To Your Health

Q. The SARS outbreak terrifies me, and I want to do what I can to protect myself. Are there any nutrients that might help?

A. Because the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak is very recent, little is known about successful treatment. First reported in March 2003 in Guangdong Province, China, it soon spread and is now in North America. There is no vaccine against SARS, and currently no antiviral drugs are consistently successful in treating SARS. Medical scientists around the world are fairly sure that the cause is a "corona" virus, so called because it looks like there is a halo or crown around it when viewed under an electron microscope. Scientists in China now suspect that a secondary bacterial infection may also be involved.

The SARS virus may be spread either by saliva droplets produced by coughing and sneezing or by hand-to-mouth contamination. Since you cannot easily control the air you breathe in public, be especially vigilant to wash your hands after you have been in public places.

The SARS virus is probably already losing its virulence (infectiousness). Apparently it mutates rapidly, and the strain found in North America may already be a second- or third-generation virus, and soon it may be of no more concern than rhinovirus, the usual cause of the common cold, which we have simply adapted to. Even untreated, the chance that you will die from SARS is small. At highest risk are people who are over 40 years of age and who already have a serious medical condition, like diabetes or heart problems. Nine out of 10 people recover completely from SARS without any specific treatment within a couple of weeks.

Because of its similarity to rhinovirus, supplementation with nutrients that help with cold and flu symptoms may be useful. Though still subject to debate, there is increasing evidence that vitamin C in the range of 1,000 mg to 6,000 mg per day will at least shorten the duration of a viral illness. Vitamin C is utilized by white blood cells in the body at four to six times the normal rate during a viral infection. Reinfections can occur and regular consumption of vitamin C increases interferon production, a significant part of our immune response, and thus may be important in protecting against a future infection.

When using large amounts of an antioxidant such as vitamin C, it is prudent to also use companion antioxidants such as vitamin E and coenzyme Q-10. Another reason to use vitamin E is that poor immune response has been associated with low levels of vitamin E. Other sources of companion antioxidants include plant constituents, termed proanthocyanidins, which are available from fruit and green tea and are also used to treat viral infection.

Zinc-gluconate or zinc-acetate lozenges have demonstrated an ability to reduce the duration and severity of cold/flu symptoms.

While there is no treatment that works on treating SARS directly, you can support your immune system with nutrients and generally recover your full health. A defining symptom of SARS is that it interferes with breathing while causing other, more flulike, symptoms. If it reaches this stage, it is time to seek conventional medical treatment such as ventilators, oxygen support therapy, and antibiotics, along with nonspecific antiviral medication. If you think you may have SARS, tell your doctor immediately.