Keto and Covid?
 

I read an article long ago that said when people are in ketosis, their T-Cells are strong and when people are not in ketosis the sugar and insulin weakens their T-Cells.

I read another article that says that people with stronger T-Cells might be more resistant to COVID.

DW and I have been in ketosis for years and years, we work with an elderly population, and are of that age ourselves. We both test negative and so far have avoided the plague.

So I wonder...and I ask of you...

If you have been constantly in ketosis since late 1999, did you get or avoid COVID?

It's a non-scientific curiosity to see if perhaps being in ketosis is an asset to avoiding COVID.

If you have been in and out of ketosis, please don't respond. I'm only curious about those who have been in ketosis for this entire plague.

Bob

I started keto January of 2019 and have not left it since. I have not gotten COVID, as far as I know.

But we also took every precaution, and are double vaxxed, double boosted as of last week.

For further anecdata, my whole low carb journey has coincided with better resistance to catching stuff, and once I addressed my Vitamin D status so even if I caught something, the symptoms were mild.

Keto is the only way I can keep my autoimmune condition in remission. So I keep close track. Now I do have a tripwire in terms of my cortisol levels: these skyrocket with stress (like the last couple of YEARS) and that will create a flare. Now that I can finally treat all my conditions simultaneously, I'm seeing improvement on all fronts.

DH is doing keto as part of the Dr. Sarah Myhill protocol for CFS/ME. As she says: "Diet is more than half the treatment. You won't get better if you don't fuel and nourish your mitochondria."

In support of your thesis.

Bob, How do you qualify or quantify this statement?

=<X netCarbs/day or the like?

I seem to have managed to avoid the disease so far, knock on laminated vinyl :)

Almost all of my friends and coworkers have now had COVID and I haven't. Am I in ketosis? Maybe a bit since I'm watching both carbs and calories. I am pretty cautious. Got all my vaxes and still wear a mask in indoor public spots, avoid dining inside in restaurants, haven't gone on an airplane. But am I lucky or just cautious enough to avoid it? I'm going to assume it is just luck and not some sort of super-power. :-) I think this virus has a way of bringing hubris down.

I was in ketosis (or believe I was) during 2020 and 2021. I slipped out in late spring/early summer 2022. And got COVID in June. I do wonder about the connection.

I've been in ketosis more or less during the pandemic. I am also fully vaxed, a frequent flyer (short haul several times a month for work), travel by train, eat out quite a bit, go to the theatre etc. As far as I know, I have not had Covid.

What I have had, however, is shingles (a few weeks ago). Apparently we are currently seeing a rise in cases of shingles in the UK, particularly amongst those who have had Covid.

So it's interesting that my immune system was compromised enough for me to get shingles, but not Covid.

I use fasting and eat generally a carnivore diet but do slip out of ketosis when I have red wine or eat a rare slice of my homemadr sourdough.
I am not jabbed, but I now have the worst cold/flu for 10 years. I am coughing and spluttering, and drinking honey with boiled water. I have gone hoarse.
I live in subtropical Queensland. We are nearing the end of a very, very cold winter.
I dont know if being in ketosis helps with immunity. I do think fasting helps.
When my throat clears up I may do 3-5 day water fast.

For me, to be in ketosis means I need to eat fewer than 25 carbs per day. I did this years ago with testing strips.

I generally eat fewer than 20 carbs per day, most days much less. Therefore I must be in constant ketosis.

My DW is also on the same diet.

We are entertainers, and since we were both 40, we targeted the retirement audience here in South Florida. We are now old enough to live in these retirement developments.

We had 3 jabs each, and rarely get sick. We also test negative for COVID.

Is it keto? Just lucky? I don't know.

That's why I'm conducting this informal, unscientific survey.