Friday Hope: Bone Broth: Increasing Interferon Response While Decreasing Cytokine Expression
Therapeutic in acute covid infection, there is evidence bone broth holds great benefit for SARS-CoV-2 gut infection.
Evaluation of the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (2^-ΔΔCt). The data is presented as the mean of each group, the bars indicate the standard error, the letters on each column indicate the statistical differences. * p ≤ 0.05, *** p ≤ 0.001.
A paper published in the December 2021 issue of Complementary Therapies in Medicine showed that bone broth was an integral part of a naturopathic treatment regimen for mild and moderate COVID-19. Furthermore, of the patients on the regimen, all 30 experienced a complete resolution of symptoms.
In our Friday Hope series, we have mainly focused on dietary supplements and their benefits in treating and preventing COVID-19 disease and severity. However we have not focused as much on dietary measures that can be taken to address COVID-19 disease and severity. In the study that was performed, 37% of the participants consumed bone broth as part of their daily treatment regimen, showing the benefit of dietary regimens. The dosage was ½−1 cup 2 times daily until 3–5 days after symptom resolution.
The rationale for using bone broth as a therapeutic was quite sound.
Bone broth contains immune-system supporting amino acids (i.e., arginine), minerals (i.e., selenium, magnesium)29., 30, and glutathione (GSH) precursors (GSH is involved in activation of T-lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes)31; has anti-inflammatory activity31., 32., 33.
A naturopathic treatment approach for mild and moderate COVID-19: A retrospective chart review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229921001291
I highly recommend thoroughly reviewing the above article as it summarizes the benefits of many supplements we have already discussed.
What has not been discussed about bone broth and its relation to SARS-COV-2 infection, is how it affects signaling and cytokine expression in the gut: The very actions that SARS-CoV-2 takes to cause disease are heavily mitigated by bone broth.
A study of the effects of bone broth on a murine model of Ulcerative Colitis (very similar effects to the gut as SARS-CoV-2) showed that bone broth not only reduced the expression of infammatory cytokines, but also increased the expression of interferon.
The prophylactic administration of BB in the murine model of UC (BB post-UC) reduced histological damage and prevented the expression of IL-1β by 61.12%, IL-6 by 94.70%, and TNF-α by 68.88%, increased the expression of INF-γ by 177.06%, IL-4 by 541.36% and IL-10 by 531.97%, concerning the control group that underwent UC induction (H2O post-UC) .
Analysis of the Anti-Inflammatory Capacity of Bone Broth in a Murine Model of Ulcerative Colitis
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8618064/
The reason why this is so important is that SARS-CoV-2 antagonizes the expression of interferon, making bone broth a safe, inexpensive and vastly available therapeutic.
Thus, the IFN signaling pathway is blocked at different levels by several SARS-CoV-2 proteins, ensuring an advantage for viral replication. The ISGs produced are also targeted. Viral proteases have been found to cleave IFN-stimulated antiviral proteins as soon as they are produced. For instance, NSP3 cleaves ISG15.
Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Evasion: Interferon Pathway and Therapeutic Options
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9231409/
Happy New Year to all and, as always, thank you for your readership and support.
The good ole Chicken Broth (homemade) we always drink when sick. I always knew the old fashioned remedy is something good for your body!
Bone broth is good whatever. Bone broth doesn't have to be boiled bone water! Proper soups are based on bone stock, we always use the bones for stock for the next meal. The poor modern excuse for 'soup' is nothing more than grain thickened flavoured water. - Slop. Bones are good.