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Heparin nasal spray may prevent Covid and other viral infections
- nelox 3y agohttps://web.archive.org/web/20230716233619/https://www.smh.com.au/national/don-has-never-had-covid-now-volunteers-can-put-his-unique-theory-to-the-test-20230716-p5dokb.html https://web.archive.org/web/20230716233619/https://www.smh.c...
- lamontcg 3y agoI haven't had cold, flu or COVID since 2018. I'm just introverted and don't have kids.
- TillE 3y agoYeah it's real easy to avoid getting sick if you don't work a service job and stay away from crowds.
- nocsi 3y agoAlso if you’re a judgemental person and have a mean face.
- pwython 3y agoSimilarly, I've never been in a skydiving accident. Because I've never been skydiving.
- wnevets 3y ago> don't have kids. Kids have the to be the biggest spreaders of sickness in the US.
- barbazoo 3y agoPossibly even outside the US
- Cupertino95014 3y agotied with cruise ships. Well before COVID, several people I know went on cruises and came home sick.
- wnevets 3y agoCruises ships, the daycare of the seas.
- yieldcrv 3y agoI recently met an introverted and also reclusive person who was still spewing discontent about the entire covid operation, everything from its existence to the vaccine I thought that was funny, like an internet commenter still stuck in December 2020 but in person Not saying thats you, your comment just reminded me how disconnected some people are
- johnea 3y agoI expect this will be the dominant comment theme: I also never had covid, and never sprayed any weird shit up my nose. But it just all has so much more meaning when there's a product to push... I'm not particulaly introverted, did get vacinated and follow polite social practices (distancing, mask in public) but otherwise didn't take any special precautions. But then again, I'm not shilling for any product vendor either...
- diyseguy 3y agoSame. I haven't caught covid or any cold in three years now. Working remotely, use an N95 in public spaces.. Happy introvert without kids.
- SketchySeaBeast 3y agoSame here. And I'm still living my life as I want - I go out to concerts, theaters, and restaurants, I just mask up when the situation allows. I haven't felt sick since 2020 and it's awesome. Used to catch a cold once a quarter.
- AlbertCory 3y agoI also never had COVID, and the "weird shit" I put up my nose is a saline / bicarb solution in distilled water. I'll skip the brand name, but your drug store carries it. And there are peer-reviewed studies about its efficacy. On the other hand, I don't have kids & wasn't in crowds very much, so there's that.
- Jill_the_Pill 3y agoSimilar, but I've used Sanotize Enovid nitric oxide spray before going to a restaurant or other crowded place and when my spouse had covid at home. https://sanotize.com/clinical-trials-covid/ https://sanotize.com/clinical-trials-covid/
- happymellon 3y ago> And there are peer-reviewed studies about its efficacy. Do you have any links? I find it hard to believe that bicarb has absolutely anything to do with preventing COVID, except maybe because it blocks your nose?
- autoexec 3y agoI'm pretty skeptical, but that's what research is for. I wish them luck though because if it does work it'll make a lot of people's lives easier.
- taeric 3y agoSeems unlikely, but would be rather obviously amazing if it pans out. Would be fun to see a prediction market on stuff like this to get a good guide on how much faith others have in it.
- belltaco 3y agoThere is another affordable nasal spray called Xlear purported to have similar benefits. It consists of Xylitol and Grapefruit Seed Extract. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9313533/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9313533/
- gamblor956 3y agoThe study was probably motivated by this: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/10/ftc-sues-utah-based-company-falsely-claiming-its-nasal-sprays-can-prevent-treat-covid-19 https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2021/10/... Note that the study was conducted by companies that are in the business of conducting paid clinical trial for supplements manufacturers, and both were paid by the makers of XClear, so the study should be taken with a heaping grain of salt.... Especially considering that there is no other research suggesting that either xylitol or grape fruit extract is protective against COVID. Both are antimicrobials (i.e., antibacterial) but COVID is a virus.
- belltaco 3y ago> Especially considering that there is no other research suggesting that either xylitol or grape fruit extract is protective against COVID. Both are antimicrobials (i.e., antibacterial) but COVID is a virus There are pre-print studies suggesting antiviral activity. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.19.225854v1.full.pdf https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.19.225854v1.... https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.23.394114v1.full https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.23.394114v1....
- gamblor956 3y agoNo, that 1st study merely confirms what is already known: that carageen has antiviral properties. And the second link is just a precursor to the original study to make it seem like it was conducted separately (the researchers are the same). Even so, they found a concentration of greater than 80% was required for Xlear to have any statistical antiviral effects.
- bradgranath 3y agoThis is stupid. "Doesn't enter the bloodstream" "it coats the spike protein". Seems like a nose plug or an N95 mask would be cheaper and more effective than wasting blood thinner down the back of your throat for makeshift bug repellant. 'Wondering' aloud to the press about it, though, places this firmly in Snake Oil territory. The man knows better, but he's doin' it anyways. Should tell ya somethin'.
- exabrial 3y agoWe've been over this 100 times: very few people can wear an n95 mask correctly. Men have to be clean shaven too, and you're supposed to perform a seal test using a mint spray. They're also supposed to be one time use. Masks of secondary effects: a global waste problem. It's time to stop promoting these as a "solution" to a non-existant problem.
- giraffe_lady 3y agoNon-existant?
- frognumber 3y agoAnd the flip side: N95 masks don't need to be worn correctly to be effective for preventing most Covid spread. Covid seems to require moderate viral loads to spread, and even an incorrectly-worn N95 mask tends to do that.
- SketchySeaBeast 3y agoAnd with proper care, N95 masks can be reused. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-you-reuse-a-kn95-or-n95-mask-experts-say-yes-but-follow-these-steps-180979404/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-you-reuse-a-kn...
- flangola7 3y agoThe clean shaven part isn't true any more. There's a reason first responders are no longer required to be clean cut. >It's time to stop promoting these as a "solution" to a non-existant problem. What do you mean by non existent problem?
- NovemberWhiskey 3y agoFor everyone who is saying "I have never had Covid and ...", given the high rate of asymptomatic spread - how do you know? Have you had a recent antibody test? Kinda fascinated to know.
- kevin_thibedeau 3y agoAn antibody test isn't going to prove an old infection hasn't happened. I probably got it in early 2020 before testing was available. I had my first ever antibody test a couple of months ago for a hospitalization. It was, predictably, negative.
- baja_blast 3y agoI have never gotten it or at least not to my knowledge. I would sure hope that there is a genetic or even T-Cell immunity that could snuff the virus out before it takes a foothold since it could lead to better vaccines/treatments. IMO I think we need to explore vaccines that can develop T-Cell immunity over B-Cells. Antibodies fade and may no longer work as well if the virus mutates, but T-Cells do not have this problem and can actually kill the virus as opposed to creating obstacles for the spread.
- fsmv 3y agoI've taken a PCR test every time I've gotten sniffly since 2020 and I have never gotten positive. I suppose asymptomatic is possible but I also just don't go into crowded places much.
- NoMoreNicksLeft 3y agoI was reading the other day that the standard tests give some absurdly high rate of false negatives.
- flangola7 3y agoWhat do you mean by standard tests? PCR? Antigen? Antibody?
- binarymax 3y agoMy stepdad has never shown symptoms of (nor tested positive for) COVID, never really wore a mask properly, and has been exposed dozens of times. He even walked away unscathed despite living the house with my mom who had it twice. I keep telling him I want to send him to a lab.
- ghaff 3y agoIt's only by sheer coincidence that I learned I had it. In spite of testing twice (negative) after I developed a very slight cough following an event--which I wrote off to typical conference crud at that point--a couple weeks later I had to get tested before attending another event. (I had no symptoms of anything at that point.) And I tested weakly positive. If I hadn't been attending the other (actually third) event, I'd never have known. I believe that people who have been consistently super-cautious and generally avoided indoor crowds may have avoided catching it. But most people who travel, shop in stores, go to indoor events, etc. have probably had it even if they can't prove it.
- Retric 3y agoHome COVID tests generally don’t show results from most asymptomatic cases even if they are actively fighting it off. It’s a question of viral loads being high enough to kick their immune system into high gear without being high enough to be easy to detect or easy to infect others. Chances are he got COVID and fought it off without particularly noticing which isn’t in any way unusual for healthy people. 1+ million dead Americans demonstrates it’s a serious disease, but that doesn’t mean everyone was hit equally.
- binarymax 3y agoHe's had at least two negative PCR tests taken at separate highly likely times of infection :)
- Retric 3y agoPCR tests for the disease which makes is very sensitive to viral loads. This is why the advice is “If you do not have symptoms but have been exposed to COVID-19, wait at least 5 full days after your exposure before taking a test.” https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Ftesting%2Fdiagnostic-testing.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/t... Many people will fight off an infection in those 5 days, but it’s not considered a problem as asymptomatic people are unlikely to spread the disease. PCR accuracy of asymptomatic people is still surprisingly low, but again that’s not necessarily a problem.
- neonate 3y agohttps://archive.md/11SjH https://archive.md/11SjH
- starik36 3y agoThat's interesting. I also have never caught Covid despite everyone in family getting it (wife, kids, parents, friends, etc...). And I also take a blood thinner for my heart troubles.
- bdcravens 3y agoI have Cystic Fibrosis, and despite getting ill a few times during the pandemic (which is kinda par for the course with CF) I always tested negative. Even when my wife had it (and we were definitely not socially distancing before, in all the ways you'd imagine), I never tested positive.
- sambeau 3y agoAm I alone in assuming that spraying heparin your nose would give you a terrible nose-bleed?
- chimeracoder 3y ago> Am I alone in assuming that spraying heparin your nose would give you a terrible nose-bleed? Seems like you're not alone. > People can participate in the trial if they live in Melbourne, are aged over five and have a household member who is also willing to take part. People who have a heparin-induced allergy or have had recent severe nosebleeds are ineligible
- chimeracoder 3y ago> But Campbell said when used via a spray, it would not be absorbed by the body This is a claim that appears to be presented entirely without evidence, and - as written - is nonsensical. Nasal insufflation is an extremely common method for administering drugs, and it's readily absorbed directly into the bloodstream. If there's a reason he believes heparin is not absorbed through this route, that's a notable and surprising claim.
- hirenj 3y agoAs far as I know, there’s no receptor for GAGs on cells to mediate their uptake specifically. Usually they hitchhike on some other protein that has a specific receptor/co-receptor. Heparin is actually a sulfated polysaccharide, and not like those other drugs that you might be thinking about.
- grouchomarx 3y agoAnecdotally I've never had covid and use a simple saline nasal wash once or twice a week, or after being indoors with a large group.
- hirenj 3y agoI’d be a little skeptical about spraying in a bunch of heparin and hoping it binds enough of the spike protein. This whole idea is predicated on the binding of heparin (a sulfated polysaccharide) to the spike. It’s known to be a co-receptor on cells for the spike protein, and people have designed very clever flow devices to exploit this binding to perform detection of spike. However, without carefully controlling the sulfation on heparin, I would be worried about all the other binding of proteins, and how effective this would be in real complex environments. There are also open questions about how you would even retain the GAGs in the mucosal environment, and as I haven’t heard that they bind to mucins/mucus, I wonder how many other proteins they could possibly anchor to.
- senectus1 3y agoI've never had Covid (as far as I know) and I dont take anything (except vaccines). Hell my kids and wife have all had covid and the flu, and I've looked after them all and I haven't been sick beyond a dribbly nose in about 5-6 years. (oh with the exception of being bedridden for a few days FROM the vaccine :-P )