Granny Science versus The Miracle Mineral

The secret of viral diseases is that most viruses that make us sick also require selenium for their formation. When viruses infect human cells, they “mine” them for selenium, stealing the biologically protective selenium to protect themselves. That destroys the cell’s antioxidants defences, and eventually overcomes the body’s immune defences.

As viral replication continues unchecked, viral load eventually shoots through the roof and the body’s selenium resources fall though the floor. This is the common disease trajectory of HIV, Ebola, Marburg virus, Hantavirus, and most deadly viral infections. Only the timing is different between these diseases. HIV is a lentivirus, a “slow” virus. It takes years to kill instead of just weeks.

Selenium is the fuel that keeps the immune system running. When viruses shoot holes in the immune system’s proverbial selenium petrol-tank and selenium resources drain out, CD4 counts plummet and the immune system ceases working. However, if doctors provide high-dose selenium to replace that lost selenium supply and refuel the immune system, the patient can often be saved if sufficient selenium is supplied quickly enough. Many times a patient seemingly on their deathbed due to viral infection can recover if provided adequate selenium. That engineers the seeming miracle.

Howard Armistead is an AIDS, Ebola, and Covid-19 researcher. He is director of the Selenium Education and Research Centre in Johannesburg. For more information visit winagainstcorona.com.