In the first part of this series on post-COVID illness, I reviewed some of the issues of post-viral syndromes and their relationship to the current pandemic with a deeper look into the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the nervous system. Many of the symptoms associated with long COVID present as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) with some additional symptoms specifically associated with COVID-19. Post-viral syndromes are not new, but it is not completely clear as to why some patients experience lasting symptoms after a viral infection and some do not. We do know that immune system activation by a virus increases systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and tissue damage. We also know that our genetics play a role, as evidenced by the tendency to develop autoimmune conditions for those with specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) phenotypes that can be triggered by certain infections.…
The ZRT Laboratory Blog
SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating in the global population for over a year. According to Worldometer, at the time of this writing on March 2, 2021, 115 million people have been infected with the virus, 2.5 million have died, and 90 million have survived the infection to go on to have possible immunity. The immune response to the virus can range from asymptomatic to severe illness and death and has aroused fear and uncertainty around the world. For those who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and survived, some experience prolonged symptoms beyond recovery from the acute illness. Long COVID presents with ongoing symptoms of fatigue, post-exertional malaise (PEM), sleep issues, headaches, brain fog, cognitive issues, depression, anxiety, musculoskeletal pain, respiratory distress, and muscle weakness that extends far beyond initial recovery.…
Tags: Covid19, Brain Health, Neurotransmitters
Many children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) struggle with fitting in and according to some experts, may receive as many as 20,000 negative messages by age 10 than their neurotypical peers. Little wonder then that many struggle with self-esteem and the belief that they are somehow broken.…
Tags: ADD and ADHD, Mental Health, Brain Health
The fact that we produce vitamin D in our skin in the presence of sunlight signifies how necessary it is to our health. Even though it seems easy enough to get, according to recent data published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in 24% of Americans, 37% of Canadians and 40% of Europeans [1]. Data from 2012 indicate that 50% of the world’s population are vitamin D insufficient. A deeper look reveals that vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency vary by age, sex, ethnicity and geographic location, with reduced time spent outdoors and insufficient consumption of vitamin D-rich foods having the greatest impact on suboptimal levels [2]. The medical community is certainly testing more than it did in the past, naturally picking up on more deficiencies, and providing us with the opportunity to address this key biomarker of good health. This blog discusses sources of vitamin D, contributors to vitamin D deficiency, and its role in chronic and acute disease, especially its association with comorbidities that predict an increased risk of complications and poor outcomes to COVID-19.…
Tags: Covid19, Vitamin D, Immune System
The balance of hormones is essential for all aspects of human health and the same plays true for athletes. Whether you are a beginner working on getting into shape and losing weight, or a seasoned veteran with many competitions under your belt, understanding your hormones and how they change with intense exercise is essential to getting as much as possible out of your training. ZRT Laboratory is launching 2 new kits that will enable athletes to track their hormones and help them better understand the changes happening to their body.…
Tags: Fitness, Athletes, Blood Spot Testing, Saliva Testing
In the final part of this 3-part blog series on important nutrients in the fight against viral illness following on from part 1 discussing quercetin and part 2 discussing zinc, we will look at the role of vitamin C, which has been used to prevent and treat viral infections since Linus Pauling, PhD endorsed its benefits decades ago.…
Tags: Covid19, Immune System, Vitamin C
Following on from part 1 of this 3-part blog series discussing 3 important nutrients that can enhance our immune function against viral infection as well as regulate the inflammatory response to COVID-19, this second part of the series discusses the essential mineral zinc.…
Tags: Covid19
The use of natural and alternative therapies for the prevention and treatment of viral infections focuses on key nutrients that inhibit viral entry, reduce viral replication and balance the inflammatory reaction to infection.…
Tags: Covid19
If one were to create a word cloud of our clinical consulting calls in 2020, the word “phosphatidylserine” would likely float to the center in a large, bold, brightly colored font. After a year spent coping with a global pandemic, record high unemployment, social distancing, and remote learning for students, accompanied by not only an extreme wildfire season but also a contentious presidential election in the U.S., people are stressed – and it shows.…
Tags: Cortisol, Stress, Mental Health, PMS and PMDD
Subscribe to Our Blog
Posts by Topic
- ADD and ADHD
- Adrenal and Cortisol
- Alzheimer's
- Androgen
- Andropause
- Anxiety
- Arsenic
- Athletes
- BDNF
- BHRT
- Bioidentical Hormones
- Blood Spot Testing
- BPA
- Brain Health
- Breast Cancer
- Bromine
- Cadmium
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Contraceptives
- Copper
- Cortisol
- Cortisol Awakening Response
- Covid19
- Depression
- DHEA
- Dosing
- Dried Urine Testing
- Elements Testing
- Endocannabinoid System
- Essential Elements
- estrobolome
- Estrogen
- Estrogen Dominance
- Estrogen Metabolism
- Fertility
- Fitness
- gut microbes
- Hashimoto's
- Heart Health
- Heavy Metals
- Herbs
- Hormone Balance
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Hormone Testing
- hormones
- HPA Axis
- HPG Axis
- HPT Axis
- Immune System
- iod
- Iodine
- Laboratory Quality
- Lead
- Magnesium
- Marketing Tips
- Melatonin
- Menopause
- Menstrual Cycle Mapping
- Menstruation
- Mental Health
- Mercury
- Metabolic Health
- Metabolites
- Microbiome
- Mineral Imbalances
- myZRT
- Neurotransmitters
- Nutrients
- Obesity
- Patient Education
- PCOS
- PMS and PMDD
- Pregnenolone Steal
- Progesterone
- PTSD
- Recipes
- Research
- SAD
- Saliva Testing
- Selenium
- Serum Testing
- SHBG
- Skin Vitality
- Sleep
- Spices
- Stress
- Test Validation
- Testosterone
- Thallium
- Thyroid Health
- Toxins
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Weight Management
- women
- Xenoestrogens
- Zinc
- ZRT Laboratory
Posts by Author
- Alyssa Burns Hill, PhD, MSc, FRSPH, MIHPE
- Amen Clinics
- Candace Burch
- Christina Cowger, MA, LMFT
- Dr. Alison McAllister
- Dr. Allison Smith
- Dr. Beth Baldwin
- Dr. David Zava
- Dr. Elise Schroeder
- Dr. Felice Gersh
- Dr. James Greenblatt
- Dr. Julie Verfurth
- Dr. Kate Placzek
- Dr. Paul Savage
- Dr. Peter Bongiorno
- Dr. Robert Zembroski
- Dr. Sanjay Kapur
- Dr. Sherry LaBeck
- Dr. Thomas Guilliams
- Dr. Zane Hauck
- Ingrid Edstrom, FNP, M.Ed
- Jessica Strom
- Jillian Harrington, PhD, HCLD
- Jim Paoletti, BS Pharmacy, FAARFM, FIACP
- Kori Wallace
- L. Kroon, Editor
- Lissa Gienty
- Margaret N. Groves, M.Phil., ELS
- Molly Lindquist
- Nina Silberstein, BA
- Pattie Ptak
- The ZRT Clinical Consultants
- Theodore Brandon
- Theodore Zava
- Tina Mattern
- Tracy Tranchitella, ND
- ZRT Laboratory