Swine flu or H1N1 has been hyped in the media and by the medical profession as a modern day plague - a plague that has failed to materialize. The ‘fear’ that has been generated has resulted in a mass hysteria with line-ups for vaccinations; vaccinations that in themselves have created health problems. Therefore, a ‘safer’ variation on the Swine flu vaccine was developed but only available to pregnant women.

The present pandemic is due to a novel H1N1 viral strain that was first identified in Mexico in March, 2009. By the end of July, 177,699 lab-confirmed cases of swine flu had been reported with 1,126 deaths reported world wide. It is interesting to note that all “reported” deaths have actually not been confirmed but the numbers being used in the media and presented to the public are actually based on estimates. In a recent newspaper release, the headline stated “500 deaths from Swine flu in the US”. Yet in the body of the article it stated that the actual documented deaths were less than one-half that number; the headline number was based on an estimate; fiction rather than fact. In Canada, our number of deaths from swine flu has been 58. In virtually all of these cases the patients were either elderly or were immuno-compromised such as children with asthma.

GBS is a relatively rare neurological disease in which the body’s defence and immune system mistakenly attacks part of the nerves. Symptoms usually start with muscle weakness and abnormal sensations in feet and legs (tingling, numbness). The intensity of the symptoms increase very quickly (within 24 hours), in most patients, and spread to the arms and upper body. Some cases take three to four weeks to reach a peak. While most people recover, 15 to 20 per cent develop permanent nerve damage and 5 to 6 per cent die.

A recent meta-analysis has suggested that the antiviral drugs (NAIs) may do more harm than good for children. They have little or no effect on asthma flare-ups, ear infections or the need for antibiotics and have adverse effects including vomiting. Further, virus’ mutate so rapidly that resistance to the vaccine is already a problem. While the initial tests on H1N1 demonstrated it was sensitive to NAIs, by the time of this writing, over 99% of ‘ordinary’ epidemic H1N1 isolates tested by the US Center for Disease Control were resistant to Tamiflu –the vaccine being used for treatment of Swine flu!

So, if Tamiflu is not your treatment option, what is?

Treatment Options:
A homeopathic remedy, Oscillococcinum, is the most evidence-based homeopathic medicine for flu. It is licensed in Canada, USA and many European countries. It is widely available, safe and effective for the treatment of influenza and flu-like symptoms. The Cochrane Review included seven trials on Oscillococcinum with a total of 2,265 participants with the conclusion that flu symptoms were shortened with Oscillococcinum. Take one tube dose, dry on the tongue, three times daily.

Other homeopathic remedies that may be effective for specific symptoms are Gelsemium, Bryonia, Eupatorium, Rhus. tox., Arsenicum and Belladonna.

Several herbal medicines have shown promise in clinical trials for seasonal epidemic influenza. These include Panax quinqefolium (American ginseng), Andrographis root, Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian ginseng root) and  Sambucus nigra (Elderberry). Elderberry flavonoids were shown to bind to and prevent H1N1 infection in vitro in a study published this July 2009. The study established that flavanoids from the elderberry extract bind to H1N1 virions and, when bound, block the ability of the viruses to infect host cells. The authors also stated that the H1N1 inhibition activities of the elderberry flavonoids compare favorably to the known anti-influenza activities of Oseltamivir or Tamiflu and Amantadine
Safety of Herbs:
Adverse effects are usually mild and transitory for these herbal extracts and compare to placebo in clinical trials. Serious adverse effects have not been reported for P. quinquefolium, A paniculata, E. senticosus or S. nigra.

Vitamins and Anti-Viral Protection:
 Vitamin C 1000 provides a pure source of vitamin C along with a wide range of bioflavonoids to ensure maximum antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Vitamin C helps protect against infection, enhances immunity, and prevents and relieves cold and flu symptoms. Regular supplementation of vitamin C demonstrates consistent and statistically significant benefits and indicates that it plays a role in respiratory defense mechanisms. The duration and severity of the virus are significantly reduced when supplementing with vitamin C. The recommended dose of Vitamin C is 1000 mg three times daily for an eight week duration.

Vitamin D: Last year the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) started a study investigating the role of vitamin D in severe seasonal influenza. With the recent outbreaks of swine flu, PHAC confirmed that it would be adapting this study to investigate the role of vitamin D in the protection against swine flu. PHAC will measure vitamin D levels in the blood of H1N1 patients and compare the blood levels with uninfected individuals. The rationale behind this study is based on earlier work in the 1940's that indicated mice on diets low in vitamin D were more susceptible to experimental swine flu infection than those with adequate vitamin D levels.  Research suggests that vitamin D may induce the production of antimicrobial substances in the body that may possess neutralizing activity against a variety of infectious agents including influenza virus.

Low and deficient vitamin D levels are highly prevalent in people who avoid sun exposure due to health concerns or cultural traditions, use sunscreen, have dark skin, or live in northern latitudes. Recommended optimum blood levels of vitamin D are greater than 50 and as high as 80 ng/ml  of Vitamin D3. This is equivalent to taking 2000 iu to 4000 iu daily.

Dr Farnsworth is a naturopathic physician practicing in West Vancouver. For appointments call 604-925-3037.

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