zelenko was among the first doctors to discover and implement a treatment utilizing zinc and an ionophore that has been credited with saving millions of lives around the world.18

The early protocol used hydroxychloroquine,19 which is another zinc ionophore. However, as research showed quercetin was as effective as hydroxychloroquine, early treatment protocols for low-risk patients included quercetin with vitamin C and zinc.20

Considering the powerful antiviral effects of quercetin, it is sensible to use it before resorting to antiviral drugs like Tamiflu. Not only has Tamiflu been shown to shorten the duration of flu symptoms by only hours,21 scientists have also warned that the risks of Tamiflu far outweigh the benefits.22

In addition to lowering blood pressure, there are also other, less known benefits and uses for this supplement, including the prevention and/or treatment of:23 24

• Cardiovascular disease

• Asthma

• Allergic reactions

• Metabolic syndrome

• Diabetes

• Certain kinds of cancer

• Neurodegenerative disease

• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) 

• High Blood Pressure through vasodilation

• Age-Related disorders

• Arthritis

• Learning and emotional function

Additionally, quercetin is also helpful for aluminum-induced neurodegenerative changes, such as those seen in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). As noted in a 2016 study:25

“Administration of quercetin (10 mg/kg body wt/day) reduced aluminum (10 mg/kg body wt/day)-induced oxidative stress (decreased ROS production, increased mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity).

In addition, quercetin also prevents aluminum-induced translocation of cyt-c, and up-regulates Bcl-2, down-regulates Bax, p53, caspase-3 activation and reduces DNA fragmentation …

Further electron microscopic studies revealed that quercetin attenuates aluminum-induced mitochondrial swelling, loss of cristae and chromatin condensation. These results indicate that treatment with quercetin may represent a therapeutic strategy to attenuate the neuronal death against aluminum-induced neurodegeneration.”

Quercetin is just one option to help you naturally lower high blood pressure. Other strategies include stress management and exercise along with the following:

• Potassium/Sodium balance — People who eat a lot of processed foods and very few fresh vegetables likely have an imbalance in their sodium-potassium ratio. The key to relaxing your arterial walls and reducing blood pressure is the ratio between sodium and potassium. If you’re unsure of your sodium and potassium intake, use chronometer.com/mercola, which is a nutrient tracker that allows you to enter foods and then calculates the ratios automatically.

  Generally, it’s recommended that you eat five times more potassium than sodium, but most Americans eat twice as much sodium as potassium. The American Heart Association26 recommends a low-salt diet, but the ratio between potassium and sodium is far more important than your overall salt intake.27

  It’s also a better strategy to promote public health and focus on a high-quality diet rich in potassium, as it is a nutrient that helps offset the hypertensive effects of sodium.

• Aged Black Garlic — According to research data, eating aged black garlic has demonstrated improvement in different cardiovascular disease risk factors, including helping to lower diastolic blood pressure.

  The objective of one study28 was to analyze how daily consumption of aged black garlic extract with standardized s-allyl-L-cysteine (SAC) could impact cardiovascular risk in people who had moderate hypercholesterolemia and who also followed dietary recommendations.

  At the end of the study, the researchers found that those taking the aged black garlic extract had a reduction in systolic blood pressure of 5.85 mmHg as compared to those who took the placebo. According to Medscape,29 the researchers concluded from the data that lowering diastolic blood pressure by 5 mmHg could lower the risk of death from stroke by 40%, and the risk of ischemic heart disease or other vascular death by 30%.

• Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training — Another study30 evaluated the effect that inspiratory muscle strength training (IMST) could have on reducing blood pressure and thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. While aerobic exercises are a foundational strategy for controlling high blood pressure, fewer than 40% meet the current recommended guidelines.31

  IMST was originally developed for critically ill patients with respiratory diseases. It helped to improve the strength of their inspiratory muscles by using a handheld device that provides resistance while inhaling.

  The study engaged 36 adults ages 50 to 79 who had above normal systolic blood pressure, half the participants used high resistance IMST and half use low resistance IMST for 6 weeks. At the end of the intervention, the group using high resistance had a nine-point reduction in their systolic blood pressure.

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Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked.

The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. The subscription fee being requested is for access to the articles and information posted on this site, and is not being paid for any individual medical advice.

If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.