Long COVID: What bloodwork and vitamin/supplement recommendations?

From: Medical and Life Science (published 1/12/24)
"Association between vitamin D supplementation and fatigue"
Fatigue is a common denominator in many autoimmune diseases. Researchers advocate a plasma vitamin D test in patients with fatigue symptoms since low blood vitamin D levels are frequent in these individuals, and treatment resulted in a significant decrease in fatigue severity.
Serum vitamin D levels below 20 ng/mL indicate deficiency, and those between 21 and 29 ng/mL indicate insufficiency. A daily consumption of 600–800 IU of the vitamin provides optimal bone health, but a daily intake of 1,000–2,000 IU is necessary to maintain plasma levels above 30 ng/mL.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240112/Association-between-vitamin-D-supplementation-and-fatigue.aspx

I started on NAC in November for a bout of shin tendonitis. It helped the tendonitis and I have stopped taking it recently but I am feeling mild Long Covid symptoms again and should go back to it.
I have had similar symptoms. Your daughter may be deficient in some nutritional requirements, like I was. I would recommend sublingual (under the tongue liquid) B12 and zinc. Sublingual is better absorbed. I take the zinc in the middle of the night. Try to take zinc 2 hours away from anything else. I take the B12 first thing in the morning. They are better absorbed if taken on a empty stomach.
Zinc helps the immune system fight the long covid and B12 is needed to form the red blood cells to convey the oxygen throughout our body.
Last year, I was taking a small amount of zinc with other supplements, but it was not getting absorbed and my immune system was losing the battle.
I would also recommend keeping a “Health Journal”. I have several on Word. One is a day by day journal on symptoms and what I am trying. The others are special areas, like natural blood thinners to dissolve the microclots caused by Covid. There are natural products and foods that are mild blood thinners, such as berberine that is from pineapple. (If you cut up a fresh pineapple, save the core and put it in a mini-food processor with a little water to grind it up. The berberine supplement makers get berberine from pineapple cores. The rest of the pineapple as some, but the core is highest.) Another natural blood thinners is ginger. I have ginger tea each morning. I put a teaspoon of ground ginger in a mug, add hot water and some citrus juice and use a mini-wisk blender.
I will give you some links for natural blood thinners:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322384#faq
https://draxe.com/health/natural-blood-thinners/
https://curehht.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Blood-Thinning-Foods-to-Avoid.pdf

I will give you a link for an article on the Japanese fermented beans, natto. The nattokinase, K1, is a known blood thinner. I have been “preaching natto” on the blog, but no takers. (I am assuming your daughter is not currently on any blood thinners. No one should do both the meds and natto.)

I make natto with fresh natto from Brooklyn as a starter. (Okay, I am weird.) I have it with olive oil (for absorption) and kimchi, Korean fermented cabbage. The combo is supposed to be a good immunity booster. (I am blood type A which means low immunity and I need a booster.) After all that, I will give you a link:

I hope some of this is helpful and feel free to send a private message at any time.

I started with my local Doctors and took "the journey of what its not" and recommend you start there too. Ultimately I was diagnosed with Long COVID and went to Mayo Rochester for their program. I contracted LC from my first booster in November '21, here it is January '24 and I feel better after 5 months of executing my Mayo program. Not 100%, but better.

I have learned lots of do this and don't do that along the way which will help me manage my symptoms if I ultimately don't get over them completely.

You mention that you contracted LC from your first booster. I find that interesting because the symptoms I had after each of my 4 Covid shots continued for more than a year. I do feel that it was from the shots. My blood type is A which is supposed to have a low level of immunity. I am wondering if blood type A's and AB's are more vulnerable to this occurence. Could I ask if you know your blood type and what it is? It would be interesting to know the blood types of all the longhaulers on the blog.

I started on NAC in November for a bout of shin tendonitis. It helped the tendonitis and I have stopped taking it recently but I am feeling mild Long Covid symptoms again and should go back to it.
I have had similar symptoms. Your daughter may be deficient in some nutritional requirements, like I was. I would recommend sublingual (under the tongue liquid) B12 and zinc. Sublingual is better absorbed. I take the zinc in the middle of the night. Try to take zinc 2 hours away from anything else. I take the B12 first thing in the morning. They are better absorbed if taken on a empty stomach.
Zinc helps the immune system fight the long covid and B12 is needed to form the red blood cells to convey the oxygen throughout our body.
Last year, I was taking a small amount of zinc with other supplements, but it was not getting absorbed and my immune system was losing the battle.
I would also recommend keeping a “Health Journal”. I have several on Word. One is a day by day journal on symptoms and what I am trying. The others are special areas, like natural blood thinners to dissolve the microclots caused by Covid. There are natural products and foods that are mild blood thinners, such as berberine that is from pineapple. (If you cut up a fresh pineapple, save the core and put it in a mini-food processor with a little water to grind it up. The berberine supplement makers get berberine from pineapple cores. The rest of the pineapple as some, but the core is highest.) Another natural blood thinners is ginger. I have ginger tea each morning. I put a teaspoon of ground ginger in a mug, add hot water and some citrus juice and use a mini-wisk blender.
I will give you some links for natural blood thinners:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322384#faq
https://draxe.com/health/natural-blood-thinners/
https://curehht.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Blood-Thinning-Foods-to-Avoid.pdf

I will give you a link for an article on the Japanese fermented beans, natto. The nattokinase, K1, is a known blood thinner. I have been “preaching natto” on the blog, but no takers. (I am assuming your daughter is not currently on any blood thinners. No one should do both the meds and natto.)

I make natto with fresh natto from Brooklyn as a starter. (Okay, I am weird.) I have it with olive oil (for absorption) and kimchi, Korean fermented cabbage. The combo is supposed to be a good immunity booster. (I am blood type A which means low immunity and I need a booster.) After all that, I will give you a link:

I hope some of this is helpful and feel free to send a private message at any time.

Excellent info! Can totally relate to your au natural approach! Doctors are still in left field…
Here’s my take..
Unfortunately, too many doctors cannot even think of adding long hauler to their concerns regarding patients. I am a long hauler for 3 years now…and functioning as if cured…but not.! Had to take it upon myself to save my own life after seeing way too many doctors who were, frankly, useless. I am fully aware of their lack of knowledge as understanding of Covid and subsequent treatments develop, BUT the profiteering in long Covid treatment centers and encouragement regarding same by major medical institutions is blatant.

So, I’ve spent the last 3 years requesting testing to confirm that my symptoms weren’t (aren’t) going to kill me…, once able to resume exercising slowly building up to pre-covid modified routine, tolerating the horrible fatigue with determination not to completely atrophy, read any and all literature I could find on the internet, incorporating every supplement that showed any influence on mitigating symptoms ( now at 41 supplements…with my recent
( and final) Cleveland Clinic PCP annual visit, via her body language and haughtiness…unaccepting of my approach that is “working”). Covid fatigue, pins and needles in lower legs and bottom of feet remaining as primary symptoms. I take no medications. ALL of my bloodwork is within range. The doctors have very typically disregarded the printed research findings I have handed them the last three years, handing it back to me with a distrust and since “ all of my testing is “normal.”

I exercise everyday and have built back up to 10 and 15lb weights, treadmill speed walking, resistance bands. AND I have totally healthy eating habits for many years because of my dedicated exercising habits for many many years.

Punchline: I am a 76 year old female. ( Covid at 73) AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN PUBLIC WITHOUT A MASK SINCE COVID.
My next focus is on the very recent validation of mitochondria involvement in Covid fatigue. I will Google and gather as much info as possible in order to address possible tests and treatments…
Kudos for you for sharing important details.

You mention that you contracted LC from your first booster. I find that interesting because the symptoms I had after each of my 4 Covid shots continued for more than a year. I do feel that it was from the shots. My blood type is A which is supposed to have a low level of immunity. I am wondering if blood type A's and AB's are more vulnerable to this occurence. Could I ask if you know your blood type and what it is? It would be interesting to know the blood types of all the longhaulers on the blog.

You mention that you contracted LC from your first booster. I find that interesting because the symptoms I had after each of my 4 Covid shots continued for more than a year. I do feel that it was from the shots. My blood type is A which is supposed to have a low level of immunity. I am wondering if blood type A's and AB's are more vulnerable to this occurence. Could I ask if you know your blood type and what it is? It would be interesting to know the blood types of all the longhaulers on the blog.

Hi @rmca. I'm entering year 4. Your approach to managing with LC sounds like mine. I research all I can, often sharing findings and studies with various providers. I've found they don't have the time to research and this is a very fluid field. And traditional medicine doesn't inform treatment.

I've made some great improvement especially in my 3rd year, and am now focusing on rebuilding mitochondria. My LC clinic doc prescribes Mitocore by Orthomolecular Products. The important thing is to pair L Acetyl-Carnitine (LACAR) with Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA). ALCAR alone can actually deplete mitochondria - it needs an antioxidant to counter balance the oxidation it created.

Dr. Bruce Ames has done extensive research in this area and found that a ratio of 500 ALCAR to 200 ALA is best. Mitocore fits this ratio as does Juvenon's Cellular Health product. I've used both, most recently Cellular Health.

I’m seeing there are a number of us that got the message early on that we have save ourselves…I’m grateful for your info! Alcar is part of my 41 supplement routine along with R-Lipoic Acid which supposedly better. But the ratio you provided is very helpful. I like being able to put a star next my supplements when someone validates them. Thank you.
All I know is that things are working . I can’t tell which ones, all if it’s all of the above…but the holistic approach has very obviously got me to this point.
The mitochondria is my focus now also. That is THEE most recent revelation in the research with NAD+ appearing to play a major role.
Keep in touch, uget1shot!
Again, thank you!