According to the CDC, Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), also known as “Long COVID,” are long-term symptoms that might be experienced weeks to months after primary infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.  Post-viral syndromes have been around for ages but nothing to the scale we are seeing now. 
The symptoms of PASC are extensive with over 200 symptoms reported ranging from general systematic fatigue , sensorimotor, neurologic , digestive, and cardiovascular.
Like any new  problem it helps to have a framework to think through problems and its especially helpful if other models are are available from other conditions that have been treated. We desperately need a framework to help with Long-Covid.
Our Guest, Dr. Amy Proal,   as been looking at post-viral syndromes for many years especially in her work with Myalgic Encephalitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Dr. Amy Proal, Phd is Microbiologist with expertise on the molecular mechanisms by which pathogens modulate human gene expression, metabolism and immunity.
She recently used this knowledge and experience to author a highly cited paper with her co-researcher Dr. Michael VanElzakker called ⁠Long COVID or Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC): An Overview of Biological Factors That May Contribute to Persistent Symptoms⁠
This outstanding paper gives a framework to think through the Long Covid puzzle and start treating it.  In this episode we dive into all aspects of the Biological Factors of Long Covid PASC and discuss how this research will give us a roadmap to help people feel better.
In this episode:
(00:00) Opening

(02:17)  Intro

(08:50) Vagus nerve   

(10:46) Biological Factors

(14:00) Viral Reservoirs in human tissue

(15:07)  Pathogen   reactivation

(20:33) Why is Covid-19 so unique? 

(24:17)  EBV and   molecular mimicry

(29:47)  Dysbiosis

(31:49)  MIS-C and   Zonulin

(34:41)  Brain Fog in post-viral syndromes

(35:47)  Microclots in Covid-19 .

(38:18) Mast cell involvement in post-viral syndromes

(43:38)  Mitochondria

(45:27) Functional Redundancy

(48:10) Long Covid Prognosis .

(54:18 ) Biomarkers   for LC

(1:00:10) Treatment Outlook

(1:06:02)  Closing thoughts
About Amy Proal, PhD
Amy Proal graduated from Georgetown University in 2005 with a degree in biology. While at Georgetown she wrote her senior thesis on the role of infectious agents in the disease ME/CFS. In 2012, she obtained a PhD in microbiology from Murdoch University in Australia. Her graduate thesis focused on “Autoimmune disease re-examined in light of metagenomic concepts.” She is a research leader at ⁠PolyBio⁠ , and she has ⁠authored papers⁠ that examine the role of the human microbiome and human virome in chronic inflammatory disease. Proal has also written book chapters for organizations like the J.Craig Venter Institute and lectured at the NIH and numerous USA/international conferences.
Social Media:
@microbeminded2
Referenced in this episode:
⁠Long COVID or Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC): An Overview of Biological Factors That May Contribute to Persistent Symptoms⁠ https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/118/34/e2024358118.full.pdf

Biological Factors In Long-Covid with Dr. Amy Proal

This is the fourth episode in a series of episodes on Long Covid . We have covered the science, functional medicine strategies, and treatment options. And this episode brings it all together. I welcome on Dr. Julie Barter who has seen and treated over 1000 cases of Acute and Long-Covid.

We speak about:

Covid-19 similarity to treating Lyme disease and co-infections
Micro coagulation and Long-Covid Heparin injections
IL-4 , TNF-Alpha and other immune activation features of Covid-10
Treatments that are used in the outpatient setting
Just as the world is engaged in the new-normal and many people have "moved-on" from Covid-19; we still have a significant part of our population still struggling with long-covid . This episode provide hope and guidance in directions to address for current cases of long-covid and future cases to come.



About our guest

Dr. Julie Barter, ND currently practices in Whitefish, Montana, serving the Flathead Valley and surrounding regions as a natural and functional medicine expert. Working with people of all ages, she specializes in women’s health, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, food allergies, digestive, hormonal and environmental concerns, and chronic illnesses with a special focus on Lyme disease and its co-infections. She is the area's only Lyme and mold-literate physician capable of offering a full range of treatment options. She also works with many long COVID patients with great success. She has been trained and mentored in the area of Lyme disease and associated infections by some of the country’s best internists, including nearly two years of clinical training with Daniel Kinderleher, MD. She is an active member of ILADS. (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society)  She has extensive experience in resolving most common health complaints with functional medicine approaches, including clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathic remedies, IV therapies and injection therapies for relieving aches and pains.  She is fully versed in pharmaceuticals as well. She enjoyed busy private clinical practices in Maine and Colorado before relocating to Montana.   As a graduate of the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, an accredited four-year medical school program, Dr. Julie Barter underwent outstanding clinical training. She completed internships in internal medicine, environmental medicine, gynecology, and acute care for underserved populations. Naturopathic medical school training was not enough to give her all the expertise she desired in physical medicine, so she also attended Western States Chiropractic College for adjusting and biomechanics classes.



Social Links

Website: www.nfmedicine.com

One Thing Podcast With Dr. Adam Rinde

Episode 90: Dr. Julie Barter on Long-Covid Integrative Medicine

In this podcast Dr Mairi McLean talks to Dr Joanna Jalanka about her recently published article in Gut entitled "Effects of bowel cleansing on the intestinal microbiota".

They discuss what was already known in the field and what has since been discovered, and how long these effects last and how the microbiota were measured.

Effects of bowel cleansing on the intestinal microbiota

Today I’ll discuss two more factors that can debilitate the human immune system (allowing the microbiome to better cause disease). They are antibiotics (when used too frequently) and immunosuppressive drugs: two of the most common medical interventions of our time.

Antibiotics, immunosuppressive drugs and the downfall of the human immune system

Dr. Geoff Lecovin discusses Metabolic Flexibility and how to avoid getting caught in Fads on "One Thing" With your host Dr. Adam Rinde.

episode 1.One Thing. Dr. Geoff Lecovin on Metabolic Flexibility

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Episode 90: Dr. Julie Barter on Long-Covid Integrative Medicine

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