Who is Most Contagious?
We Actually Had the Data on This Prior to Covid
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“Recent evidence indicates that a large obese population increases the chance of appearance of more virulent viral strain, prolongs the virus shedding throughout the total population and eventually may increase overall mortality rate of an influenza pandemic.”1
I assumed at the onset of the pandemic that the this information was critical. Why? Considering BOTH influenza and coronaviruses are enveloped, single-straned RNA, and both are encapsulated by nucleoprotein and both primarily spread by aerosols.
Early on I was presenting studies on social media showing concerning evidence that in the sickly, inflamed and obese body, the influenza virus can be tricky. I suspected the same for SARS COV2. We now have the data backing this hypothesis up.
I was met with a LOT of vitriol and venom when I suggested that this might hold true for SARS COV2 as well.
We learned from early data coming out of China that obesity had been identified as an independent risk factor for increased disease severity and mortality with Covid19. This has come to be known as FACT and countless studies and the data have proven it to be true.
In fact we now know that, SARS COV2 DIRECTLY INFECTS FAT CELLS and turns on their inflammation as well.2
Obese patients have higher flu viral loads, have it for longer and spread more of it in their breath. Obese bodies process the flu virus differently in their bodies. The passage/processing of the flu virus through obese bodies creates mutations and a more virulent strain that causes higher sickness to lean bodies. Obese bodies do not respond to immunizations the way that they do in lean bodies.34567
Obese subjects with influenza shed the virus for a longer period of time (up to 104% longer) than lean subjects, potentially increasing the chance to spread the virus to others.
Body mass index correlates positively with infectious virus in exhaled breath.8
The obese microenvironment favors the emergence of novel, more virulent virus strains. This is due mainly to the reduced and delayed capacity to produce interferons by obese individuals and animals.9
This delay in producing interferon to fight off the virus allows more viral replication to take place which increases the chances of the appearance of novel, more virulent viral strains.10
"Over-nutrition that results in obesity causes a chronic state of meta-inflammation with systemic implications for immunity. Obese hosts exhibit delayed and blunted antiviral responses to influenza virus infection, and they experience poor recovery from the disease. Furthermore, the efficacy of antivirals and vaccines is reduced in this population and obesity may also play a role in altering the viral life cycle, thus complementing the already weakened immune response and leading to severe pathogenesis."11
What about Super Spreaders?
Early on I also tried to ring the bell about Super Spreaders. I was again met with crickets and vitriol.
Super Spreaders in a nutshell:
80% of all infections are caused by 20% of infected people.
There is a propensity of certain individuals to exhale large numbers of small respiratory droplets that contain high viral load.
In regards to actual SARS COV2, a Feb 2021 showed that in a healthy human group, roughly 18% of human subjects accounted for 80% of the exhaled bioaerosol, reflecting a super spreader distribution of bioaerosol analogous to a classical 20:80 super spreader of infection distribution.12
The findings indicated that the capacity of airway lining mucus to resist breakup on breathing varies significantly between individuals. This increased with the advance of COVID-19 infection and body mass index multiplied by age,Ii.e., BMI-years. (BMI-years is age multiplied by BMI, or length of having a high BMI)
They studied the exhaled breath particles of 194 healthy human subjects in this study, and experimentally infected eight nonhuman primates, and found that exhaled aerosol particles vary between subjects by three orders of magnitude. Exhaled respiratory droplet number increasing with degree of COVID-19 infection and elevated BMI-years. Meaning, the higher degree of infection (remember, viral load counts) and elevated BMI-years.
"These findings suggest that quantitative assessment and control of exhaled aerosol may be critical to slowing the airborne spread of COVID-19 in the absence of an effective and widely disseminated vaccine."
They evaluated relationships between exhaled aerosol particle number and sex, age, and body mass index (BMI). No correlation was found with sex, while significant correlations were observed between exhaled aerosol, age, and BMI—and particularly BMI-years.
Those with lowest BMI-years exhaled significantly less aerosol than the half of the group with highest BMI-years.
They also noted that all volunteers <26 y of age and all subjects under 22 BMI were low spreaders of exhaled bioaerosol.
As suspected, younger people are not much of a concern when it come to contagiousness. It’s the older folks who have higher BMI’s and have been overweight for a longer period of time.
The more aged and more obese group (infected or not) had larger exhaled aerosol amounts.
In the purposely infected monkeys they definitely have more infectious aerosol output the higher their viral titers rose.
Respiratory droplet numbers grow with viral load.
Phenotype mattered here: "There was a strong correlation observed between advanced BMI-years and greater propensity to generate respiratory droplets and may be significant in the light of the recognized risk of those with high BMI (obese), advanced age (elderly), or both (obese elderly) developing severe symptoms upon COVID-19 infection. It also heightens the probability of expelling the aerosol into the environment and transmission of the disease, underlining the transmission risk of living circumstances that bring high-risk (high BMI-year) populations into close proximity for extended periods of time, such as nursing homes."
This study is merely looking at a mechanical issue, not even considering the immunological & biochemical makeup of the individuals.
What’s Nutrition got to do with it?
From a 2019 study I shared out right from the start of the pandemic in regards to influenza: 13
“Nutritional status has been implicated in altering within-host viral evolution and has been shown to prolong infections, delay clearance, and increased shedding; all of which potentially increase viral transmission.”
In the malnourished individual:
A person’s nutritional status has been shown to alter the virus’s evolution within that individual.
It’s been shown to prolong infections in the individual (thus likely increasing viral load/titers).
It’s been shown to delay clearance of the virus (thus likely increasing viral load/titers).
It’s been shown to INCREASE viral shedding.
All of the above potentially INCREASE viral transmission. Ie. makes one MORE contagious to others.
It’s worth noting that clinically I’ve found most obese individuals to be malnourished. Overfed and malnourished due to not consuming nutrient dense foods. This isn’t just about lean-appearing malnourished individuals.
Obese hosts show a chronic state of inflammation with systemic implications on immunity.
Obese hosts exhibit delayed and blunted antiviral responses to influenza virus infection.
The efficacy of antivirals and vaccines is reduced in this population.
Obesity may also play a role in altering the viral life cycle.
Thus complementing the already weakened immune response and leading to severe pathogenesis.
This is a REAL issue worth discussing, instead of turning a blind eye to.
There are MANY more studies like this, but you get the point.
I am a root cause doctor and if a root cause CAN readily be addressed, why aren't our leaders and media talking about it? When people empowered with better information they can do better. How many lives were lost because of NOT knowing that by simply eating better quality food (improving on the malnourished state) and implementing weight loss strategies it could significantly decrease ones chances of death from EVERYTHING, not only Covid.
I realize weight loss is nuanced, can be complicated and is certainly multi-factorial. I don’t assume to have all the answers or even a one-size-fits-all solution for those seeking to lose weight.
Regardless, this information should have been blasted out across ALL news outlets worldwide and public health officials should have implemented FREE strategies and education to help the masses.
I've had HUNDREDS of people reach out to me on Instagram telling me they've lost cumulatively THOUSANDS of pounds since following me and implementing simple strategies I suggest:
Pay attention to what you choose to eat
Cut refined sugars
Walking daily
Prioritizing sleep
Strength training. Not even hard core, simply implement muscle building resistance training now.
These simple lifestyle change have ultimately led to BIG improvements in their overall body composition.
These are starting points. Always check with YOUR doctor about what’s best for you.
I hope this is helpful. My intent is NEVER to hurt, simply inform.
Impact of Obesity on Influenza A Virus Pathogenesis, Immune Response, and Evolution. May 2019
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