Role of Fat-Soluble Vitamins A and D in the Pathogenesis of Influenza: A New Perspective
So here’s a topic I’ve wanted to dive into: the idea that it’s the ratio of D:A (D must be greater than A) for effective influenza tx/prophylaxis (and SARS in this hypothesis)… Vitamin A is essential, but if we dose up patients with A and they are D deficient, we might be harming. In fact, I read about this idea when last writing on the flu in 2018 and decided to hold on vitamin A recommendations because everyone (including me) is deficient in D this time of year.
Author: Kara Fitzgerald, ND
https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/ Kara Fitzgerald, ND, received her doctor of naturopathic medicine degree from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She completed the first Counsel on Naturopathic Medicine-accredited post-doctorate position in nutritional biochemistry and laboratory science at Metametrix Clinical Laboratory under the direction of Richard Lord, PhD. Her residency was completed at Progressive Medical Center, a large, integrative medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Fitzgerald is the lead author and editor of Case Studies in Integrative and Functional Medicine and is a contributing author to Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)’s Textbook for Functional Medicine. With the Helfgott Research Institute, Dr. Fitzgerald is actively engaged in clinical research on the DNA methylome using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her practice. The first publication from the study focuses on reversal of biological aging and was published 04-12-2021 in the journal Aging. She has published a consumer book titled Younger You as well as a companion cookbook, Better Broths and Healing Tonics and has an application-based Younger You Program, based on the study.
Dr. Fitzgerald is on the faculty at IFM, is an IFM Certified Practitioner and lectures globally on functional medicine. She runs a Functional Nutrition Residency program, and maintains a podcast series, New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and an active blog on her website, www.drkarafitzgerald.com. Her clinical practice is in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
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Hi Dr. Fitzgerald,
Thank you so very much for this article on vitamin A and D in regards to flighting influenza. This discussion of the need for the ratio of vitamin D to be greater than vitamin A for effective influenza tx/prophylaxis (and SARS in this hypothesis) causes me to recall your interview with Dr. Hillary Andrews discussing nutritional protocols, specifically vitamin A for pre and post vaccination (WHO dosing 200,000IUs of vitamin A to prevent secondary infections of pneumonia and side effect of diarrhea from MMR) but also using vitamin A (100,000IUs with various dosing amounts either in a one time bolus or smaller daily amounts depending upon the patient) for prevention, acute treatment, and post-infection, of colds/flus. And re-dosing the vitamin A because of the significant drop in Vitamin A levels post viral/bacterial infection. At the moment, I’m not sure how to integrate that clinical evidence of using high doses of vitamin A effectively in those scenarios with the need for vitamin D3 to be greater in ratio. A seeming conundrum. Any thoughts on this? Especially if dosing vitamin A short term with drops could significantly impact the prevention as well as the acute treatment and post treatment of corona virus infection. I recall Dr. Andrews punctuating the use of Vitamin A drops because of its immediate impact on the mucosa membranes to create a barrier to pathogens. I truly appreciate and value all that you and your staff do and your generosity of educating other clinicians like myself and the public. It is a powerful service to the global community. Kindest regards, Larry. PS: I have some extra time, sort of, on my hands, because my face to face clinic is closed for now till the virus is tamed.
Larry, we have to work on thinking this through. I am not quite there yet, time-wise. Why don’t you go ahead and do a starting drill down? (no pressure, lol)…. pull together some references and some thoughts- needn’t be perfect, keep it simple, bullet points are fine- and send it to us: info@drkarafitzgerald.com DrKF
Will do! Thanks Dr. Fitzgerald!