4 ms·

I agree with you. I am wondering about how NOS enzymes (like NOS2) might play a role since they are expressed at high altitudes and COVID is looking a lot like

by podgaj 7y ago

I agree with you. I am wondering about how NOS enzymes (like NOS2) might play a role since they are expressed at high altitudes and COVID is looking a lot like high altitude sickness by one doctor in NYC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3295887/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3295887/ I am thinking myself that some people with poor NOS genetics or poor nutrition will have this issue. The result of higher need for NOS2 will lead to polycythemia and to improved oxygen delivery to tissue when accompanied by increased blood volume. This image might explain a lot: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/figure/image?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0044049.g003&size=large https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/figure/image?id=10... I have such a strong intuition that ACE2 inhibition or destruction is an important issue with COVID.

DoreenMichele 7y ago
The image is over my head. These articles are more my speed: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-increase-nitric-oxide#section5 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-increase-nitric-... https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326381#benefits https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326381#benefits https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2953417/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2953417/ https://www.nutrex.com/articles/benefits-of-nitric-oxide-boosters/ https://www.nutrex.com/articles/benefits-of-nitric-oxide-boo... https://www.ausfp.com/medical-procedures-services/nitric-oxide/ https://www.ausfp.com/medical-procedures-services/nitric-oxi... (Yes, I'm aware the last two are trying to sell you something and are probably skeevy.) So, some general off-the-cuff thoughts: Glutathione is a big deal with CF. There is too little on the surface of cells and too much inside the cells. Some people with CF report good results from inhaling NAC (iirc) tro promote glutathione on the surface of the lungs. I think people with CF have too much inside their cells because we hoard it, along with calcium, to buffer against high acidity and other chemical derangement. As I have been getting healthier, I periodically experience what I think is glutathione dumping. My armpits and bowel movements smell strongly sour, similar to a skunk, and then my baseline function permanently improves afterwards. I took milk thistle for a while, maybe a couple of years or something. It's a glutathione precursor. You can't supplement glutathione directly. You have to take precursors so the body can manufacture it. I did it in part as liver support. Glutathione is important to liver function which is important to cleaning the blood. I spent a whole lot of time worried about my circulatory health as that seems to be the key that pulls everything together. I read up on altitude sickness at one time and it was hugely eye opening. The mechanism involved provides a clear connection between the lung and gut issues in CF via the bloodstream. I lived at 3000 feet above sea level for 2.75 years. My rib cage size enlarged and has remained enlarged ever since (as evidence by changes in the band size of my bras). I likely had underdeveloped lungs. From there, I moved to about 100 feet above sea level and was soon bedridden due to pneumonia and this led to my diagnosis just before I turned to 36. It is known that people who live at altitude and then go down in altitude experience a big boost in energy levels. I likely survived being bedridden from pneumonia in part because of my recent time at altitude. I'm wondering if you know of any research into long-term effects of NO production for having lived at altitude for a time. I'm thinking my more normal distribution of glutathione these days may be a factor in why I have been largely asymptomatic, in spite of being in a high risk category. One of those articles indicates that NO deficiency also inhibits glucose and/or NO enhances glucose uptake. This would also lower energy levels. My impression of what I am experiencing absolutely fits with the idea that poor vasodilation in the lungs, and thus poor trafficking of oxygen into the blood stream, could explain the low oxygen levels, at least in part. I don't know how to describe it, but I feel like, yes, my lungs are cut off in some way from my body, in spite of not being full of fluid. I breathe fine, but I sometimes feel like my airways aren't really doing their job in some important way. I feel like the tissues are "closed" in some sense, in spite of not being gunked up and covered over. Insufficient vasodilation impairing oxygen uptake fits with that impression. I think that's all I had in mind to say. Edit: I have just spoken with my son (who also has atypical CF) about this discussion and he says lack of vasodilation -- and oxygen thus failing to cross adequately into the blood stream -- also fits with what he is experiencing. None of us has an active cough. We are mostly just really tired.
- podgaj 7y ago
  I have looked into altitude and NOS activity a lot because of the issues I have at altitude as well. This is largely controlled by the genetics of NOS2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002929717303920 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000292971... And there is a clear link to low NO and CF https://www.cysticfibrosisjournal.com/article/S1569-1993(05)00057-3/fulltext https://www.cysticfibrosisjournal.com/article/S1569-1993(05)... It seems the issue with CF is NOS1. (I have an issue with NOS2) https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/ajrccm.162.6.2003106 https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/ajrccm.162.6.20... Look at the cofactors that help NOS1 function and that might give you some clues at what may help: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P29475 https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P29475 Glutathione will help protect against both BH4 depletion as well as forming peryoxinitires. You intuitions are excellent.
  - DoreenMichele 7y ago
    Thanks. I have your email. We can continue discussion there. Just as a pedantic note, I said above: I lived at 3000 feet above sea level for 2.75 years. I think that's wrong. I think it was more like 2 years, 5 months.

by podgaj 7y ago

DoreenMichele 7y ago

The image is over my head. These articles are more my speed: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-increase-nitric-oxide#section5 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-increase-nitric-... https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326381#benefits https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326381#benefits https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2953417/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2953417/ https://www.nutrex.com/articles/benefits-of-nitric-oxide-boosters/ https://www.nutrex.com/articles/benefits-of-nitric-oxide-boo... https://www.ausfp.com/medical-procedures-services/nitric-oxide/ https://www.ausfp.com/medical-procedures-services/nitric-oxi... (Yes, I'm aware the last two are trying to sell you something and are probably skeevy.) So, some general off-the-cuff thoughts: Glutathione is a big deal with CF. There is too little on the surface of cells and too much inside the cells. Some people with CF report good results from inhaling NAC (iirc) tro promote glutathione on the surface of the lungs. I think people with CF have too much inside their cells because we hoard it, along with calcium, to buffer against high acidity and other chemical derangement. As I have been getting healthier, I periodically experience what I think is glutathione dumping. My armpits and bowel movements smell strongly sour, similar to a skunk, and then my baseline function permanently improves afterwards. I took milk thistle for a while, maybe a couple of years or something. It's a glutathione precursor. You can't supplement glutathione directly. You have to take precursors so the body can manufacture it. I did it in part as liver support. Glutathione is important to liver function which is important to cleaning the blood. I spent a whole lot of time worried about my circulatory health as that seems to be the key that pulls everything together. I read up on altitude sickness at one time and it was hugely eye opening. The mechanism involved provides a clear connection between the lung and gut issues in CF via the bloodstream. I lived at 3000 feet above sea level for 2.75 years. My rib cage size enlarged and has remained enlarged ever since (as evidence by changes in the band size of my bras). I likely had underdeveloped lungs. From there, I moved to about 100 feet above sea level and was soon bedridden due to pneumonia and this led to my diagnosis just before I turned to 36. It is known that people who live at altitude and then go down in altitude experience a big boost in energy levels. I likely survived being bedridden from pneumonia in part because of my recent time at altitude. I'm wondering if you know of any research into long-term effects of NO production for having lived at altitude for a time. I'm thinking my more normal distribution of glutathione these days may be a factor in why I have been largely asymptomatic, in spite of being in a high risk category. One of those articles indicates that NO deficiency also inhibits glucose and/or NO enhances glucose uptake. This would also lower energy levels. My impression of what I am experiencing absolutely fits with the idea that poor vasodilation in the lungs, and thus poor trafficking of oxygen into the blood stream, could explain the low oxygen levels, at least in part. I don't know how to describe it, but I feel like, yes, my lungs are cut off in some way from my body, in spite of not being full of fluid. I breathe fine, but I sometimes feel like my airways aren't really doing their job in some important way. I feel like the tissues are "closed" in some sense, in spite of not being gunked up and covered over. Insufficient vasodilation impairing oxygen uptake fits with that impression. I think that's all I had in mind to say. Edit: I have just spoken with my son (who also has atypical CF) about this discussion and he says lack of vasodilation -- and oxygen thus failing to cross adequately into the blood stream -- also fits with what he is experiencing. None of us has an active cough. We are mostly just really tired.

podgaj 7y ago
I have looked into altitude and NOS activity a lot because of the issues I have at altitude as well. This is largely controlled by the genetics of NOS2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002929717303920 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000292971... And there is a clear link to low NO and CF https://www.cysticfibrosisjournal.com/article/S1569-1993(05)00057-3/fulltext https://www.cysticfibrosisjournal.com/article/S1569-1993(05)... It seems the issue with CF is NOS1. (I have an issue with NOS2) https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/ajrccm.162.6.2003106 https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/ajrccm.162.6.20... Look at the cofactors that help NOS1 function and that might give you some clues at what may help: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P29475 https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P29475 Glutathione will help protect against both BH4 depletion as well as forming peryoxinitires. You intuitions are excellent.
- DoreenMichele 7y ago
  Thanks. I have your email. We can continue discussion there. Just as a pedantic note, I said above: I lived at 3000 feet above sea level for 2.75 years. I think that's wrong. I think it was more like 2 years, 5 months.