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Research Article
Carrageenan nasal spray may double the rate of recovery from coronavirus and influenza virus infections: re-analysis of randomized trial data
Harri Hemilä
University of Helsinki
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4710-307X
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Declarations:
Declarations
- This study involved human subjects.
- The author confirmed that all appropriate ethical guidelines for the use of human subjects have been followed, any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee review has been obtained, and information about the IRB/ethics committee is included in the manuscript.
- The author has confirmed that all necessary patient/participant consent or assent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived. If the IRB/ethics committee waived the requirement for patient/participant consent or assent, an explanation for the waiver is included in the text.
- The author has confirmed that a statement listing potential conflicts of interest or lack thereof is included in the text.
Carrageenan is a sulfated polysaccharide that has been extensively used in food products. Since the 1980s, carrageenan has been shown to prevent infections due to several viruses in cell cultures, including rhinoviruses which cause the common cold. In animal studies it prevented mortality caused by influenza A. Carrageenan is generally regarded as safe by the FDA. This individual patient data meta-analysis examined the datasets of two randomized placebo-controlled trials which investigated the effect of carrageenan separately on children and adults. In both trials, iota-carrageenan was administered nasally 3 times per day for 7 days for patients with the common cold and follow-up lasted for 21 days. Nasal carrageenan increased the recovery rate from all colds by 54% (95% CI 15% to 105%; P = 0.003). The increase in recovery rate was 140% in coronavirus infections, 119% in influenza A infections, and 70% in rhinovirus infections. We used quantile regression to calculate the effect of carrageenan on colds of differing lengths, by dividing the distribution into 5 quintiles. The mean duration of colds in the placebo groups of the first four quintiles were 4.0, 6.8, 8.8 and 13.7 days, respectively. The fifth quintile contained patients with censored data. The 13.7-day colds were shortened by 3.8 days (28% reduction), and 8.8-day colds by 1.3 days (15% reduction). Carrageenan had no meaningful effect on shorter colds. In the placebo group, 21 patients had colds that lasted over 20 days, compared with 6 patients in the carrageenan group. This corresponds to a 71% (P = 0.003) reduction in the risk of longer colds. Finally, in the placebo group, 37 patients had recurring cold symptoms after first being cured, compared with 16 in the carrageenan group. This corresponds to a 56% (P = 0.002) reduction in the risk of recurring symptoms. Given that carrageenan has an effect on diverse virus groups, and its demonstrated effects on two old coronaviruses, it seems plausible that nasal carrageenan may also have an effect on the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Further research on nasal iota-carrageenan is warranted.
Keywords
Common cold, Coronavirus, Influenza, iota-Carrageenan, Meta-analysis, Randomized controlled trials, Rhinovirus, SARS-CoV-2
Figure 1
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Figure 3
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- CarrageenanSupplement1110.pdf
Carrageenan nasal spray may double the rate of recovery from coronavirus and influenza virus infections: re-analysis of randomized trial data: Supplement
Debra Sewell
commented on 21 January, 2021
It was used with ivermectin in human trials in Argentina re: Covid.
Elaine Camilleri
commented on 26 January, 2021
I have been taking a Carrageenan nasal spray as well as Coldzyme and gargle two times a day with Colgate Peroxyl in Am and at night now for about 10 months. No negative side effects. I have worked with over a hundred Covid positive patients up close and have been with and worked with colleagues who tested positive. I also have worked with some patients who had false negative results and later tested positive. I have not even gotten a cold in this period of time. Additionally I have had my husband and two teenage daughters do the same regimen and they have not gotten Covid. It is a sad shame that this was not made publicly known from the beginning. I tried but was met with obstacles every step of the way. Now I have recently recently received my second vaccine. Thank you for putting this info out there.
View 1 reply
Elaine Camilleri Guindon
commented on 15 February, 2021
Yes mask up close with covid positive patients, but not necessarily with colleagues who later tested positive (ie eating with them in conference room) and not necessarily as well masked with patients who were false negative. Further no mask at all with my family and that is the point; yes masks are important but you are not going to wear them at home with your family and if you have teens they are not going to stay in all the time. That is why we need an extra layer of protection. I worked with patient today who was intubated for over 7 days and almost died; she never went anywhere; she got it from her granddaughter.
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This is a preprint. It has not completed peer review.
Research Article
Carrageenan nasal spray may double the rate of recovery from coronavirus and influenza virus infections: re-analysis of randomized trial data
Harri Hemilä
University of Helsinki
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4710-307X
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
History
CURRENT STATUS: Posted
Version 1
Posted 16 Nov, 2020
Community comments: 4
Metrics
Comments: 4
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Declarations:
Declarations
- This study involved human subjects.
- The author confirmed that all appropriate ethical guidelines for the use of human subjects have been followed, any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee review has been obtained, and information about the IRB/ethics committee is included in the manuscript.
- The author has confirmed that all necessary patient/participant consent or assent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived. If the IRB/ethics committee waived the requirement for patient/participant consent or assent, an explanation for the waiver is included in the text.
- The author has confirmed that a statement listing potential conflicts of interest or lack thereof is included in the text.
Carrageenan is a sulfated polysaccharide that has been extensively used in food products. Since the 1980s, carrageenan has been shown to prevent infections due to several viruses in cell cultures, including rhinoviruses which cause the common cold. In animal studies it prevented mortality caused by influenza A. Carrageenan is generally regarded as safe by the FDA. This individual patient data meta-analysis examined the datasets of two randomized placebo-controlled trials which investigated the effect of carrageenan separately on children and adults. In both trials, iota-carrageenan was administered nasally 3 times per day for 7 days for patients with the common cold and follow-up lasted for 21 days. Nasal carrageenan increased the recovery rate from all colds by 54% (95% CI 15% to 105%; P = 0.003). The increase in recovery rate was 140% in coronavirus infections, 119% in influenza A infections, and 70% in rhinovirus infections. We used quantile regression to calculate the effect of carrageenan on colds of differing lengths, by dividing the distribution into 5 quintiles. The mean duration of colds in the placebo groups of the first four quintiles were 4.0, 6.8, 8.8 and 13.7 days, respectively. The fifth quintile contained patients with censored data. The 13.7-day colds were shortened by 3.8 days (28% reduction), and 8.8-day colds by 1.3 days (15% reduction). Carrageenan had no meaningful effect on shorter colds. In the placebo group, 21 patients had colds that lasted over 20 days, compared with 6 patients in the carrageenan group. This corresponds to a 71% (P = 0.003) reduction in the risk of longer colds. Finally, in the placebo group, 37 patients had recurring cold symptoms after first being cured, compared with 16 in the carrageenan group. This corresponds to a 56% (P = 0.002) reduction in the risk of recurring symptoms. Given that carrageenan has an effect on diverse virus groups, and its demonstrated effects on two old coronaviruses, it seems plausible that nasal carrageenan may also have an effect on the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Further research on nasal iota-carrageenan is warranted.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Debra Sewell
commented on 21 January, 2021
It was used with ivermectin in human trials in Argentina re: Covid.
Elaine Camilleri
commented on 26 January, 2021
I have been taking a Carrageenan nasal spray as well as Coldzyme and gargle two times a day with Colgate Peroxyl in Am and at night now for about 10 months. No negative side effects. I have worked with over a hundred Covid positive patients up close and have been with and worked with colleagues who tested positive. I also have worked with some patients who had false negative results and later tested positive. I have not even gotten a cold in this period of time. Additionally I have had my husband and two teenage daughters do the same regimen and they have not gotten Covid. It is a sad shame that this was not made publicly known from the beginning. I tried but was met with obstacles every step of the way. Now I have recently recently received my second vaccine. Thank you for putting this info out there.
View 1 reply
yasam
replied on 15 February, 2021
no mask?
Elaine Camilleri Guindon
commented on 15 February, 2021
Yes mask up close with covid positive patients, but not necessarily with colleagues who later tested positive (ie eating with them in conference room) and not necessarily as well masked with patients who were false negative. Further no mask at all with my family and that is the point; yes masks are important but you are not going to wear them at home with your family and if you have teens they are not going to stay in all the time. That is why we need an extra layer of protection. I worked with patient today who was intubated for over 7 days and almost died; she never went anywhere; she got it from her granddaughter.
yasam
replied on 15 February, 2021
no mask?