Immune Systems Advisor

Recent discussions around so-called “ vaccine shedding ” have intensified following essays such as The Midwestern Doctor’s (1) widely circulated reflection on observations reported over the past year. The piece has resonated with some readers because it articulates experiences and concerns that many feel have been insufficiently examined in formal settings. At the same time, resonance alone is not the same as resolution. This editorial does not aim to refute or validate the conclusions of that article. Instead, it addresses a more fundamental issue: how such discussions should be framed if they are to advance understanding rather than deepen polarization . Observation Is Not the Same as Demonstration One of the strengths of the Midwestern Doctor essay is its attempt to organize patterns — symptom clusters, temporal associations, and anecdotal reports — into a coherent narrative. In medicine, pattern recognition is often the starting point of discovery. However, history is clear ...

Long COVID vs ME/CFS: Understanding Post-Viral Syndromes Long COVID (post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, PASC) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) are two post-viral syndromes that share overlapping symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, and post-exertional malaise. However, recent studies highlight unique mechanistic and clinical differences, particularly in inflammation, endothelial injury, and energy metabolism. This article provides an evidence-based comparison, with links to related topics on spike protein persistence, endothelial dysfunction, mitochondrial dysfunction & NAD⁺, and nutraceutical interventions. Epidemiology: Who Gets Long COVID vs ME/CFS? Key Points: Long COVID affects ~10–30% of COVID survivors (WHO, 2023) ME/CFS affects ~0.2–0.5% of the population (Jason et al., 2021) Long COVID can affect all age groups, peak 40–60; ME/CFS peaks 30–50 Both show female predominance; stronger in ME/CFS Related:   Long COVID overview Clinic...

The study titled, Efficacy of vitamin D replacement therapy on 28 cases of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome after COVID-19 vaccination , was published in Nutrition (2025): Background Prolonged symptoms have been reported following both COVID-19 infection and vaccination, with some cases leading to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Of 80 patients presenting to our hospital with postvaccination syndrome, 28 met the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS. We conducted a retrospective study on these 28 patients. Methods We measured serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in 28 patients who developed ME/CFS after COVID-19 vaccination between August 2022 and February 2024. Vitamin D replacement therapy included dietary counseling, sun exposure recommendations, and oral vitamin D supplementation. We evaluated changes in blood vitamin D levels and symptom improvement. Results At initial visit, 27 of 28 patients diagnosed with ME/CFS had insufficient or deficient...

Return guest Dr. Paul Saladino is a board-certified psychiatrist and also board certified in nutrition. He wrote "The Carnivore Code," which just came out in an updated second edition. In this interview, he discusses the impact metabolic health has on COVID-19 outcomes. He's done a magnificent job explaining the science that supports the natural lifestyle strategies that optimize our immune systems to defeat not only COVID-19, but also most other infectious agents. "The psychiatry was a jump-off point for thinking about how immune function and metabolic health affects mental health," he says. "I quickly realized that everything in the body was connected and I couldn't just focus on the brain without focusing on the rest of the body, and that has led us to where we are today. I think that as we are faced with coronavirus, it's a reminder of the metabolic health and how critical that is. I think so much of the...

Pandemics are not driven by how deadly a virus is — they are driven by how efficiently it spreads, how early it transmits, and how well it evades detection and immunity. This explainer compares Nipah virus, COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), Ebola virus, and bird flu (avian influenza such as H5N1 and H7N9) using a systems medicine and preventive health lens . It is designed to answer high-intent search queries such as: Nipah vs COVID vs Ebola vs bird flu Which virus is most dangerous? What is the next pandemic risk? Why some viruses cause pandemics and others don’t The Core Insight: Why Some Viruses Become Pandemics Deadliness alone does not cause pandemics Transmission efficiency outweighs lethality Viruses that spread before symptoms appear dominate globally This framework explains why: COVID-19 reshaped global society Ebola outbreaks remain regional Nipah virus alarms scientists but rarely spreads Bird flu is considered the most credible future pandemic threat Nipah Virus (NiV): High Fatalit...