We know COVID19 cases are on the rise and the numbers keep going up. Please remember that the majority of cases are asymptomatic or have mild disease. We know that the immune system is our best defense against this virus. Previously, we discussed that a wholesome diet is at the core of immune system strength. Let’s say you are eating fruits and veggies at every meal and you want / need a bit more support when you start feeling unwell or have been exposed to Covid. Before we get to our list, REMEMBER you cannot out-supplement a bad diet!!!
The following supplements can be purchased HERE
IMMUNOGLOBULINS
Immunoglobulin Dosages:
Our immune system is made up of immunoglobulins. These various cell lines help defend us against intruders. Orally ingested Bovine Immunoglobulins have been shown to improve the human immune system and reduce gastrointestinal inflammation (link). Typical sources of bovine IgG used in human studies are serum-derived IgG, colostrum, colostrum-derived IgG, or milk-derived immunoglobulins. There are no established guidelines for dosing of immunogolbulins. These are doses I use in my clinical practice:
- 0-12months – Breast Milk is best
- 1-4 yrs old – 1-1.5gms
- 4+ – 1.5-2gms
Dr Temple – Approved Immunoglobulin Supplements
- SBI Protect OrthoMolecular Powder or Capsules
- IgG2000 Microbiome Labs Capsules
- Ig26 Xymogen Capsules or Powder (only available in my clinic)
Melatonin
Melatonin Dosages:
Melatonin is a powerful anti-oxidant made by the body. However poor diet habits, too much screen time, and aging deplete the body of melatonin. This should never be used instead of proper health and sleeping habits and needs to be discussed with your health care provider.
These are the doses I use in clinic with my patients
- 0-18months old none
- 18months – 4yrs old – always start with 0.5mg and gradually increase to 1.5mg
- 4-18yrs old – 1.5mg and adjust up to 6mg. Most teens do great with around 3mg.
Dr. Temple – Approved Melatonin Supplement
- Nordic Naturals Gummies 1.5mg
- Klaire Labs Capsules 3mg
- OrthoMolecular Tablet 1mg
QUERCETIN
Quercetin Dosages:
Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant and it is generally well-tolerated, and side effects are uncommon at doses of 500-1000mg/day. The most common side effects are stomach upset, headache, and tingling of the arms and legs. When consumed in food, quercetin is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women. However, there are no studies on safety of quercetin supplements during pregnancy or lactation so please consult with your healthcare provider before taking.
- 2-4 years: 50 mg daily
- 4-8 years: 50-100 mg daily
- 8-12 years: 100-200 mg daily
- 12-18 years: 200-400 mg daily
- 19+ years:400-1000 mg daily
Dr. Temple-Approved Quercetin Supplements:
- Orthomolecular Products D-Hist capsules
- Orthomolecular Products D-Hist Jr chewables
- Quicksilver Scientific Hista-Aid
Curcumin
Curcumin Dosages:
Curcumin is a compound found in turmeric, a spice derived from the plant Curcuma longa Linn. Mounting evidence from preclinical studies shows that curcumin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective properties. (link) Turmeric spices contain 3% curcumin, where as curcumin in extracts can be up to 95% (link) Furthermore, curcumin is not very bioavailable, meaning, the body has a hard time absorbing it all. Thus extracts must be combined with black peppers and/or in an oil base
There is no consensus on the dosing for curcumin, however, here are dosages taken from the medical literature.
- For osteoarthritis: 500 mg of turmeric extract twice daily for 2–3 months. (link)
- For high cholesterol: 700 mg of turmeric extract twice daily for 3 months. (link)
- For itchy skin: 500 mg of turmeric three times daily for 2 months. (link)
- 0-6months – none
- 6-24months – turmeric and black pepper in cooking
- 2yrs + World Health Organization (WHO) has determined 1.4 mg per pound (0–3 mg/kg) of body weight an acceptable daily intake
Dr Temple – Approved Curcumin Supplementation
- Truvani Organic Turmeric
- Turmeric – Turmeric Spice Gummies MegaFood
- Turmeric Tonic Vitanica* There is no data for pregnant or lactating women regarding extracts, but feel free to indulge in as much curry or turmeric lattes as you wish. Always speak with your doctor. Even though curcumin is well tolerated, large doses can affect the gallbladder, kidneys, etc.
VITAMIN A
Vitamin A Dosages:
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that it can get stored in your fat and potentially build up to toxic levels. Vitamin A toxicity is uncommon even at higher doses, and is generally seen only with long-term consumption of vitamin A over 25,000-33,000IU (8,000-10,000 mcg RAE) per day (Link).
The following dosages are based on the Recommended Daily Allowances and Upper Tolerable Intake level of vitamin A per the Food and Nutrition Board of the US Institute of Medicine (link):
- 0-3 years: 1,000-2,000 IU/day (300-60 0mcg RAE/day)
- 4-8 years: 1,500-3,000 IU/day (450-900 mcg RAE/day)
- 9-13 years: 3,000-5,000 IU/day (1,000-1,500 mcg RAE/day)
- 14+ years: 5,000-10,000 IU/day (1,500-3,000 mcg/RAE/day)
*If you are pregnant, please note that consumption of excess preformed retinol (such as retinyl palmitate and retinyl acetate found in supplements) is known to cause birth defects. Please speak with your doctor about the right dose for you. There is NO evidence that consumption of vitamin A from B-carotene in food sources increases the risk of birth defects – so eat all the carrots you want!
Dr. Temple -Approved Vitamin A Supplements:
Please note that Vitamin A supplements may list Vitamin A in International Units (U) or micrograms of Retinol Activity Equivalents (mcg RAE). To convert mcg RAE to IU, divide the mcgRAE by 0.3. For example, in Klaire Labs Micellized Vitamin A, 1 drop = 1,507mcg RAE = 5,023IU. – Dr. Elisa Song
- Klaire Labs Micellized Vitamin A drops
VITAMIN C
Vitamin C Dosages:
Vitamin C is water-soluble, which means you pee out any extra that you don’t need or use. Vitamin C has very low toxicity and even at high doses is very unlikely to be harmful, with the most common side effects being diarrhea, nausea and abdominal cramps. The following suggested dosages are as Tolerable Upper Intake Levels reported by the NIH (Link); however, higher doses are likely safe. Always check with your doc.
- 1-5 years: 125-250 mg daily
- 6-12 years: 250-500 mg daily
- 13-18 years: 500-1000 mg daily
- 19+ years: 500-1000+ mg daily
Dr. Temple -Approved Vitamin C Supplements:
- Seeking Health Liposomal Vitamin C
- Quicksilver Scientific Liposomal Vitamin C
- Orthomolecular Buffered C Powder
ZINC
Zinc Dosages:
The following dosages are based on the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels reported by the NIH (link) and what I use in clinical practice. Please check with your doctor, always. The most common side effects are nausea and vomiting. High doses of zinc for prolonged periods may deplete copper, which can have negative impacts on the body.
- 0-1 year: 4-5 mg daily
- 1-3 years: 5-10 mg daily
- 4-12 years 10-25 mg daily
- 13-18 years: 25-35 mg daily
- 19+ years 25-40 mg daily
Dr. Temple -Approved Zinc Supplements:
- Pure Encapsulations Zinc liquid
- Pure Encapsulations Zinc 30
VITAMIN D
Vitamin D Dosages:
The Vitamin D Council recommends a daily maintenance dosage of Vitamin D3 of 1000IU per 25 pounds of body weight, up to 5000IU daily. Most children and adults are deficient in Vitamin D. It is best to guide therapy based on blood levels.
Vitamin D toxicity can result in abnormal calcium levels and bone loss, kidney stones, and heart calcifications. The following dosages are based on the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels reported by the NIH (link) and what I use in clinical practice.
- 0-6 months: 1000 IU daily
- 7-12 months: 1,500 IU daily
- 1-3 years: 2,500 IU daily
- 4-8 years: 3,000 IU daily
- 9-18 years: 4,000 IU daily
- 19+ years: 4,000IU – 5,000 IU daily
Dr. Temple -Approved Vitamin D Supplements:
- Orthomolecular Products Vitamin D3/K2 liquid
- Orthomolecular Products Vitamin D3/K2 capsules
FISH OILS
Potential Omega-3 EFA Dosages:
Fish oil supplements are, in general, very well-tolerated. If you get “fish burps,” try freezing your fish oil capsule before eating. High doses may cause nausea and loose stools, and occasionally easy bruising or bleeding.
The dosages I recommend for my patients vary widely, depending on what else may be going on with their health. And for patients with chronic concerns like asthma, autoimmune conditions, ADHD, anxiety or autism, I may use higher dosages. The following potential doses for immune response are based on ALA as per NIH (link): (For infants, the following dosages apply to total omega-3s. For ages 1 and older, they apply only to ALA because ALA is the only omega-3 that is essential. NIH did not establish specific intake recommendations for EPA, DHA or other LC omega-3s)
- 0-1 years: 500mg daily
- 1-3 years: 700mg daily
- 4-8 years: 900mg daily
- 9-13 years: 1000 – 1200mg daily
- 14-18 years: 1100 – 1600mg daily
- 19+ years: 1100-1600mg daily
EPA and DHA Combined Dosing I use in my clinical practice
- 0-1 years: 50-100mg daily
- 1-5 years: 100-500mg daily
- 6-12 years: 500-1,000mg daily
- 13-18 years: 1,000mg daily
- 19+ years: 1000mg+ daily
Dr. Temple -Approved Omega-3 EFAs Supplements:
- Designs for Health OmegAvail Smoothies
- Metagenics EPA-DHA 2400
- Nordic Naturals ProOmega 2000 Junior
- Nordic Naturals ProOmega CRP
- Most Nordic Naturals fish oils (just NOT the gummies, please)
PROBIOTICS
Potential Probiotic Dosages:
Suggested probiotic doses vary widely depending on the specific health concerns that are being addressed. There are specific strands studied for different chronic conditions as per NIH summary (link). However, in general, I recommend a “broad-spectrum” probiotic with as many different probiotic strains as possible. The gut microbiome looks very similar to an adult microbiome by 2 years of age. That means that all family members over 2 years can take the same probiotic. Children under 2 years should get an infant-specific probiotic. Be aware of liquid or gummies because the processing often renders the bacteria stains ineffective .
These are the typical probiotic dosages I use in my practice:
- < 2 years ~ 10-20 billion cfu mixed flora
- > 2 years ~ 20-50 billion cfu mixed flora
Dr. Temple -Approved Probiotic Supplements:
- Klaire Lab Infant Powder
- Klaire Lab Chewables
- Klaire Lab Complete Capsules
- Megaspore Microbiome Labs
