Genetic Factor for Lung Failure and Inflammation (MYD88)

Refrain From Smoking

Smoking spikes lung inflammation via the TLR4/Myd88 pathway, which makes it even worse for people who lack the protective effect of rs7744-G [R, R].

Avoiding cigarette smoke is one of the best things you can do to improve overall and respiratory health. Smoking can increase the risk of developing ARDS, as this condition may arise as a complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [R].

Whether you are concerned about ARDS or not, giving up smoking is always a good idea to improve your overall health and wellbeing.

Refrain from smoking to reduce NF-kB, improve overall health, and prevent respiratory complications.

Improve Sleep Quality

Sleep deprivation and impaired circadian rhythm can contribute to NF-kB-associated inflammation and suppress immunity [R, R].

Adequate sleep strengthens the immune response and reduces inflammation. Multiple studies have linked poor sleep quality with an increased incidence of respiratory infections [R, R, R, R].

Exercise in Moderation

Moderate exercise can combat inflammation by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88 pathway [R, R].

Exercise and physical fitness improve the immune response and help fight off respiratory infections [R, R, R].

However, for robust immunity, it’s important not to push too hard; periods of intense physical training may contribute to windows of lower resistance and predispose to upper respiratory tract infections [R, R].

In simple terms, getting and staying fit but not overtaxing yourself could help prevent infections [R].

Moderate exercise can inhibit the TLR4/MyD88 pathway and help prevent respiratory infections.

Mediterranean Diet

Different components of a healthy, balanced diet help suppress NF-kB and inflammatory cytokines. These include:

• Flavonoids from fruits and vegetables [R, R, R]
• Vitamin C and minerals such as zinc and magnesium [R, R, R]
• Fish and olive oil [R]
• Herbs and spices (turmeric, rosemary, basil) [R]
• Avoiding refined sugar and foods with a high glycemic index [R]

Mediterranean diet has all of the above features and well-known anti-inflammatory effects. It’s rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, herbs, and spices, with moderate intakes of fish and meat [R]. 

Eating a Mediterranean diet may enhance immunity in people with chronic inflammatory diseases and improve lung function in smokers [R, R]. 

The Mediterranean diet can suppress NF-kB, improve lung function, and reduce the risk factors for respiratory infections.

Garlic

Garlic extracts may reduce NF-κB activation in human blood [R].

In a study of 120 people, aged garlic extract reduced the severity of colds and the flu. It increased the number of immune cells (T cells and NK cells), thus boosting the immune system while lowering inflammatory proteins (cytokines) [R, R].

Another clinical trial on 146 healthy volunteers found that taking an allicin-containing garlic supplement every day helped prevent the common cold and reduce its duration [R].

Garlic may reduce NF-kB activity and help with different respiratory infections.

Vitamin C

Oxidative stress is a potent stimulant of NF-kB-mediated inflammation. Vitamin C can partly reverse this effect by inhibiting MyD88 and NF-kB [R, R, R].

Vitamin C is a crucial antioxidant that protects the lungs and helps fight viral infections. A study on over 1,500 women associated high vitamin C intake with a reduced incidence of upper respiratory tract infections [R, R, R, R, R].

In over 19,000 men, high blood vitamin C levels correlated with a reduced incidence of different respiratory conditions, including chronic respiratory disease, pneumonia, and lung cancer [R].

Vitamin C decreased the death rate but failed to reduce lung inflammation and failure in 167 people with ARDS [R].

A meta-analysis of 5 studies found that intravenous vitamin C may reduce the need for mechanical ventilation in the critically ill [R].

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can suppress NF-kB and MyD88, support immunity, and help prevent lung failure.

NAC

N-acetylcysteine or NAC is another crucial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It can lower lung inflammation by targeting TRL4 and NF-kB. In one clinical study, it produced the same effects in patients with sepsis (critical blood infection), which is a major cause of ARDS [R, R, R, R].

In 262 older people, NAC cut the risk of catching the flu by 54%. It also reduced the replication of the flu virus in cell-based studies [R, R].

Doctors often add NAC to standard treatments for respiratory inflammation and infections. It helps break down mucus and replenish glutathione in the lungs, thus reducing airway damage and breathing difficulties [R, R, R].

It improved lung function and reduced oxidative stress in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), both alone or in combination with vitamin C and oxygen [R, R, R].

In 3 trials on 159 people with ARDS, intravenous NAC improved oxygen supply and reduced ventilator use. It also reduced lung injury in one of them [R, R, R].

However, NAC treatment for 72 hours was ineffective at both improving oxygen supply and reducing ventilator use in another trial on 42 people [R].

NAC may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the lungs, prevent tissue damage, and improve oxygen supply.

Melatonin

Melatonin also reduces inflammation by blocking TLR4 and MyD88. This results in a decreased  activation of NF-kB and lower levels of inflammatory cytokines [R, R].

In two clinical trials of 200 preterm babies with respiratory distress syndrome, supplementation with melatonin reduced the levels of some inflammatory and oxidative markers that seem associated with this condition (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, and nitrite/nitrate) [R, R].

This condition is different from ARDS despite having a similar name and also causing labored breathing. Thus, we can’t presume the same benefits for ARDS [R].

Melatonin relieved acute lung injury and prevented its progression to ARDS in rats and mice by blocking NLRP3 [R, R, R]. 

In rats with ventilator-induced injuries, a compound that activates the same receptor as melatonin (ramelteon) reduced lung inflammation and swelling by increasing the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 [R].

Melatonin may suppress lung inflammation by blocking MyD88 and potentially help with respiratory complications.

Licorice Root

Licorice root is praised for its sweet taste, as well as potent anti-inflammatory action. It may compensate for the lack of genetic protection by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88 pathway [R, R, R].

According to research in animals and cells, licorice root may have antiviral activity against different viruses, including those that cause the flu and lower respiratory tract infections [R, R, R].

A study of 46 children with respiratory tract infections found that an herbal mixture containing licorice root may be able to reduce coughing and awakenings during the night [R].

In 70 patients with a chronic cough, licorice pastille (a type of candy) significantly reduced coughing compared to placebo [R].

In mice, both its active compound glycyrrhizin and its flavonoids prevented the development of acute lung injury into ARDS by reducing inflammation and platelet response. However, we can’t discuss the potential benefits in the lack of clinical evidence [R, R, R]. 

Licorice is a sweet, anti-inflammatory herb that may inhibit MyD88 and reduce coughing and lung inflammation.