You got the COVID shot and found that others developed blood clots. Now what?

Posted on by Jesse Santiano, M.D.

Millions worldwide have received the COVID-19 vaccines by now.

Recently, there were reports that several countries, including Sweden, Latvia, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Norway, and The Netherlands, halted the use of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine due to the development of blood clots.

Investigations are currently ongoing to see if there are a cause and effect relationship between the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine and blood clot development.

We know so far that getting infected with the SARS-COV-2 virus, the cause of COVID-19, can lead to blood clot formation. That’s because the SARS-COV-2 virus can make the body’s immune system attack the host. A clinical condition is called an autoimmune disease.

One mechanism of developing blood clots inside the body is autoimmune antibodies, anti-phospholipid antibodies in particular, after exposure to the spike protein of the SARS-COV-2.

Blood clots can lead to dangerous diseases. The figure below from the article, Anti-phospholipid syndrome and COVID-19 thrombosis: connecting the dots, shows the different organs that can be affected.

From: Antiphospholipid syndrome and COVID-19 thrombosis: connecting the dots

The figure shows that clots can cause strokes, heart attacks, pulmonary embolism,  severe bleeding, kidney failure, and pregnancy-related problems like miscarriages and premature labor.

A COVID vaccinated reader may certainly ask, “Will I develop a blood clot too?” The answer is found in the previous experience of COVID-19 patients. Who are the COVID-19 patients who developed blood clots?

Many COVID-19 patients who developed blood clots have severe symptoms that they became hospitalized. These are the people who are elderly and with chronic medical problems like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. They are the ones with the highest mortality.

The elderly and chronically ill people have one thing in common: excess free radicals.

Free radicals or reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are unstable molecules that destabilize cellular form and function.

Antiphospholipid antibodies need free radicals before they form a blood clot. This was described in the paper, Oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of atherothrombosis associated with the anti-phospholipid syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus.

The article describes how an imbalance of antioxidants and pro-oxidants resulting in excess free radicals leads to the activation of immune cells, monocytes, lymphocytes, and neutrophils.

The activation leads to the formation of molecules that favors a procoagulant environment.

Thus, antiphospholipid antibodies need an excess of free radicals before they form blood clots. This is the situation in severe COVID-19 patients.

Severe COVID-19 is an autoimmune state that leads to runaway inflammation and clot formation. That is why the treatment requires potent anti-inflammatories like steroids and atorvastatin and blood thinners like heparin.

Treatment of severe COVID-19 syndrome eliminates free radicals using antioxidants like Vitamin C or ascorbic acid, zinc, melatonin, and thiamine to counter the excess free radicals.

All of the above-mentioned therapies for severe COVID-19 are part of the MATH+ Hospital Treatment Protocols for COVID-19.

Bottom line: Antiphospholipid antibodies need an environment of excess free radicals to form blood clots.

How to avoid excess free radicals?

  1. Weight control – with intermittent fasting and exercise
  2. Stop smoking
  3. Avoid air pollution
  4. Blood pressure control with medications, diet, and exercise
  5. Avoid foods rich in free radicals like
    • refined carbohydrates and sugars
    • processed meats like sausages, bacon, and other processed meats
    • limit red meat
    • limit alcohol
    • Don’t reuse cooking oils
  6. Diabetes control by:
    • medications
    • avoiding sugar and high glycemic foods
    • exercise
  7. Eat foods rich in antioxidants like
    • dark chocolate
    • pecans
    • blueberries
    • strawberries
    • artichokes
    • goji berries
    • green tea
    • strawberries
    • kale
    • red cabbage
    • Red beets
    • and many others
  8. You cannot avoid aging, but you can certainly take antioxidant supplements like the following: Click on the antioxidants to go to a link. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.   

Intermittent fasting and physical activity, including the list above, may avoid blood clots following COVID vaccination and other common diseases. (Read Diseases Associated with the Metabolic Syndrome)

Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program. Consult a pharmacist before taking nutritional supplements to avoid drug interactions.

Knowledge about Covid-19 is rapidly evolving. Information may update as new studies are made. Stay current by subscribing. Feel free to share.

Don’t Get Sick!

Related readings:

References:

Buinitskaya, Yuliya; Gurinovich, Roman; Wlodaver, Clifford G.; Kastsiuchenka, Siarhei (2020): Highlights of COVID-19 Pathogenesis. Insights into Oxidative Damage. figshare. Preprint. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12121575.v11

Delgado-Roche L, Mesta F. Oxidative Stress as Key Player in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) Infection. Arch Med Res. 2020 Jul;51(5):384-387. doi: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2020.04.019. Epub 2020 Apr 30. PMID: 32402576; PMCID: PMC7190501.

Moon Ley Tung, Bryce Tan, Robin Cherian, Bharatendu Chandra, Anti-phospholipid syndrome and COVID-19 thrombosis: connecting the dots, Rheumatology Advances in Practice, Volume 5, Issue 1, 2021, rkaa081, https://doi.org/10.1093/rap/rkaa081

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