Quercetin, Zinc, Vitamin D, Vitamin C and Melatonin: FLCCC Protocol for COVID-19

In October 2020, the FLCCC Alliance developed a preventive and early outpatient combination treatment protocol for COVID-19 called I-MASK+. It’s centered around ivermectin, a well-known, FDA-approved anti-parasite drug that has been used successfully for more than four decades to treat onchocerciasis “river blindness” and other parasitic diseases. It is one of the safest drugs known. It is on the WHO’s list of essential medicines, has been given 3.7 billion times around the globe, and has won the Nobel prize for its global and historic impacts in eradicating endemic parasitic infections in many parts of the world. 

FLCCC medical discovery of a rapidly growing published medical evidence base, demonstrating ivermectin’s unique and highly potent ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and to suppress inflammation, prompted our team to use ivermectin for prevention and treatment in all stages of COVID-19. Ivermectin is not yet FDA-approved for the treatment of COVID-19, but on Jan 14, 2021, the NIH changed their recommendation for the use of ivermectin in COVID-19 from “against” to “neutral”.

FLCCC (Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care) Protocols

For prevention, the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Working Group, FLCCC recommends (updated Feb 25, 2021):

• Vitamin D3: 1000–3000 IU/day. Note RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is 800–1000 IU/day. The safe upper-dose daily limit is likely < 4000 IU/day. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of acquiring COVID-19 and from dying from the disease. Vitamin D supplementation may therefore prove to be an effective and cheap intervention to lessen the impact of this disease, particularly in vulnerable populations, i.e. the elderly, those of color and obese. (Amazon)
• Vitamin C: 500 - 1,000 mg BID (twice daily) 
• Quercetin: 250 mg daily. It is likely that vitamin C and quercetin have synergistic prophylactic benefit. Quercetin should be used with caution in patients with hypothyroidism and TSH levels should be monitored. (Amazon)
• Melatonin: 6 mg before bedtime (causes drowsiness). (Amazon)
• Zinc: 30 - 40 mg/day (elemental zinc). Zinc lozenges are preferred. (Amazon)
• Ivermectin for prophylaxis in high-risk individuals (> 60 years with co-morbidities, morbid obesity, long term care facilities, etc). 0.2 mg/kg Day 1, Day 3 and then followed by biweekly dosing (one dose every two weeks). (also see ClinTrials.gov NCT04425850). NB. Ivermectin has a number of potentially serious drug-drug interactions. Please check for potential drug interaction at Ivermectin Drug Interactions - Drugs.com. The most important drug interactions occur with cyclosporin, tacrolimus, anti-retroviral drugs, and certain anti-fungal drugs. 

For early outpatient protocol (COVID-19 positive), the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Working Group, FLCCC recommends (updated Feb 25, 2021):

• Vitamin D3 — 4000 IU/day. (Amazon)
• Vitamin C: 500 - 1,000 mg BID (twice daily) (Amazon)
• Quercetin: 250 mg twice a day. (Amazon)
• Melatonin: 10 mg before bedtime (causes drowsiness). (Amazon)
• Zinc: 100 mg/day. Zinc lozenges are preferred. (Amazon)
• Ivermectin: 0.2 mg/kg per dose. One dose daily - minimum 2 days, maximum 5 days.
• Aspirin: 325 m/day unless contraindicated.
• Pulse Oximeter: FLCCC also recommend monitoring your oxygen saturation with a pulse oximeter and to go to the hospital if you get below 94%.

The medical evidence to support each drug and nutrient can be found under “Medical Evidence” on the FLCCC’s website.

Note on Zinc supplements: How much zinc you should take per day depends on the type and forms of zinc, as each supplement contains a different amount of 'elemental zinc'. The percentage of elemental zinc varies by form. 

For example, approximately 23% of zinc sulfate consists of elemental zinc; thus, 220 mg of zinc sulfate contains 50 mg of elemental zinc (NIH). Zinc picolinate (20% of elemental zinc), zinc ascorbate (15%), zinc chloride (48%), zinc carbonate (52%), zinc citrate (31%), zinc bisglycinate (25%) (Ref) and zinc gluconate (14%) and zinc oxide (80%) (Ref).

Ivermectin and COVID-19

A summary of evidence on Ivermectin versus COVID-19 from Ivmmeta.com stated all of the 46 studies report positive effects or a 79 percent reduction in infections while its prophylactic use showed 89 percent improvement in avoidance of contracting the virus.

Results showed the use of the drug lowered mortality by 75 percent and 84 percent lower for early treatment. All of the 24 Randomized Controlled Trials report positive effects with an estimated 70 percent improvement, it added.

Although ivermectin is a relatively safe drug, it's still a synthetic chemical that can have side effects and require a medical doctor's prescription. Vitamin D, C, Zinc and Quercetin are nutrients that your body require for optimal health. Nutrients are safer alternatives especially if your risk is low e.g. age below 50 with no other chronic illness. Discuss with your doctor on the benefit vs risk for each treatment.

About FLCCC Alliance

The Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care (FLCCC) Alliance was initially formed as a working group under “emergency” conditions of the early COVID-19 pandemic in response to multiple early reports of COVID patients with an inexplicably high need for prolonged mechanical ventilation and an excessive mortality associated with the prevailing “supportive care only” recommendations disseminated by the majority of national and international health care organizations.

As a group of highly published leaders in critical care with expertise in therapies directed at severe infections, in particular “HAT” therapy first developed by Dr. Paul Marik for the treatment of bacterial sepsis, and along with published high patient survival rates from our centers, we were contacted by equally concerned and motivated colleagues from other specialties.

With the increasing publications in addition to our rapidly accumulating personal clinical experiences and investigations into the pathophysiology of COVID-19 patients, we formulated the MATH+ Hospital Treatment Protocol in March 2020. On August 5, 2020, we published our findings in the rationale paper Scientific Review of COVID-19 and MATH+.

In October 2020, the FLCCC Alliance identified, based on a review of the recent and rapidly emerging clinical trials evidence, that ivermectin, an anti-parasitic medicine, has highly potent real-world, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties against SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. This conclusion is based not only from multiple in-vitro and animal models, but from numerous clinical trials from centers and countries around the world showing repeated, consistent, large magnitude improvements in clinical outcomes when ivermectin is used not only as a prophylactic agent but also in mild, moderate, and even severe disease states. Further, data from large “natural experiments” that appear to have occurred when various regional health ministries and governmental authorities within South American countries initiated “ivermectin distribution” campaigns which then led to temporally associated decreases in case counts and case fatality rates.

Based on these findings, the FLCCC team has developed the I-MASK+ protocol for prophylaxis and at home treatment of early stage disease. You can read the FLCCC Scientific Review of the Emerging Evidence Supporting the Use of Ivermectin in the Prophylaxis and Treatment of COVID-19.

A more detailed story of the inception and evolution of the FLCCC Alliance can be read here.

Related: 

• Best Zinc Supplements 2021

• 10 Best Outpatient Treatments for COVID-19

• CAN QUERCETIN, ZINC, VITAMIN C AND VITAMIN D HELP AGAINST CORONAVIRUS?

• Best Vitamin D3 Supplement 2021

• Quercetin and Hydroxychloroquine

• Benefits of Quercetin Bromelain Supplements

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Supplements you can purchase from Amazon for COVID-19 prevention based on the FLCCC prevention protocol >

• Vitamin D3: 1,000 - 3,000 IU daily (Amazon)

• Vitamin C: 500 - 1,000 mg twice daily (Amazon)

• Quercetin: 250 mg daily (Amazon)

• Melatonin: 6 mg before bedtime (causes drowsiness) (Amazon)

• Zinc: 30 - 40 mg/day (elemental zinc). Zinc lozenges are preferred. (Amazon)

Be aware that most of the dosages are above the recommended daily value and therefore should not be taken on a long term basis. 

Related item: Fingertip Pulse Oximeter (Amazon)

Disclaimer: Always see your doctor before taking these supplements. Be aware that most of the dosages are above the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and therefore such dosages should not be maintained on a long term basis. Our aim here isn't to replace your doctors' advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information. Do take note that supplements are not 100% protective or curative against COVID-19.