Dr. Dean and Dr. Fleisher Weigh in on How to Protect Ourselves from a Potential Pandemic
By Kimberly Pryor
The H5N1 strain of the avian flu has been steadily in the news since 1997, as scientists become more concerned about this potentially deadly disease. Scientists and
physicians are becoming increasingly more alarmed that what started as a type A strain of the influenza virus in birds will work its way more easily into humans,
ushering in a deadly pandemic.
Recently, a number of people have contracted avian flu, mostly in Asia, where at least 60 people have died from the disease. To date, human infections with avian
influenza viruses have not resulted in sustained human-to-human transmission, with most cases occurring in people who had contact with contaminated poultry.
However, because influenza viruses have the potential to mutate, scientists believe that it is only a matter of time until the H5N1 avian flu changes into a more
virulent form that jumps easily from person to person, causing a deadly worldwide pandemic.
“The avian flu could be the next AIDS epidemic,” said Ward Dean, M.D. “This could be potentially devastating if it spreads as badly as people think.”
A pandemic is a global disease outbreak that occurs when a new influenza A virus appears in the human population, causes serious illness, and then spreads easily
from person to person worldwide. Pandemics differ from seasonal outbreaks or “epidemics” of influenza caused by subtypes of influenza viruses already in
existence among people. Pandemics, on the other hand, are caused by new subtypes or by subtypes never circulated among people or that have lain dormant for a
long time. Studies have estimated that a “medium?level” pandemic in the U.S. could cause 89,000 to 207,000 deaths, 314,000 to 734,000 hospitalizations, 18 to 42
million outpatient visits, and illness in another 20 to 47 million people.1
All three of the previous flu pandemics have been linked to the avian flu. The 1957-58 Asian flu (which caused about 70,000 deaths in the U.S.) and the 1968-69 Hong
Kong Flu (which caused about 34,000 deaths in the U.S.) were caused by viruses containing a combination of genes from a human influenza virus and an avian
influenza virus.1 New research also indicates that the 1918-19 “Spanish Flu” pandemic was an avian-like virus that adapted to humans.2
The Food and Drug Administration has approved four antiviral drugs (amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir, and zanamivir) for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of
influenza. Analyses of some of the 2004 avian flu viruses isolated from poultry and humans in Asia have shown that the viruses already are resistant to two of the
medications (amantadine and rimantadine).1
With the threat of an influenza pandemic looming, it’s more important than ever to nourish our immune systems. After hearing about the growing threat of avian flu
in the news, I asked two of the country’s most knowledgeable physicians—Ward Dean, M.D. and Mitchell Fleisher, M.D.—how we can protect ourselves beyond
getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, exercising, and limiting stress. What follows is their antimicrobial and immune support protocols for protecting against
avian flu (or ordinary influenza) or to support the body’s health during an outbreak.
Thymic Protein A
The key to a healthy, functioning immune system rests largely with the thymus gland, a small organ lying just beneath the breastbone. After age 20, the thymus
begins to shrink (atrophy). Based on clinical experience and animal studies showing Thymic Protein A significantly improves immune function3, both Dr. Fleisher and
Dr. Dean believe that Thymic Protein A is one of the most effective immunity enhancers known.
Beta Glucan
Dr. Dean also has found Beta glucan to be one of the most effective natural immune stimulants. Beta glucan is a complex carbohydrate demonstrated to have
powerful immune-boosting effects. It binds to white blood cells (phagocytes and macrophages) at specific receptor sites, and activates their infection-fighting activity
by stimulating the production of free radicals.4 This signals the white blood cells to engulf disease-causing tissues and micro-organisms.5
In three multicenter, double-blind clinical trials, researchers evaluated the effects of beta-glucan on patients undergoing high-risk abdominal and thoracic surgery.
Patients who received beta glucan in doses ranging from 0.1 mg/kg to 2.0 mg/kg had significantly fewer postoperative infections compared to those treated with a
placebo.6-8 Researchers also have found that beta glucan can increase the survival of mice exposed to anthrax.9
NAC
In conducting postmortem analyses of avian flu victims, researchers have noted severe pulmonary injury. Dr. Dean and Dr. Fleisher recommend N-acetyl cysteine as
a defense against lung damage caused by viral infections such as the avian flu.
In addition to guarding against oxidant stress that attacks the lungs during a flu infection, NAC has been shown to stimulate immunity. One randomized, double-blind
trial investigated the use of NAC in 262 subjects mainly 65 years or older suffering from nonrespiratory chronic degenerative diseases. The subjects were randomized
to receive either placebo or NAC tablets (600 mg) twice daily for 6 months.
NAC treatment was well tolerated and resulted in a significant decrease in the frequency of influenza-like episodes, severity, and length of time confined to bed. Both
local and systemic symptoms were sharply and significantly reduced in the NAC group. Even though both NAC treated patients and placebo-treated patients were
infected with H1N1 Singapore 6/86 influenza A virus, only 25 percent of virus-infected subjects under NAC treatment developed a symptomatic form, versus 79 percent
in the placebo group. In addition, NAC improved cell-mediated immunity.10
According to the researchers, “administration of N-acetylcysteine during the winter, thus, appears to provide a significant attenuation of influenza and influenza-like
episodes, especially in elderly high-risk individuals. N-acetylcysteine did not prevent A/H1N1 virus influenza infection but significantly reduced the incidence of
clinically apparent disease.”
In an animal study, NAC treatment significantly decreased the mortality in mice infected with a flu virus.11 A later study by the same researchers discovered that
treating flu-infected mice with the antiviral drug ribavirin along with NAC increased the animals’ survival rate to 92 percent (compared to 58 percent with the drug
alone).12 The researchers concluded, “This suggests that antioxidant therapy can increase survival by either improving the defenses against virus or by protecting
from the pathogenesis of lung inflammation.”
NAC is a precursor of the important antioxidant glutathione. Supplementing directly with glutathione may therefore be an equally important way to protect against
the flu as well as to maintain lung function when one is already infected.
Mild Silver Protein
Silver is unique among antimicrobial agents in its broad spectrum of action. It has been claimed to kill some 650 different disease organisms.13 It effectively kills
micro-organisms of all major types: gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, spore-forming bacteria, fungus/yeasts, viruses and protozoal parasites. It kills dozens
of different bacteria,14-15 95 percent of 72 strains of herpes virus,16 and is extremely toxic to Anthrax spores.17
Dr. Dean recommends making silver even more effective by mixing it with a small amount of DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide). DMSO enhances local penetration of silver
and also has antimicrobial effects of its own. In addition, physicians can administer MSP intravenously.
Vitamin C
Both Dr. Dean and Dr. Fleisher’s avian flu protocols include high dose Mag C or C-Plus. Dr. Fleisher recommends 3 or 4 capsules of C-Plus every 3 hours, to bowel
tolerance in order to supercharge white blood cells that fight the virus. Alternating oral vitamin C with IV vitamin C can prove highly effective.
Vitamin A
Another nutrient Dr. Dean and Dr. Fleisher use for upper respiratory and immune support is vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency in animals has been linked to decreased
immunity and studies have shown it can support lung health.18 Dr. Dean recommends taking 150,000 units a day for five days. If still sick take a second course for five
more days.
UniZyme™
Inflammation is an important factor in influenza, causing muscle aches and general malaise. Consequently, Dr. Dean says, taking anti-inflammatory enzymes such as
those found in UniZyme would be likely to alleviate factors associated with influenza.
Larch AG™
Arabinogalactan is a polysaccharide found in the cell walls of a variety of edible and non-edible, woody plants. The wood of the western larch tree provides a rich
harvest of free arabinogalactan from its inner bark. Dr. Fleisher has found Larch AG™ to be a powerful immune stimulant. In one well-designed study, Larch AG
activated two important immune system cells: macrophages and NK cells.19 Reports in the medical literature link decreased NK cell activity to a variety of chronic
diseases including viral hepatitis.20
Additional Support
In addition to the supplements listed above, Dr. Fleisher and Dr. Dean also believe, based on research in the medical literature and clinical experience, that Olive
Leaf Extract, Culturelle®, ImmunoMax, and R-Lipoic Acid may help guard against avian as well as other flus. In addition, Dr. Dean and Dr. Fleisher agree that using a
cool mist humidifier, filled with a solution of one bottle of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, and two bottles of water, can be helpful. This provides a one percent
aerosolized mist of the antimicrobial hydrogen peroxide. Usually, one or two days may be all that is required to alleviate pulmonary infections.
References
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reconstructed 1918 spanish influenza pandemic virus. Science. 2005 Oct 7;310(5745):77-80.
3. Hays EF, Beardsley TR. Immunologic effects of human thymic stromal grafts and cell lines. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1984 Dec;33(3):381-90.
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Pharm Bull. 1994;17:1554-60.
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15. Chang TW, Weinstein L. Inactivation of Treponema pallidum by Silver Sulfadiazine. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 1975; 7:538-39.
16. Chang TW, Weinstein L. Prevention of Herpes Keratoconjunctivitis in Rabbits by Silver Sulfadiazine. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 1975;8:677-78.
17. Romans I. Silver Compounds and Oligodynamic Metals in Antiseptics, Disinfectants, Fungicides and Chemical and Physical Sterilization, 1954, G. Reddish, ed.,
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