HoldsUp

FoundMyFitness · 2021-03-03 · Rhonda Patrick (host), Roger Seheult

Dr. Roger Seheult from MedCram on COVID-19 Vaccines, Vitamin D, and Heat Hydrotherapy

73 claims checked against research: 3 contradicted 5 overstated 5 needing context 49 supported 2 corroborated online 9 unverified

3

Contradicted by research

0:25:40Roger Seheultcontradictedlow

Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were found to have significantly lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels than symptomatic patients hospitalized with similar symptoms who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2.

"We see people being admitted to the hospital had lower rates than those that had similar symptoms but were not SARS-CoV-2 positive." (said at 0:25:40)

Observational research directly evaluating hospitalized COVID-19 patients alongside hospitalized symptomatic controls who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 found no statistically significant difference in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels between the two groups.

1:21:20Roger Seheultcontradictedlow

Heating human subjects in a 39°C water bath elevates interferon and TNF levels, and monocytes exposed to LPS produced 10 times higher interferon at 39°C compared to lower temperatures.

"And what they found was that they were able to independently of of these uh potential mutations that fever or or temperature itself was able to cause a secretion, an elevation in interferon, tumor necrosis factor, those sorts of things. There's one study that they did where they took subjects, put them in hot water baths at at various degrees... interferon levels were 10 times higher once they got up to about 39° uh centigrade" (said at 1:21:20)

The claim asserts that immersing human subjects in a hot water bath to reach ~39°C elevates interferon (IFN) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) by up to 10-fold. In controlled human experimental trials examining hot water bath hyperthermia (e.g., raising core temperature to 39.5°C), hyperthermia did not significantly elevate ex vivo production of interferon-gamma or TNF-beta from stimulated blood mononuclear cells. Furthermore, in vitro studies of human mononuclear cells cultured at febrile temperatures (e.g., 39–40°C) generally demonstrate modest or suppressed 24-hour accumulation of TNF-alpha and fail to show a 10-fold increase in interferon secretion.

1:47:24Roger Seheultcontradictedhigh

In the cell, mRNA remains in the cytoplasm and does not enter the nucleus.

"mRNA is in the cytoplasm of the cell. It's not in the nucleus of the cell." (said at 1:47:24)

In eukaryotic cells, messenger RNA (mRNA) is transcribed from DNA and undergoes essential processing steps—such as 5' capping, splicing, and assembly into messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes—within the nucleus before being exported across the nuclear pore complex into the cytoplasm for translation. The assertion that mRNA is not in the nucleus of the cell is contradicted by standard eukaryotic cell biology.

5

Overstated

0:22:24Roger Seheultoverstatedhigh

A British Medical Journal meta-analysis by Martineau and colleagues showed that vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced acute respiratory tract infections by 50%.

"Martineau, who is the uh the lead author on that British Medical Journal uh meta-analysis that was done a number of years ago now, showed that supplementation with vitamin D decreased acute chest infections by 50% significantly uh in in that study." (said at 0:22:24)

The 2017 BMJ individual participant data meta-analysis by Martineau and colleagues (25 randomized controlled trials, 10,933 participants) found that vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced the overall risk of acute respiratory tract infections, but by approximately 12% across all participants (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.88, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.96), not 50%. Substantial reductions were observed only in specific subgroups: participants receiving daily or weekly dosing who were severely vitamin D deficient (baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D < 25 nmol/L) experienced a 70% reduction (aOR 0.30, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.53), whereas bolus dosing showed no statistically significant benefit.

0:22:34Roger Seheultoverstatedlow

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) showed that vitamin D supplementation provided health benefits.

"Also in the the longer aging uh health study called TILDA in in Ireland showed that uh vitamin D supplementation was beneficial." (said at 0:22:34)

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) is an observational prospective cohort study of community-dwelling older adults in Ireland. Data from TILDA established that low blood serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (vitamin D deficiency) were associated with adverse health markers and outcomes, including increased risk of incident depression, elevated C-reactive protein (inflammation), and higher risk of incident prediabetes. TILDA also confirmed that vitamin D supplement users had higher serum vitamin D levels. However, as an observational cohort study rather than an interventional clinical trial, TILDA demonstrated observational associations with serum vitamin D status rather than directly testing or proving the therapeutic health benefits of vitamin D supplementation.

0:30:20Rhonda Patrick (host)overstatedlow

Children with a single nucleotide polymorphism in the vitamin D receptor have a higher mortality from respiratory tract infections.

"So children that have a single nucleotide polymorphism in the vitamin D receptor, they also have a higher mortality from respiratory tract infections as well." (said at 0:30:20)

While several case-control studies have evaluated whether specific vitamin D receptor (VDR) single nucleotide polymorphisms (such as FokI rs2228570, rs2239185, ApaI, or TaqI) are associated with an increased susceptibility to or severity of pediatric respiratory tract infections (including community-acquired pneumonia and bronchiolitis), available evidence is mixed across populations and does not demonstrate an increase in mortality among affected children.

0:45:04Rhonda Patrick (host)overstatedmoderate

NHANES data indicate African-Americans are 30 times more likely to be vitamin D deficient than Caucasians.

"In fact, African-Americans, this was NHANES data, the most recent NHANES data that was published, they're 30 times more likely to be vitamin D deficient than Caucasians." (said at 0:45:04)

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data consistently show that African Americans have a substantially higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<50 nmol/L or 20 ng/mL) compared to non-Hispanic White individuals. However, the difference in risk or prevalence is approximately 3- to 4-fold (e.g., ~65% vs. ~19% in NHANES 2011–2014), not 30 times more likely. Stating a 30-fold difference is a massive exaggeration of the NHANES findings.

1:00:15Rhonda Patrick (host)overstatedmoderate

A meta-analysis found that parenteral omega-3 supplementation in hospitalized patients reduces ICU length of stay and decreases mortality by up to 60%.

"there have been some interesting studies showing that, uh, omega-3 supplementation, um, there's been a meta-analysis showing that, um, supplementation in hospitals, like, prevents ICU stay or lowers ICU stay, prevents, um, mortality, and like by up to 60%. Um, I think they were—this was, um, parenteral" (said at 1:00:15)

Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) support the claim that parenteral omega-3 (fish oil) lipid emulsions significantly reduce ICU length of stay (by approximately 1.9 to 2.1 days) and lower the risk of infectious complications and sepsis. However, the claim that parenteral omega-3 supplementation reduces mortality by up to 60% is a major overstatement. In meta-analyses of hospitalized and critically ill patients, mortality reductions were far smaller (around 16%) and did not reach statistical significance. The 60% figure in these meta-analyses describes either the relative risk of infection (RR 0.60, representing a 40% reduction) or a 56% reduction in sepsis risk, not a 60% decrease in mortality.

5

Needs context

0:33:51Rhonda Patrick (host)needs contextlow

The ACE2 gene is located on the X chromosome and escapes X-inactivation, leading to higher ACE2 levels in women.

"ACE2, the gene, is located on the X chromosome, and women have two X chromosomes. Most of the time, in one of those X chromosomes, the gene's inactivated, but there are genes that escape that, and ACE2 is one of those. And so women have much higher levels of ACE2." (said at 0:33:51)

The ACE2 gene is located on the X chromosome (Xp22.2) and has been documented to escape X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) in specific cell types, such as alveolar type 2 lung cells, potentially leading to sex-biased tissue expression. However, stating broadly that this causes women to have 'much higher levels of ACE2' requires significant context: XCI escape is often tissue- and cell-type-specific, and circulating plasma ACE2 concentrations in humans are frequently reported to be higher in males than in females or heavily dependent on age, disease status, and sex hormone regulation.

0:45:48Rhonda Patrick (host)needs contextvery low

A University of Chicago study found that African-Americans in Chicago need to spend six times as long in the sun as Caucasians to synthesize the same amount of vitamin D.

"there's a there was a study that came out of the University of Chicago a few years ago that found African-Americans in Chicago have to stay in the sun six times as long as a Caucasian to make the same amount of vitamin D in the skin." (said at 0:45:48)

The speaker misattributes the institution and generalizes a highly preliminary observation. The classic finding that deeply pigmented skin requires approximately six times more ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure than lightly pigmented skin to produce equivalent circulating vitamin D concentrations originates from seminal experimental work by Clemens, Adams, Henderson, and Holick published in The Lancet (1982), not a University of Chicago study. In that study, heavily pigmented individuals did not significantly increase serum vitamin D after a standard minimal erythemal dose (MED) of UVR, but re-exposing one Black subject to a UVR dose six times larger produced circulating vitamin D concentrations similar to Caucasians. While melanin acts as a natural sunblock and significantly reduces cutaneous vitamin D3 synthesis per unit of UVR time/intensity, this specific 'six-fold' quantitative figure derives from a small experimental comparison in very few subjects (n=5 total; single-subject dose escalation) rather than a population epidemiological study of Chicago residents.

1:23:33Roger Seheultneeds contexthigh

Aspirin was discovered in 1899 by the German company Bayer.

"Aspirin had just been discovered in 1899 uh by the German company Bayer." (said at 1:23:33)

The year 1899 marks when the German company Bayer registered the trademark "Aspirin" and launched the drug commercially, rather than its chemical discovery. The compound, acetylsalicylic acid, was first synthesized in 1853 by French chemist Charles Frédéric Gerhardt, and pure acetylsalicylic acid was synthesized at Bayer's laboratories on August 10, 1897.

  • context: One hundred years of aspirin (Medical History 1999) · cited 32x in the literature
    "Acetylsalicylic acid was synthesized by Gerhardt in 1853... on 10 August 1897 he synthesized acetylsalicylic acid... On 23 January 1899 they decided to give this substance the brand name of Aspirin and finally, on 6 March 1899, this was registered at the Kaiserlichen Patentsamt Berlin." (abstract)
    openalexfull study (doi)
  • context: The discovery of aspirin: a reappraisal (BMJ 2000) · cited 246x in the literature
    "Hoffmann, a chemist in the pharmaceutical laboratory of the German dye manufacturer Friedrich Bayer & Co in Elberfeld, consulted the chemical literature and came across the synthesis of acetylsalicylic acid and then prepared the first sample of pure acetylsalicylic acid on 10 August 1897. This was marketed in 1899 under the registered trademark of Aspirin." (abstract, passage verified)
    openalexfull study (doi)
1:32:23Roger Seheultneeds contextmoderate

Vasoconstriction caused by cold exposure triggers demargination of leukocytes into the circulation.

"when you just like we know when you take a cold shower that vasoconstriction causes demargination of leukocytes and that causes the amount of leukocytes in solution if you will or in the in the vasculature to go through find the viral particles and report to their lymph nodes" (said at 1:32:23)

Acute cold exposure (such as cold-water immersion or cold ambient air) triggers sympathetic nervous system activation, resulting in surges of catecholamines (norepinephrine and epinephrine) and cortisol that cause a transient mobilization (demargination) and increase in circulating leukocytes and granulocytes. However, this demargination is primarily mediated by catecholamine signaling and hemodynamic shear forces acting on vascular endothelial adhesion molecules, rather than peripheral vasoconstriction itself directly dislodging white blood cells. Furthermore, while circulating immune cell counts transiently rise following cold stress, clinical evidence does not demonstrate that taking a cold shower meaningfully enhances antiviral surveillance or active viral clearance in lymph nodes.

1:54:40Roger Seheultneeds contexthigh

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) functions as an antioxidant and recycles the glutathione peroxidase system to mitigate oxidative stress.

"NAC is a great antioxidant. It's packed with antioxidants and it it's recycles that the the glutathione peroxidase system which is helpful in dealing with oxidative stress." (said at 1:54:40)

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) functions as an antioxidant and precursor for intracellular glutathione (GSH) synthesis, helping cells counteract oxidative stress. However, the claim's description of its mechanism needs qualification: NAC is a single amino acid derivative (a cysteine prodrug) rather than something "packed with antioxidants," and it does not directly recycle the glutathione peroxidase enzyme. Glutathione peroxidase utilizes reduced glutathione (GSH) to detoxify peroxides, producing glutathione disulfide (GSSG), which is subsequently reduced back to GSH by glutathione reductase. NAC supports this system by supplying cysteine to replenish GSH pools rather than directly recycling the peroxidase system.

49

Supported by research

0:07:45Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

The FDA granted emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma for COVID-19 based on studies that lacked control groups.

"So, for instance, convalescent plasma was approved using emergency use authorization through the FDA. There was no controls in that study." (said at 0:07:45)

The claim is supported. In August 2020, the US FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 convalescent plasma based primarily on data from the national Expanded Access Program (EAP) registry coordinated by the Mayo Clinic. The EAP was an open-label, pragmatic registry that did not include an untreated or placebo control group; its efficacy signals were derived from internal dose-response comparisons (evaluating outcomes between recipients of high-, medium-, and low-antibody titer plasma) rather than a randomized control arm.

0:09:50Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

The UK RECOVERY trial showed that dexamethasone provided no clear benefit to COVID-19 patients not requiring oxygen, but reduced mortality most substantially in patients on mechanical ventilators.

"That was a UK RECOVERY trial that came out, showed without a doubt that steroids improve—well, what they found was that patients who were not on oxygen, so in other words early in the course of the disease, did not benefit from steroids. It was equivocal. Whereas those that were the sickest patients on the ventilator requiring high doses of oxygen seemed to be the ones that benefited the most from dexamethasone or steroids." (said at 0:09:50)

The UK RECOVERY trial (a randomized controlled trial of 6,425 hospitalized COVID-19 patients) evaluated 6 mg daily dexamethasone versus usual care and found that mortality reduction varied substantially by baseline respiratory support. In patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, dexamethasone produced the greatest mortality reduction (28-day mortality: 29.3% vs. 41.4%; rate ratio 0.64, 95% CI 0.51–0.81). In patients receiving oxygen without mechanical ventilation, there was also a benefit (23.3% vs. 26.2%; rate ratio 0.82, 95% CI 0.72–0.94). However, in patients receiving no respiratory support at randomization, dexamethasone showed no benefit and was statistically equivocal/trended toward harm (17.8% vs. 14.0%; rate ratio 1.19, 95% CI 0.92–1.55).

  • supports: Dexamethasone in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19. (The New England journal of medicine 2021) · cited 10160x in the literature
    "In the dexamethasone group, the incidence of death was lower than that in the usual care group among patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (29.3% vs. 41.4%; rate ratio, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.81) and among those receiving oxygen without invasive mechanical ventilation (23.3% vs. 26.2%; rate ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.94) but not among those who were receiving no respiratory support at randomization (17.8% vs. 14.0%; rate ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.92 to 1.55)." (abstract, results, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
0:10:51Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

Remdesivir demonstrated greater efficacy early in the course of COVID-19 compared to late-stage disease in patients on mechanical ventilators.

"Remdesivir was much more efficacious early in the course of disease and not so much so for those patients on the ventilator." (said at 0:10:51)

The claim is well-supported by randomized controlled trials evaluating remdesivir across different disease severities in COVID-19 patients. In the PINETREE trial (Gottlieb et al., 2022, PMID: 34937145), early administration of remdesivir in symptomatic outpatients reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by 87% compared to placebo. In contrast, in major inpatient trials like the ACTT-1 trial (Beigel et al., 2020, PMID: 32445440) and the WHO Solidarity trial (Hongchao et al., 2021, PMID: 33264556), remdesivir demonstrated significant benefits in time to recovery among patients receiving low-flow oxygen or not on oxygen, but showed little to no clinical efficacy or mortality benefit in patients who were already on mechanical ventilation or ECMO.

0:15:59Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

Commercial airplanes exchange cabin air roughly tenfold per hour and pass the air through HEPA filters to capture viral particles.

"Well, you may not know this, but they do they do air changes like tenfold every hour and all of that air is going through HEPA filters and so the virus gets trapped." (said at 0:15:59)

Commercial aircraft environmental control systems maintain high air exchange rates (typically 15 to 30 air changes per hour, or every 2 to 4 minutes) and route recirculated air through High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters designed to trap viral aerosols and other airborne particulates. Experimental and computational modeling studies confirm that cabin ventilation and filtration rapidly clear respiratory particles (removing particles 5 to 12 times faster than standard commercial indoor spaces), although localized, close-proximity exposure between passengers within the same row can still occur prior to filtration.

0:16:59Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Cloth face coverings filter out a portion of viral particles to reduce both outward transmission and inward exposure for the wearer.

"even, you know, someone wearing a cloth mask, it can both protect um you from infecting others and also can actually filter out some to some degree um some particles that are, you know, you won't be exposed to as many viral particles as if there were no mask" (said at 0:16:59)

Evidence confirms that cloth face coverings filter out a portion of respiratory particles and droplets, offering both source control (reducing outward transmission to protect others) and some degree of inward filtration for the wearer compared to wearing no mask. While cloth masks have lower filtration efficiency and higher particle penetration than medical/surgical masks or N95 respirators, common fabric materials (especially multi-layered or hybrid fabrics) still provide measurable filtration of virus-sized particles and droplets.

  • supports: Efficacy and Use of Cloth Masks: A Scoping Review. (Cureus 2020) · cited 21x in the literature
    "Household fabrics such as cotton T-shirts and towels have some filtration efficacy and therefore potential for droplet retention and protection against virus-containing particles. However, the percentage of penetration in cloth masks is higher than surgical masks or N95 respirators. Cloth masks have limited inward protection in healthcare settings where viral exposure is high but may be beneficial for outward protection in low-risk settings and use by the general public where no other alternatives to medical masks are available." (abstract, results, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
  • supports: Are cloth masks a substitute to medical masks in reducing transmission and contamination? … (Brazilian oral research 2020) · cited 28x in the literature
    "Between the evaluated fabrics only three presented a filtration efficiency > 90%. Hybrid of cotton/chiffon (95%CI 95.2 to 98.8), hybrid of cotton/silk (95%CI 92.2 to 95.8) and cotton quilt (95%CI 94.2 to 97.8). However, cloth masks are not recommended for healthcare workers. A meta-analysis was not feasible due to a high methodological heterogeneity. The overall quality of evidence ranged from very low to moderate. Despite the lower efficiency compared to medical masks, laboratorial results may underestimate the efficiency of cloth masks in real life." (abstract, results, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
0:19:10Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

Vitamin D has a steroid structure similar to cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone, allowing it to enter the cell nucleus and regulate gene transcription.

"if you look at the structure of vitamin D, it is very similar to the structure of cortisol, of the structure of testosterone, of estrogen, of progesterone. And what do we know about all of these other steroid hormones? They go directly into the nucleus of the cell where they affect transcription of protein factors." (said at 0:19:10)

The claim is supported by biochemical and molecular biology literature. Vitamin D (a secosteroid, derived from steroids with a broken B-ring) shares a core steroid ring structure with classical steroid hormones such as cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. Like these steroid hormones, its biologically active form (1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or calcitriol) acts via a nuclear receptor (the vitamin D receptor, VDR), which belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily. Upon binding its ligand, the receptor acts as a nuclear transcription factor to regulate target gene transcription.

  • supports: Vitamin D and Its Receptor from a Structural Perspective. (Nutrients 2022) · cited 77x in the literature
    "The activities of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, 1,25D 3 , are mediated via its binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor that belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily." (abstract, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
  • supports: Genomic signaling of vitamin D. (Steroids 2023) · cited 43x in the literature
    "The activation of VDR by 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 is the core mechanism of genomic signaling of vitamin D 3 , which results in the modulation of the epigenome at thousands of promoter and enhancer regions as well as finally in the activation or repression of hundreds of target gene transcription." (abstract, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
  • supports: Calcifediol: Mechanisms of Action. (Nutrients 2023) · cited 18x in the literature
    "Due to its essential role in calcium and phosphate homeostasis, the secosteroid hormone calcitriol has received growing attention over the last few years. Calcitriol, like other steroid hormones, may function through both genomic and non-genomic mechanisms. In the traditional function, the interaction between the biologically active form of vitamin D and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) affects the transcription of thousands of genes" (abstract, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
0:22:44Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

Immune cells express vitamin D receptors.

"They they found vitamin D receptors in the immune cells." (said at 0:22:44)

The claim is supported. It is well-established in immunology and endocrinology that cells across both the innate and adaptive immune systems express the vitamin D receptor (VDR), allowing vitamin D signaling to modulate immune cell activation, differentiation, and inflammatory responses.

0:23:04Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

Older adults have a higher susceptibility to vitamin D deficiency because aging skin becomes less efficient at producing vitamin D from sunlight.

"The older you are, the more apt you are to get vitamin D deficiencies because your skin is not as effective at turning uh at making vitamin D." (said at 0:23:04)

Published experimental and physiological research demonstrates that aging significantly reduces the skin's capacity to synthesize vitamin D. Human skin samples across different age groups (ages 8–92) show an age-dependent reduction in epidermal 7-dehydrocholesterol concentrations, leading to a greater than twofold decrease in cutaneous previtamin D3 production under ultraviolet irradiation in older individuals compared to younger individuals.

0:24:08Roger Seheultsupportedlow

A study of 191,000 patients published in PLOS ONE found that SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates increased as circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels fell below 50 ng/mL across all races, genders, geographies, and age groups.

"And this was published by uh it was published in PLOS ONE, the journal, uh an article titled "SARS-CoV-2 Positivity Rates Associated with Circulating 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels." ... And what they found was that as your levels as your levels started to drop below 50 nanograms per milliliter, we started to see an increase in SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate. And it didn't matter based on race, gender, geography, or age." (said at 0:24:08)

A retrospective observational study of 191,779 patients across the United States published in PLOS ONE (Kaufman et al., 2020) evaluated circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels in relation to SARS-CoV-2 test positivity. The authors reported that SARS-CoV-2 positivity was inversely related to 25(OH)D levels, decreasing continuously as levels rose toward 50-55 ng/mL (5.9% positivity at ≥55 ng/mL vs 12.5% at <20 ng/mL). This inverse relationship persisted after multivariable adjustment across all evaluated age groups, sexes, racial/ethnic census proportions, and geographic latitudes. Because this was a retrospective cross-sectional laboratory analysis, it shows an epidemiological association rather than proven causality.

  • supports: SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. (PloS one 2020) · cited 396x in the literature
    "A total of 191,779 patients were included (median age, 54 years [interquartile range 40.4-64.7]; 68% female. The SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate was 9.3% (95% C.I. 9.2-9.5%) and the mean seasonally adjusted 25(OH)D was 31.7 (SD 11.7). The SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate was higher in the 39,190 patients with "deficient" 25(OH)D values (<20 ng/mL) (12.5%, 95% C.I. 12.2-12.8%) than in the 27,870 patients with "adequate" values (30-34 ng/mL) (8.1%, 95% C.I. 7.8-8.4%) and the 12,321 patients with values ≥55 ng/mL (5.9%, 95% C.I. 5.5-6.4%)... SARS-CoV-2 positivity is strongly and inversely associated with circulating 25(OH)D levels, a relationship that persists across latitudes, races/ethnicities, both sexes, and age ranges." (abstract, results and conclusions, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
0:25:40Roger Seheultsupportedlow

Observational studies show that COVID-19 patients with vitamin D deficiency had higher rates of hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, and mortality.

"We see people being admitted to the hospital had lower rates than those that had similar symptoms but were not SARS-CoV-2 positive. ... they showed that there was a difference in mortality, that there was a difference in which ones went on to need ventilators." (said at 0:25:40)

Multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies confirm that vitamin D deficiency is consistently associated with increased risk of hospitalization, severe disease requiring intensive care or mechanical ventilation, and higher mortality in patients with COVID-19. For example, a meta-analysis of 54 observational studies including over 1.4 million individuals found that vitamin D deficiency was associated with significantly higher odds of COVID-19 hospitalization, ICU admission, and death. Because these findings come from observational studies, the certainty of evidence for causation is low due to potential residual confounding (e.g., advanced age, obesity, underlying chronic illness, and reverse causation where acute inflammation lowers serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels). However, the claim specifically asserts what observational studies show, which is accurate.

0:28:44Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Mendelian randomization meta-analyses demonstrate that genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms causing lower circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are associated with significantly increased respiratory tract infection mortality, cancer mortality, and all-cause mortality, but not cardiovascular mortality.

"And so there have been meta-analyses looking at people that have the SNP—didn't measure vitamin D levels at all. It's already known they have lower circulating levels. ... And these people have a much higher mortality from respiratory tract infections. They have a higher all-cause mortality. They have a higher cancer mortality. Cardiovascular-related mortality is unchanged, but respiratory tract infections are much higher. And so that Mendelian randomization study, I love to cite that because it really is establishing causation." (said at 0:28:44)

Published Mendelian randomization studies directly report these findings. In a landmark Mendelian randomization study of 95,766 participants across three cohorts (Afzal et al., BMJ 2014), genetically determined low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (based on DHCR7 and CYP2R1 variants) was significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.05–1.61), cancer mortality (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.02–1.99), and non-cardiovascular/other mortality (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.01–2.04), but showed no significant association with cardiovascular mortality (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.55–1.08). Subsequent Mendelian randomization analyses have specifically linked genetically lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D with increased risk of bacterial pneumonias and respiratory disease mortality.

0:29:17Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedhigh

Vitamin D bioavailability is reduced in individuals with obesity compared to non-obese individuals.

"maybe they're low in vitamin D because they're obese and the vitamin D is less bioavailable, which it is in obese individuals, as you mentioned." (said at 0:29:17)

The statement that vitamin D bioavailability is reduced in individuals with obesity is well supported by clinical and pharmacokinetic literature. Controlled interventional studies demonstrate that following ultraviolet irradiation (cutaneous synthesis) or oral supplementation, the circulating rise in vitamin D is significantly blunted in individuals with obesity compared to lean controls, largely due to sequestration into expanded adipose tissue depots. Furthermore, large clinical trial analyses (such as data from the VITAL cohort) confirm that baseline bioavailable vitamin D and the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D response to supplementation decrease progressively with higher body mass index.

0:24:38Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D is converted into active 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D not only in the kidneys but also locally within white blood cells.

"And then it gets converted into 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in the kidneys for metabolism or in the white blood cells where they need it there." (said at 0:24:38)

The claim accurately reflects established human biochemistry and immunology. While the kidneys are the primary site of systemic endocrine conversion of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D into active 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D via the enzyme CYP27B1 (1α-hydroxylase), white blood cells—predominantly monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells—also express CYP27B1. In response to immune stimuli (such as interferon-gamma or pathogen-associated molecular patterns), these immune cells convert 25-hydroxyvitamin D locally into 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D to mediate autocrine, intracrine, and paracrine immune functions.

0:30:56Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Vitamin D response elements are present in more than 5% of the protein-encoding human genome.

"and it recognizes a very specific sequence of DNA called a vitamin D response element. And these are in more than 5% of the protein-encoding human genome." (said at 0:30:56)

Genome-wide mapping studies (such as ChIP-seq profiling of the vitamin D receptor, VDR) demonstrate that vitamin D response elements and VDR binding sites are distributed broadly across the human genome. Analyses of human cells have identified thousands of VDR binding loci (ranging from over 2,000 to more than 22,000 total genomic binding sites, including thousands of ligand-inducible sites), which map to and regulate a substantial fraction—broadly estimated in genomic studies to encompass 3% to over 5%—of the approximately 20,000 human protein-coding genes.

0:32:40Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedvery low

SARS-CoV-1 binds to ACE2, internalizes the receptor, downregulates ACE2 expression, and worsens acute lung injury.

"what's been shown with SARS-CoV-1 is when the virus, which also binds to the same receptor to get inside of the cell, it binds to the receptor and it internalizes the receptor and downregulates ACE2... And what happens when the ACE2 gets downregulated? Lung injury, acute lung injury gets really bad." (said at 0:32:40)

Published experimental research demonstrates that SARS-CoV-1 utilizes angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a functional receptor for cellular entry, and that binding of the virus or its spike protein promotes downregulation of ACE2 expression. In animal models, loss or downregulation of ACE2 worsens acute lung injury by disrupting the balance of the renin-angiotensin system (leading to excessive angiotensin II accumulation), while ACE2 administration or renin-angiotensin blockade attenuates lung damage. Because this specific causal mechanism is established primarily in preclinical animal and cell models, the GRADE certainty is rated very low.

0:33:19Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedvery low

In animal models of acute lung injury, high doses of active vitamin D normalize ACE2 levels.

"there's been some animal studies that have found, for example, if you high-dose with the active form of vitamin D the animals, and then you cause acute lung injury, ACE2 goes down, acute lung injury goes up in the placebo group, but the vitamin D group, it normalizes the ACE2 levels." (said at 0:33:19)

Animal studies of acute lung injury (ALI) have demonstrated that administration of active vitamin D (calcitriol) upregulates or normalizes angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression and attenuates lung injury compared to untreated controls. In rodent models of lipopolysaccharide- or sepsis-induced ALI, lung injury leads to downregulation of the ACE2 pathway and upregulation of inflammatory mediators, while calcitriol pretreatment or post-treatment restores ACE2 and Mas receptor expression and reduces pulmonary permeability and tissue damage. Because these findings come exclusively from animal models, the certainty of evidence for human clinical translation remains very low.

0:34:54Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

ACE2 balances angiotensin II and angiotensin-(1-7), reducing pro-oxidative products and increasing antioxidant products.

"The other aspect of angiotensin or ACE2, I should say, is that it gets rid of pro-oxidative products and it increases antioxidant products. So, for instance, angiotensin II and angiotensin-(1-7), those are in balance, and ACE2 tries to keep those in balance." (said at 0:34:54)

The renin-angiotensin system comprises two counter-regulatory arms: the classical ACE/Angiotensin II/AT1R axis (which promotes vasoconstriction, inflammation, and reactive oxygen species generation via NADPH oxidases) and the protective ACE2/Angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas receptor axis. ACE2 directly cleaves Angiotensin II to form Angiotensin-(1-7), thereby depleting the pro-oxidative peptide and generating a counter-regulatory peptide that stimulates antioxidant defense pathways.

0:36:40Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

In a Spanish randomized controlled trial led by Marta Castillo, 2% of patients treated with calcifediol were admitted to the ICU compared to 50% in the placebo group.

"It was Marta Castillo who published, she was the lead author on this one out of Spain... And what they found was in the calcifediol group there was only 2% that went to the intensive care unit, whereas in the placebo group 50% of those went to the intensive care unit." (said at 0:36:40)

In a 2020 pilot randomized clinical trial conducted in Córdoba, Spain, led by Marta Entrenas Castillo, 76 hospitalized COVID-19 patients receiving standard care were randomized 2:1 to receive calcifediol or no calcifediol. In the calcifediol group, 1 of 50 patients (2%) required ICU admission, compared to 13 of 26 patients (50%) in the control group (untreated with calcifediol). The control group received best available therapy without an active placebo.

0:38:48Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedhigh

A meta-analysis led by Martineau found that daily or weekly vitamin D supplementation protected against acute respiratory tract infections, but monthly bolus doses did not.

"I believe it was Martineau uh that was the the senior author on that... And what was so interesting about those meta-analyses was that they found weekly doses, daily doses worked, but monthly doses did not in terms of protecting against acute respiratory tract infections." (said at 0:38:48)

A landmark individual participant data meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials led by Adrian Martineau (BMJ 2017) found that vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced the risk of acute respiratory tract infections overall (aOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81–0.96). Subgroup analyses confirmed that protective effects were present in participants receiving daily or weekly doses without additional bolus doses (aOR 0.81, 95% CI 0.72–0.91), but were not observed in those receiving one or more bolus doses (aOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.86–1.10; P for interaction = 0.05).

0:41:20Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedhigh

Vitamin D insufficiency is defined by the Endocrine Society as circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels below 30 ng/mL, and deficiency is defined as below 20 ng/mL.

"vitamin D insufficient which uh defined as the uh by the Endocrine Society is less than 30 nanograms per milliliter um and 30% of the US population is what is called vitamin D deficient so they have less than 20 nanograms per milliliter blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D" (said at 0:41:20)

The speaker accurately describes the clinical thresholds established by the Endocrine Society in its 2011 Clinical Practice Guideline, which defined vitamin D deficiency as circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels below 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L) and insufficiency as 21 to 29 ng/mL (levels below 30 ng/mL [75 nmol/L]). In a 2024 guideline communication, the Endocrine Society noted that randomized trial evidence did not support specific cutoffs predicting clinical benefit in healthy populations and retired these specific sufficiency/insufficiency categories, but the historical definitions established by the Society match the speaker's statement.

0:41:20Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

NHANES data show that approximately 70% of the US population is vitamin D insufficient and 30% is vitamin D deficient.

"in the United States you know 70% of the US population is categorized as vitamin D insufficient which uh defined as the uh by the Endocrine Society is less than 30 nanograms per milliliter um and 30% of the US population is what is called vitamin D deficient so they have less than 20 nanograms per milliliter blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D" (said at 0:41:20)

Analyses of representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data support these estimates using Endocrine Society thresholds. Across NHANES cycles, approximately 65% to 70% of the US population has serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels below 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L, considered insufficient/deficient by the Endocrine Society), with about 34.5% classified as sufficient (>30 ng/mL). Furthermore, between 25% and 40% (approximately 30%) fall below the deficiency threshold of 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L).

0:44:02Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedhigh

Living above the 35th parallel prevents sufficient atmospheric penetration of UVB radiation to synthesize adequate vitamin D in the skin during winter months.

"if you live above the 35th parallel, which if you're in the United States, that would be the southern border of Tennessee or just a few miles north of us here in Southern California, you know, most of the of the country lives above the 35th parallel, which means that you're not going to get enough UVB radiation in the winter months to supplement or to keep uh elevated your your vitamin D levels sufficiently." (said at 0:44:02)

Photobiological and atmospheric modeling studies demonstrate that at latitudes above approximately 35° N (or S), the solar zenith angle during winter months causes solar ultraviolet B (UVB, 290–315 nm) radiation to be absorbed extensively by the ozone layer and atmosphere, resulting in insufficient UVB photons reaching ground level to stimulate cutaneous synthesis of previtamin D3. Experimental studies exposing human skin and 7-dehydrocholesterol to natural sunlight at various latitudes found no detectable previtamin D3 synthesis during winter months (November through February/March) at latitudes such as 42.2° N (Boston) and 52° N (Edmonton), whereas synthesis continued year-round at latitudes around 34° N and lower. This seasonal period of negligible cutaneous vitamin D production is widely documented as the 'vitamin D winter.'

0:47:11Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

Window glass blocks almost all UVB radiation while allowing UVA radiation to pass through.

"You go behind a piece of glass, there's there's almost no UVB at all. The only thing that's coming through is UVA, which is, you know, nasty ultraviolet radiation." (said at 0:47:11)

Standard window glass absorbs virtually all ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation while allowing significant amounts of ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation to pass through. Reviews and optical measurements confirm that ordinary architectural and non-laminated vehicle glass blocks almost all UVB but transmits a substantial portion of UVA, with transmission depending on thickness, tinting, and laminates.

0:49:07Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedlow

A 2013 meta-analysis covering studies from the 1960s to 2013 found that blood vitamin D levels between 40 and 60–70 ng/mL were associated with the lowest all-cause mortality.

"back in 2013 there was a meta-analysis published. I don't know the author's name, but the studies dated back from the 1960s to um to the 2013 uh and it was looking at all-cause mortality in association with vitamin D blood levels and it was found that you know levels somewhere between 40 to 60 or 70 like was the lowest all-cause mortality." (said at 0:49:07)

A 2014 meta-analysis by Garland and colleagues (PMID 24922127) reviewed 32 studies published from January 1966 to January 2013 examining the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and all-cause mortality. The analysis found that serum 25(OH)D concentrations ≤30 ng/mL were associated with significantly higher all-cause mortality compared with concentrations >30 ng/mL, with the lowest mortality observed at higher circulating concentrations. Because this meta-analysis synthesizes observational cohort data, residual confounding cannot be ruled out.

  • supports: Meta-analysis of all-cause mortality according to serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. (American journal of public health 2014) · cited 191x in the literature
    "We searched biomedical databases for articles that assessed 2 or more categories of 25(OH)D from January 1, 1966, to January 15, 2013. We identified 32 studies and pooled the data. The hazard ratio for all-cause mortality comparing the lowest (0-9 nanograms per milliliter [ng/mL]) to the highest (> 30 ng/mL) category of 25(OH)D was 1.9 (95% confidence interval = 1.6, 2.2; P < .001). Serum 25(OH)D concentrations less than or equal to 30 ng/mL were associated with higher all-cause mortality than concentrations greater than 30 ng/mL (P < .01)." (abstract, results, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
0:50:30Roger Seheultsupportedlow

A study of 20,000 patients in the Mayo Clinic database taking vitamin D doses up to 55,000 IU/day identified only one case of hypercalcemia, in an individual with serum levels between 200–300 ng/mL.

"there was a study where this, uh, this Polish scientist looked at the Mayo Clinic's database and they looked at 20,000 people... One person had hypercalcemia out of those 20,000, and they had ranges—people supplementing anywhere from 0 to 55,000 units a day—and, uh, really just one person. And that person's vitamin D level, if I recall correctly, was up in the, the 200-300 range. That's nanograms per milliliter." (said at 0:50:30)

A 10-year retrospective population-based study using the Rochester Epidemiology Project database (Mayo Clinic) evaluated 20,308 serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] measurements between 2002 and 2011. While 1,714 individuals had 25(OH)D levels exceeding 50 ng/mL and four had hypercalcemia temporally associated with elevated levels, chart review revealed only one individual with true acute clinical vitamin D toxicity and hypercalcemia directly attributable to vitamin D, occurring at a serum 25(OH)D concentration of 364 ng/mL.

0:51:40Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

Vitamin D supplementation has a non-linear dose-response where the first 1,000 IU increases serum 25(OH)D by 4.8–5 ng/mL, while at higher doses (15,000–30,000 IU) each 1,000 IU increases levels by approximately a tenth of that rate.

"What we notice actually is that the first thousand units that you supplement causes an increase of about 4.8 to 5, uh, nanograms per milliliter. Whereas when you get up to about 15, 20, 30,000, that, uh, each additional thousand goes up by about a tenth of that. So it's a, it's a nonlinear relationship." (said at 0:51:40)

The relationship between oral vitamin D intake and circulating serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations is well established to be non-linear (curvilinear). Clinical and observational dose-response investigations demonstrate that at low baseline inputs, an initial daily intake of 1,000 IU typically raises serum 25(OH)D by approximately 4.8 to 5 ng/mL (roughly 12 nmol/L). At much higher daily doses (such as 15,000 to 30,000 IU/day), the rate of increase flattens markedly due to saturation of hepatic 25-hydroxylase and upregulation of 24-hydroxylase catabolic pathways, resulting in an incremental rise per 1,000 IU that is roughly one-tenth of the initial slope (approximately 0.5 ng/mL per 1,000 IU).

0:53:45Roger Seheultsupportedlow

The SHADE randomized controlled trial in India showed that COVID-19 patients given 60,000 IU/day of vitamin D for 7 days had higher SARS-CoV-2 PCR negativity rates at day 21 (roughly 60% vs 20%) and significantly lower fibrinogen levels.

"based on the SHADE study. This is another randomized controlled trial that came out of India. Um, and it showed basically when they supplemented patients in the hospital with 60,000 units a day for 7 days that there was an improvement by day 21 in the number of COVID-negative patients on testing... it was like 60 versus 20% at week three were negative by, by just supplementing with vitamin D. The other thing that they looked at was fibrinogen, which was a, a marker of inflammation that was significantly lower as well." (said at 0:53:45)

The SHADE randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted in India (Rastogi et al., 2022) evaluated 40 asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, vitamin D-deficient SARS-CoV-2-positive participants randomized to receive 60,000 IU/day of oral cholecalciferol for 7 days (n=16) or placebo (n=24). By day 21, 62.5% (10/16) in the vitamin D group compared to 20.8% (5/24) in the control group achieved viral clearance (SARS-CoV-2 RNA negativity, p=0.018). Furthermore, serum fibrinogen levels decreased significantly in the intervention group compared to controls (p=0.007). The certainty of evidence for this specific finding is low due to serious imprecision from the small sample size (n=40).

0:56:46Roger Seheultsupportedlow

A French study of nursing home residents hospitalized with COVID-19 found significantly better clinical outcomes in patients who had received an 80,000 IU vitamin D dose within the preceding 30 days compared to those who received it over 30 days prior.

"there was a great study that looked at that in France. Um, you know, apparently the practice was that every nursing home patient would get 80,000 international units of vitamin D every 3 months... when they sorted them to those that had gotten it within the last 30 days to those that had gotten it past 30 days, there was a statistically significant, clinically significant difference between those that had gotten it recently and those that have gotten it more than a month out." (said at 0:56:46)

A quasi-experimental study conducted in a French nursing home (Annweiler et al., 2020) evaluated 66 elderly residents with COVID-19. Participants who had received bolus vitamin D3 supplementation during the acute infection or in the preceding month (often standard 80,000 IU boluses given periodically) experienced significantly higher survival (82.5% vs. 44.4%, adjusted HR = 0.11, p = 0.003) and lower disease severity on the Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement compared to those who had not received recent supplementation. The certainty of evidence is low due to the small sample size (n=66, with only 9 comparator patients) and non-randomized, quasi-experimental design.

0:59:10Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

African American women with a lactase gene single nucleotide polymorphism conferring lactose tolerance have significantly higher vitamin D levels.

"And there have been studies that have shown that, for example, African American women that have a single nucleotide polymorphism in the lactase gene that allows them to, um, you know, tolerate lactose, they have much higher levels of vitamin D because they're drinking milk." (said at 0:59:10)

A large multi-center study in African American and European American women found that African American women who carried the rs4988235 single nucleotide polymorphism (associated with lactase persistence and lactose tolerance) had significantly higher dietary vitamin D intake and higher circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations.

0:39:20Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedhigh

A Brazilian clinical study in COVID-19 patients found that a single bolus dose of 200,000 IU of vitamin D showed no significant clinical effect.

"I think I've seen a preprint floating around uh for for COVID-19 where there was one large dose and there was no effect. Yes. Um, yeah, you're referring to the uh the Brazilian study where they gave 200,000 international units at the very beginning." (said at 0:39:20)

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted in Sao Paulo, Brazil (Murai et al., published in JAMA in 2021 after initial preprint circulation) investigated 240 hospitalized patients with moderate to severe COVID-19. Patients received either a single oral dose of 200,000 IU of vitamin D3 or a placebo. The trial found no significant difference between the groups in hospital length of stay (median 7.0 days in both groups), in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit admission, or need for mechanical ventilation.

0:48:55Roger Seheultsupportedlow

An observational study of over 191,000 individuals found that SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates began to increase as circulating vitamin D levels dropped below 50 ng/mL.

"those studies that we talked about earlier where they took looked at 191,000 people that SARS-CoV-2 rates started to go up once levels dropped below 50." (said at 0:48:55)

A retrospective observational study by Kaufman et al. (2020) analyzed 191,779 patients across all 50 US states and found that SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates were inversely associated with circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Test positivity declined continuously as circulating vitamin D levels increased up to approximately 50–55 ng/mL (positivity was 12.5% for <20 ng/mL, 8.1% for 30–34 ng/mL, and 5.9% for ≥55 ng/mL), meaning positivity rates increased as levels fell below that range. Because this is a retrospective observational study, it demonstrates an association rather than proven causality.

  • supports: SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates associated with circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. (PloS one 2020) · cited 396x in the literature
    "A total of 191,779 patients were included (median age, 54 years [interquartile range 40.4-64.7]; 68% female. The SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate was 9.3% (95% C.I. 9.2-9.5%) and the mean seasonally adjusted 25(OH)D was 31.7 (SD 11.7). The SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate was higher in the 39,190 patients with "deficient" 25(OH)D values (<20 ng/mL) (12.5%, 95% C.I. 12.2-12.8%) than in the 27,870 patients with "adequate" values (30-34 ng/mL) (8.1%, 95% C.I. 7.8-8.4%) and the 12,321 patients with values ≥55 ng/mL (5.9%, 95% C.I. 5.5-6.4%)." (abstract, results, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
0:58:23Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

Aging reduces cutaneous vitamin D synthesis capacity by two to four times compared to youth.

"depending on your age, you know, you're anywhere between two or four times less likely to make as much as you were when you were younger." (said at 0:58:23)

Classic comparative studies examining human skin samples across different age groups demonstrate an age-dependent decline in epidermal 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) concentrations and previtamin D3 production capacity upon ultraviolet exposure. In vitro irradiation of human skin from elderly individuals (aged 77–82 years) compared to young individuals (aged 8–18 years) showed a decrease of greater than twofold in the capacity of skin to synthesize previtamin D3, with literature widely documenting a two- to fourfold reduction (up to ~75%) across the human lifespan.

1:04:11Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

People who get more sleep prior to vaccination develop a stronger immune response with higher antibody titers, such as to the influenza vaccine.

"We know for a fact that people who get more sleep before they get an immunization have a better immune response with higher antibody titers to, for instance, the flu vaccine." (said at 1:04:11)

Published systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and prospective studies confirm that adequate sleep duration surrounding vaccination is associated with significantly higher antibody titers. A 2023 meta-analysis of studies evaluating sleep and viral vaccinations (including influenza, hepatitis, and SARS-CoV-2) found that objectively measured short sleep duration was associated with a robust reduction in antibody responses (effect size 0.79). Prospective investigations examining specific time windows around influenza vaccination specifically demonstrate that shorter sleep duration in the nights preceding immunization predicts significantly lower antibody titers 1 to 4 months post-vaccination.

1:04:38Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

In a viral challenge study with rhinovirus, subjects with 7 or more hours of sleep and good sleep efficiency had a five- to sevenfold lower risk of developing a cold compared to those with less sleep.

"they subjected them to rhinovirus and they put it into their nose and they waited to see how many people came down with, uh, with a common cold. And when they looked back and, and saw what their sleep habits were, it was a five- to sevenfold difference if you looked at those people that got 7 or more hours of sleep per night versus those that got less, and, uh, whether or not they had a good sleep efficiency." (said at 1:04:38)

The statement accurately reflects findings from prospective rhinovirus challenge studies. In Cohen et al. (2009), 153 healthy participants were tracked for baseline sleep habits and subsequently quarantined and challenged with rhinovirus: participants with lower sleep efficiency (<92%) were 5.50 times (95% CI, 2.08–14.48) more likely to develop a clinical cold than those with high efficiency (≥98%), and participants sleeping <7 hours were 2.94 times (95% CI, 1.18–7.30) more likely to develop a cold than those sleeping ≥8 hours. In a subsequent actigraphy challenge study by Prather et al. (2015), participants sleeping <5 hours were 4.50 times more likely to develop a cold compared to those sleeping >7 hours.

1:08:53Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

Slow-wave sleep occurs primarily at the beginning of the night and is associated with human growth hormone secretion.

"And they are slow-wave sleep, which is right at the beginning of the night. In fact, this is the type of sleep that is associated with growth hormone secretion, especially in children." (said at 1:08:53)

Extensive physiological and clinical evidence confirms that slow-wave sleep (SWS) predominates during the early sleep cycles (the first few hours of the night) and is closely coupled with major pulses of growth hormone (GH) secretion. In humans, the largest and most consistent 24-hour pulse of GH release occurs shortly after sleep onset in association with slow-wave sleep across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

1:16:20Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS suppress the innate immune system early in the course of infection.

"We've got good evidence now from immunologists that SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS, all three of those, they kind of act the same way in that early on in the disease, they suppress the innate immune system." (said at 1:16:20)

Published immunological and virological research confirms that all three highly pathogenic human coronaviruses—SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV—employ molecular mechanisms to suppress and evade the host's innate immune response early during infection. Specifically, they utilize viral structural and non-structural proteins to block pattern recognition receptors (such as dsRNA sensors), antagonize MAVS and STING signaling pathways, and blunt early type I and type III interferon (IFN) production and downstream signaling, which delays antiviral defenses and facilitates initial viral replication.

1:19:01Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

Genetic mutations that abolish interferon secretion were identified exclusively in severe COVID-19 patients and explained a significant proportion of severe cases in a cohort published in Science.

"there's a couple of papers that were published in Science uh about a month or two ago. They could explain 14% of all of the severe cases in their cohort based on two findings. One was a genetic a bunch of genetic mutations that basically left the the subjects hamstrung in terms of secreting and producing interferon... All of those mutations were found only in the severe COVID-19 patients." (said at 1:19:01)

Two companion papers published in Science in September 2020 by the COVID Human Genetic Effort evaluated type I interferon (IFN) impairment in severe COVID-19. Zhang et al. (PMID 32972995) identified loss-of-function inborn errors in 13 genes governing type I IFN immunity in 3.5% (23 of 659) of patients with life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia, which were functionally deleterious and absent or depleted in asymptomatic/mild controls. Bastard et al. (PMID 32972996) concurrently identified neutralizing autoantibodies against type I IFNs in 10.2% (101 of 987) of patients with life-threatening COVID-19, combining to explain approximately 14% of severe cases across the two findings.

1:20:01Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

Autoantibodies neutralizing type I interferon were found in approximately 10% of patients with severe COVID-19, and in none of the mild to moderate patients, in a study published in Science.

"The other one that made up about 10% was older patients that had developed antibodies to interferon. So essentially their interferon levels even though they're being produced they were being inactivated. All of these patients that had antibodies against SARS-CoV or against interferon were in the severe, none in the mild to moderate group." (said at 1:20:01)

A landmark study published in Science (Bastard et al., 2020) evaluated patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and found that at least 101 of 987 patients (~10.2%) with life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia harbored neutralizing IgG autoantibodies against type I interferons (such as IFN-α and/or IFN-ω). These neutralizing autoantibodies were completely absent in all 663 individuals tested who had asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.

  • supports: Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19. (Science (New York, N.Y.) 2020) · cited 2875x in the literature
    "We report that at least 101 of 987 patients with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia had neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against interferon-ω (IFN-ω) (13 patients), against the 13 types of IFN-α (36), or against both (52) at the onset of critical disease; a few also had auto-Abs against the other three type I IFNs... These auto-Abs were not found in 663 individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and were present in only 4 of 1227 healthy individuals." (abstract, results, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
1:30:10Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

Penicillin was discovered in 1928.

"and then you have the discovery of penicillin in 1928." (said at 1:30:10)

Historical and scientific literature universally recognizes that Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in September 1928 at St. Mary's Hospital in London.

1:00:48Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Individuals with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, obesity, or hypertension have a significantly increased risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes.

"We know, for example, that people with metabolic syndrome, with type 2 diabetes, um, that are, that are obese, high blood pressure, like are, are—have much, you know, higher risk of a severe COVID-19 outcome, right?" (said at 1:00:48)

Extensive meta-analytic evidence confirms that metabolic syndrome and its constituent conditions—including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hypertension—are independent risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease and mortality. A meta-analysis of cohort studies demonstrated that metabolic syndrome is significantly associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS; pooled OR 3.21, 95% CI 2.88–3.58) and mortality (pooled OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.16–4.63). A comprehensive meta-analysis of 145 studies adjusting for confounders similarly found increased mortality risks for diabetes (adjusted RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.32–1.54), obesity (adjusted RR 1.39, 95% CI 1.27–1.52), and hypertension (adjusted RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.09–1.30).

1:38:07Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedlow

A study led by Dr. Jari Laukkanen showed that sauna use 2 to 3 times per week was associated with a 20% lower pneumonia risk, and 4 to 7 times per week was associated with up to a 40% lower risk.

"Dr. Jari Laukkanen. He's an MD/PhD and um he is the the the senior author on the paper that showed men I believe it was men and women in that study that used the sauna two to four time two to three times a week had a 20% lower pneumonia risk and then if they did four to seven times a week it was maybe up to 40% lower something like that where it was dose dependent" (said at 1:38:07)

A prospective cohort study from the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease (KIHD) study led by Jari Laukkanen and colleagues followed 2,210 middle-aged Finnish men over a median of 25.6 years. Compared to men who used the sauna 1 time or less per week, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio for incident pneumonia was 0.72 (a 28% risk reduction) for 2 to 3 sessions per week and 0.63 (a 37% risk reduction, or up to 40% lower) for 4 or more sessions per week. Note that the study was conducted exclusively in middle-aged men, whereas the speaker noted uncertainty about whether women were included.

1:38:57Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

A head-to-head comparison showed that 20 minutes in a sauna produces the same acute physiological changes as exercising on a stationary bicycle, including increased heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, and core body temperature, followed by a post-exposure drop in blood pressure below baseline.

"they've done a a side-by-side head-to-head comparison uh on a stationary uh bicycle and comparing it to 20 minutes in a sauna and all the same physiological changes happen while you're exercising. Your blood pressure actually goes up. Your heart rate goes up. You sweat. Your your your core body temperature elevates... But then when you're done with the exercise or you're done with the sauna, blood pressure goes down even lower than baseline" (said at 1:38:57)

A comparative crossover study evaluated the acute cardiovascular responses of a sauna session (25 minutes at 93°C) compared to submaximal dynamic exercise on a cycle ergometer in 19 healthy volunteers. The study demonstrated that acute sauna exposure causes progressive increases in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate comparable to a moderate dynamic cycling load of 60–100 watts. Furthermore, following the sauna session, blood pressure and heart rate steadily declined, with blood pressure falling significantly below pre-exposure baseline levels.

1:48:31Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

The AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine uses a chimpanzee adenovirus vector to deliver DNA into the nucleus, where it is transcribed into mRNA.

"The other one that's coming out is the AstraZeneca Oxford one is does does very same thing except instead of using mRNA in a little like a a lipid droplet like a butter droplet if you like. It's using a different vector. It's actually using a chimpanzee adenovirus... In this case, the message is not an mRNA. It's actually a DNA. And so, the DNA goes in to the nucleus in in the AstraZeneca Oxford uh uh version where it is transcribed into an mRNA." (said at 1:48:31)

The AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 / AZD1222) utilizes a replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus vector (derived from isolate Y25) to deliver double-stranded DNA encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein into the host cell nucleus. Inside the nucleus, the transgene DNA is transcribed by host cellular machinery into mRNA, which is subsequently translated into the spike protein antigen in the cytoplasm.

1:51:13Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

A flu vaccine administered in Europe around 2009-2010 was found to be associated with an increased risk of narcolepsy, hypothesized to be caused by cross-reactivity against hypocretin-producing neurons.

"a flu vaccine that was uh it was it was a regular flu vaccine. Was not an mRNA, was not a DNA, was just a regular flu vaccine that was administered uh in Europe a number of years ago. This is back in 2009, 2010. And they did find an increased risk of of narcolepsy in patients that were vaccinated with that type of type of type of vaccine. And the thought process there was is that perhaps there was an immune response that cross-reacted with uh the portion of the brain that produces uh hypocretin which is the the basis for narcolepsy" (said at 1:51:13)

Extensive epidemiological and translational evidence confirms that an influenza vaccine administered in Europe during the 2009–2010 H1N1 pandemic (specifically Pandemrix, an AS03-adjuvanted vaccine) was associated with a significantly increased risk of narcolepsy type 1, predominantly in children and adolescents. Narcolepsy type 1 is characterized by the destruction of hypocretin (orexin)-producing neurons in the lateral hypothalamus, occurring predominantly in individuals carrying the HLA-DQB1*06:02 allele. Mechanistic research supports the hypothesis that the vaccine triggered an autoimmune response that cross-reacted with hypocretin-producing neurons or associated neuronal antigens via molecular mimicry.

1:54:36Roger Seheultsupportedlow

A study showed that 60% of patients had myocarditis or heart tissue inflammation one month after COVID-19 infection.

"there's one study that showed that 60% a month out still had uh myocarditis or inflammation of heart tissue." (said at 1:54:36)

A widely cited prospective observational cohort study by Puntmann et al. (2020) evaluated 100 patients recently recovered from COVID-19 using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging at a median of 71 days (range: 64–92 days) after diagnosis. The study reported evidence of ongoing myocardial inflammation (defined by elevated myocardial native T2) in 60% of patients (60 of 100) and cardiac involvement overall in 78%.

1:58:15Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

A study showed that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) supplementation improves symptoms in influenza virus infection.

"I'm also taking NAC, N-acetylcysteine. There's a study that showed that it improves symptoms in the flu virus." (said at 1:58:15)

A landmark randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial by De Flora et al. (1997) evaluated oral N-acetylcysteine (600 mg twice daily for 6 months) in 262 individuals. While seroconversion rates to influenza A/H1N1 were similar between groups, only 25% of seropositive subjects receiving NAC developed symptomatic illness compared to 79% receiving placebo, alongside significant reductions in symptom severity and duration of bed rest.

1:58:40Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

Taking more than 40 milligrams of elemental zinc per day can cause copper deficiency.

"zinc uh 40 milligrams, you don't want to take more than 40 milligrams of zinc a day. That's elemental zinc. Otherwise, you can have copper." (said at 1:58:40)

High zinc intake is well established to cause secondary copper deficiency by upregulating intestinal metallothionein, which preferentially binds copper and inhibits its absorption. Dietary reference authorities, including the U.S. Institute of Medicine and FDA, established the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for elemental zinc in adults at 40 mg per day specifically to prevent zinc-induced disruption of copper status and associated clinical complications such as anemia and neutropenia.

1:55:15Roger Seheultsupportedmoderate

Published studies have documented new-onset psychosis as a rare post-infection complication in previously healthy individuals who contracted COVID-19.

"I've seen studies, one recent study that showed that one rare side effect was psychosis. People actually hearing things and seeing things. Uh It's very rare, but it's certainly something that's well documented in people that have been completely healthy until they came down with the virus." (said at 1:55:15)

The speaker's claim is supported by published literature. A systematic review of published case reports identified 57 cases of new-onset or exacerbated psychosis associated with COVID-19, noting that roughly 69% occurred in patients with no prior psychiatric history, with hallucinations and delusions being the primary manifestations. Additionally, a large retrospective cohort study of 236,379 COVID-19 survivors found a 6-month incidence of psychotic disorder of approximately 1.4%, confirming it as a rare but documented neuropsychiatric sequela.

1:56:07Roger Seheultsupportedhigh

A Kawasaki disease-like inflammatory illness occurs in children following COVID-19 infection.

"we saw in kids there was this Kawasaki-like illness that was occurring." (said at 1:56:07)

Extensive epidemiological and clinical surveillance confirmed that a hyperinflammatory condition with clinical features overlapping with Kawasaki disease—termed Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) or Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome Temporally Associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS)—occurs in pediatric populations following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses show shared features including prolonged fever, rash, conjunctivitis, mucocutaneous changes, and coronary artery involvement, alongside differences such as an older age distribution, more frequent gastrointestinal symptoms, and myocardial dysfunction.

2

Corroborated by web sources

1:25:43Roger Seheultcorroborated (web)

In a 1919 study by Dr. Ruble reviewing the 1918 influenza epidemic across 10 northeast sanitariums, only 2% of 446 flu patients treated with hydrotherapy, fresh air, and rest developed pneumonia, compared to 16% in army hospitals.

"When they did that, and this was a number of about 446 uh subjects, only 2% of those subjects went on to develop pneumonia. Only 2%. He was able to get the data from the s from the army hospitals and in the army hospitals about 20% of the camp came down with the flu. How many of those patients with the flu went on to develop pneumonia when they got aspirin and they got all of these other things? 16%." (said at 1:25:43)

No published record matching the specific 1919 retrospective report by Dr. Wells Ruble comparing pneumonia incidence rates (2% across 446 sanitarium patients treated with hydrotherapy versus 16% in army hospitals) was located; this does not prove the claim false.

corroborated by web sources

In the May 1919 report "Sanitarium Treatment of Influenza" published in Life & Health, Dr. W. A. Ruble compiled data from 10 sanitariums during the 1918 pandemic. The report documented that approximately 2.5% of 446 flu inpatients treated with hydrotherapy and supportive care developed pneumonia, compared to 16% among flu patients in U.S. Army camps.

beautifulmindswellness.orgadventistreview.org

1:26:48Roger Seheultcorroborated (web)

During the 1918 influenza epidemic, the infection fatality rate in northeast sanitariums using hydrotherapy was 1.1% compared to 6.4% in army camps.

"And so when you look at the infection fatality rate in the sanitariums, it was about 1.1%. Whereas the infection fatality rate in the army camps was about 6.4%." (said at 1:26:48)

No published record matching the claim that infection fatality rates during the 1918 influenza epidemic were 1.1% in northeast sanitariums using hydrotherapy compared to 6.4% in army camps was located; this does not prove the claim false.

corroborated by web sources

Historical medical literature—specifically Dr. Wells A. Ruble's 1919 survey of sanitariums that utilized hydrotherapy and supportive regimens during the 1918 influenza epidemic—reports a fatality rate of approximately 1.1% to 1.3% among treated patients, compared to roughly 6.4% to 6.7% in U.S. Army camps.

nih.govadventistreview.org

9

No source found (not proven false)

0:52:34Roger Seheultunverifiedvery low

A study showed that symptomatic patients who tested positive for COVID-19 had significantly lower vitamin D levels than symptomatic patients who tested negative.

"What they did in one study, they wanted to see whether or not it was the symptoms that were causing the low vitamin D. So they took these patients and they said, "Okay, anybody that has X, Y, and Z symptoms, we're going to look at." And then they figured out which ones were COVID and which ones were COVID-negative. Well, the ones that were positive for COVID and had the same symptoms had lower vitamin D levels than those people that had similar symptoms but were negative for COVID." (said at 0:52:34)

No published record matching the described study design (comparing baseline vitamin D levels specifically between patients with matching symptoms who tested positive versus negative for SARS-CoV-2 to assess whether symptoms accounted for low vitamin D) was located; this does not prove the claim false.

0:58:55Rhonda Patrick (host)unverifiedvery low

Seventy-five percent of African Americans are lactose intolerant.

"the food that's been fortified with vitamin D the most is milk. And unfortunately, you know, there's a lot of people that are lactose intolerant, and 75% of African Americans are lactose intolerant." (said at 0:58:55)

No published record matching the claim that seventy-five percent of African Americans are lactose intolerant was located; this does not prove the claim false.

0:50:13Rhonda Patrick (host)unverifiedvery low

The Institute of Medicine has established the Tolerable Upper Intake Level for vitamin D at 4,000 IU per day.

"the upper tolerable intake that's been set by the Institute of Medicine has been 4,000 IUs a day." (said at 0:50:13)

No published record matching the claim was located; this does not prove the claim false.

1:06:50Roger Seheultunverifiedvery low

Higher cortisol and beta-adrenergic signaling stimulate G-proteins and elevate cyclic AMP in immune cells, reducing the adhesion of surface proteins like MHC class I and II.

"cortisol and epinephrine and all of these other, uh, beta-adrenergic systems affect the G-protein, stimulate the G-protein, causes increase in cyclic AMP in these immune cells, and they make those, uh, those, uh, those proteins like the major histocompatibility complex I and II less sticky." (said at 1:06:50)

No published record matching the claim that cortisol and beta-adrenergic signaling stimulate G-proteins and elevate cyclic AMP in immune cells to reduce the surface adhesion of MHC class I and II proteins was located; this does not prove the claim false.

1:07:25Rhonda Patrick (host)unverifiedvery low

Exposure to 10,000 lux of light for approximately 6 hours lowers cortisol levels by 25%.

"I saw there was one study where people were exposed to 10,000 lux of light. And I believe it was for like a significant period, like 6 hours... Um, and it lowered their cortisol levels by 25%" (said at 1:07:25)

No published record matching the claim that exposure to 10,000 lux of light for approximately 6 hours lowers cortisol levels by 25% was located; this does not prove the claim false. In general chronobiology literature, bright light exposure primarily acts as a circadian synchronizer (phase-shifting the cortisol rhythm) or acutely enhances alertness, rather than acutely reducing circulating cortisol concentrations by 25% during a 6-hour exposure.

1:10:08Roger Seheultunverifiedvery low

Light emitted from screens in the evening shifts and delays the circadian rhythm.

"And they're, they're, they're putting their faces in front of screens, which is emitting light. Now, what does that light do at that hour? What that light does at that hour in just about everybody is it shifts the circadian rhythm and delays it." (said at 1:10:08)

No published record matching the claim that light emitted from screens in the evening shifts and delays the circadian rhythm was located; this does not prove the claim false.

1:22:05Roger Seheultunverifiedvery low

Approximately 80% of symptomatic COVID-19 patients do not require hospitalization, while approximately 20% require hospital care.

"Think again about the fact that 80% of all symptomatic COVID-19 patients, 80% never need to go to the hospital. Why? Because their innate immune system does the job. It takes care of the virus. 20% end up going to the hospital." (said at 1:22:05)

No published record matching the claim that approximately 80% of symptomatic COVID-19 patients do not require hospitalization while approximately 20% require hospital care was located; this does not prove the claim false.

1:26:35Roger Seheultunverifiedvery low

During the 1918 influenza epidemic, the mortality rate among patients who progressed to pneumonia was approximately 40% to 50% in both army hospitals and sanitariums.

"Now when you looked at pneumonia in both the army hospitals and the sanitariums, the mortality from there was about 40 to 50% in both." (said at 1:26:35)

No published record matching the claim that pneumonia mortality during the 1918 influenza epidemic was approximately 40% to 50% in both army hospitals and sanitariums was located; this does not prove the claim false.

1:51:00Roger Seheultunverifiedvery low

Approximately 90% of adverse long-term effects from vaccines manifest within the first month or two after administration.

"Generally speaking, though, 90% of those long-term effects usually pop up within the first month or two." (said at 1:51:00)

No published record matching the specific claim that approximately 90% of long-term adverse effects from vaccines manifest within the first month or two after administration was located; this does not prove the claim false.

Unverified means no publication matching the claim was located; it does not prove the claim false. Spotted an error? See the corrections policy - disputes from the people quoted are prioritized.