In this paper, the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) added to the list of nutraceuticals and botanicals introduced earlier in their first article, The Functional Medicine Approach to COVID-19: Virus-Specific Nutraceutical and Botanical Agents. Periodically, IFM will update the original list to highlight other agents that may be considered as complementary treatments against COVID-19. Along with the original list, these agents can be considered as immunoadjuvants, which are substances that act to accelerate, prolong, or enhance antigen-specific immune responses by potentiating or modulating the immune response. Additionally, some agents could potentially inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication. Our recommendation is to use higher dosing and/or multiple agents when patient contextual factors (e.g., patient desire, pre-existing inflammation, multiple co-morbidities, higher risk, etc.) and/or therapeutic decision-making warrant such use.
The Functional Medicine approach to COVID-19: additional research and discussion on nutraceuticals and botanicals that may prevent or treat SARS-CoV-2 infection. Watch the webinar here.