Two days ago, Seattle-based public health researchers released a new study as a preprint* suggesting that COVID-19 cases spread throughout communities within Washington state for 4-6 weeks before the first community-acquired case had been identified. This is deeply concerning, because it suggests that by the time the first case is identified in a community it …
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Insomnia is different between people who are and aren’t on HRT? | Masterjohn Q&A Files #101
Question: Insomnia is different between people who are and aren’t on HRT? Carrie: Yes, sort of. If it’s strictly a hormone issue, if she says, “I’ve never had insomnia. I turned 45 and I got insomnia. And, oh, by the way, I’m also having irregular periods and hot flashes and night sweats and all this …
If You Lose Your Sense of Smell or Taste, What Are the Chances You Have COVID-19?
If you lose your sense of smell, what are the chances you have COVID-19? A new study released today as a preprint suggests that if you lose your sense of taste or smell, you have a 61.7% chance of having COVID-19. Preprints are studies destined for peer-reviewed journals that have yet to be peer-reviewed. Because …

The use of pregnenolone to manage perimenopausal symptoms, particularly insomnia. | Masterjohn Q&A Files #100
Question: The use of pregnenolone to manage perimenopausal symptoms, particularly insomnia. Carrie: Well, so here’s the thing about pregnenolone. Oral or sublingual, so if you’ve got drops or little tables you suck on. Pregnenolone and progesterone, when they go through first pass, so you swallow them and then you go through first pass, they turn …
Two Easily Available Lab Markers to Identify Patients at Risk of Severe COVID-19 [COVID-19 Updates]
This post will probably be most helpful to physicians or other front-line health care professionals who are treating COVID-19 patients and have the ability to order lab tests. Please note that I myself am not a physician or a health care professional. I’m just bringing you the research. Recent research suggests that two readily available …

Guidance on what time of day it is best to take T4 and/or T3? | Masterjohn Q&A Files #99
Question: Guidance on what time of day it is best to take T4 and/or T3? Carrie: It actually depends if you’re taking immediate release T4 or T3 especially or sustained release because T4 has a much longer half-life which is why we traditionally say to take it in the morning since it helps with energy …

Could Elderberry Cause a Cytokine Storm in COVID-19? Extremely Unlikely.
Disclaimer: Nothing in this post constitutes medical advice. Please see the disclaimer at the bottom of the post for more details. When I first came out with The Food and Supplement Guide for the Coronavirus (newly revised and released as Version 5.0 this week), many people questioned my recommendation to use elderberry extract as first-line …
In COVID-19, the Nose Gets Infected, and The Nerves Get Damaged: Two New Studies [COVID-19 Updates]
Two new studies published today as preprints suggest that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, infects the nose and causes anosmia, the loss of a sense of smell, by damaging the nerves. Preprints are papers that are destined for peer-reviewed journals but have not yet been peer reviewed. The vast majority of reliable information circulating …

A rant on why many people use “MTHFR” to slap a label on their health problems. | Masterjohn Q&A Files #98
Question: A rant on why many people use “MTHFR” to slap a label on their health problems. I put MTHFR in quotes because I meant it the way that people mean when they say, “I have MTHFR.” Everyone has MTHFR. What people mean by that is they have these MTHFR polymorphisms. What I meant by …
Taking Advantage of the COVID-19 Throat Infection Study With Zinc and Copper [COVID-19 Updates]
On Tuesday, I wrote to you about new study showing that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, infects the throat, not just the lungs, and the infection may actually start in the throat before it starts in the lungs. And since the evidence for infecting the throat came from either oropharyngeal swabs (swabs of the …