Severe Infections Increase Long-Term Risk of Heart Failure

• The impact of severe infections — The findings revealed that individuals hospitalized for infections, such as pneumonia, sepsis or urinary tract infections (UTIs), were more than twice as likely to develop heart failure compared to those who had never been hospitalized for an infection.

The participants, aged 45 to 64 years at the study’s onset, had no prior diagnosis of heart failure. From 1987 to 2018, 46% of them (6,673 participants) experienced at least one infection-related hospitalization.

• Heart failure stems from infections — The researchers found that hospitalizations were strongly associated with both types of heart failure — heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Specifically, infection-related hospitalizations increased the risk of HFpEF by 2.97 times and the risk of HFrEF by 1.77 times.⁴

• Inflammation doesn’t go away immediately — When the immune response lingers beyond the infection itself, chronic inflammation weakens the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently.

• Inflammatory biomarkers contribute to deteriorating heart health — The researchers described how the inflammatory biomarkers involved — like interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) — contribute to stiffening of the heart muscle.

As noted by the researchers, “A normal inflammatory response prompted by an infection is characterized by the temporally restricted upregulation of inflammatory activity that occurs when an infection is present, which then resolves once the threat has passed. However, biological, psychological, environmental, and social factors may delay or prevent resolution of this acute phase and result in chronic inflammation and immune activation.”⁶

• Certain groups face higher risk — While all participants with infection-related hospitalizations are at an increased risk for heart failure, certain groups face worse outcomes. Older adults and individuals with pre-existing conditions like diabetes or hypertension are at greater risk. As noted by the researchers.⁸

• Chronic disease contributes to heart failure — In a study published in Diabetes Care, “Heart failure (HF) has been recognized as a common complication of diabetes, with a prevalence of up to 22% in individuals with diabetes and increasing incidence rates.” According to the researchers, various mechanisms related to diabetes contribute to the development of heart failure, such as inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction.⁹

• Heart failure builds up over time — Note that the risk of heart failure is not a short-term phenomenon. According to the featured study, most cases appeared several years after the initial infection-related hospitalization. Specifically, the average time from infection to heart failure diagnosis was around seven years, and 82% of heart failure occurred more than one year after the infection.¹⁰

• The protective role of vitamin D — It supports your immune system, which helps reduce the risk or severity of infections. Specifically, it plays an essential role in synthesizing antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), including cathelicidin, which works against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This peptide is made by immune cells that protect your body against infection, such as skin and gut cells.¹¹

• AMPs protect from various pathogens — In a study published in Frontiers in Microbiology, researchers noted that AMPs help protect your body against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria, “such as VRE, Acinetobacter baumannii, and MRSA in clinical medicine and S. aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli in food and Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus in aquatic products.”¹²

• AMPs also have antifungal benefits — Research shows AMPs also fight against fungal strains, such as Candida albicans that cause yeast infections, as well as aflatoxin, a carcinogen produced by Aspergillus flavus. They also fight against viruses by inhibiting virus attachment and virus cell membrane fusion, destroying the virus envelope and inhibiting virus replication.¹³

• Minimize LA intake first — If you’ve been consuming high amounts of LA, wait at least six months before spending extended time in direct sunlight since it increases your risk of sunburn. When sunlight hits LA embedded in your skin, it breaks down into toxic metabolites that create inflammation and DNA damage. I recommend reducing your LA intake to less than 5 grams per day from all food sources.

• Time your exposure properly — While you decrease your seed oil intake, avoid peak sunlight hours — typically an hour before and after solar noon. In most U.S. regions during summer, this means staying out of direct sunlight from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time, or 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Standard Time.

Gradually, as your body eliminates the accumulated LA, you can safely increase your sun exposure, eventually enjoying an hour or more of peak sunlight.

• The optimal vitamin D range — Now that you know the basics to safely optimize your vitamin D, the next part is determining your level. The ideal range for optimal health and disease prevention is between 60 ng/mL and 80 ng/mL, with sufficiency starting at 40 ng/mL. To know you’re hitting the right range, get your blood tested regularly.

• What is OAF? — This is something that researchers aren’t still able to strictly identify, but they believe that it’s about synergistic effects. As noted in their review of the literature, “One potential component of the OAF, the hydroxyl radical (HO), has been generated artificially and used to kill airborne pathogens.”

However, the experts in atmospheric science who reviewed the available evidence in 2021 concluded that HO radicals are not directly responsible for the potent germicidal effects of the OAF.¹⁵ However, the compounds behind OAF remain a mystery, contributing to its neglect in public health recommendations.

• Fresh air is good for you — Despite the mysterious nature of OAF, I advise you to take advantage of the therapeutic powers of fresh air as much as possible. To do this, increase your time spent outdoors, which also optimizes your vitamin D levels and helps fight infections. When staying indoors, make sure to open your windows to let fresh air in on a regular basis.

• The challenges of treating sepsis — In addition to what was mentioned, the problem when it comes to treating sepsis is the prevalence of drug-resistant infections. However, Dr. Paul Marik, a critical care physician, may have found a way to save countless lives each year using a combination of two readily, inexpensive nutrients and a steroid — vitamin C, thiamine and hydrocortisone.¹⁷

• A breakthrough in sepsis treatment — In a last-ditch effort to save a woman’s life from sepsis, he decided to administer a combination of intravenous vitamin C and hydrocortisone. While everyone expected the patient to die, Marik’s attempt worked, and she recovered overnight.

• Repeated tests confirmed the protocol — For the next few patients with similar conditions, Marik repeated his breakthrough combination. Eventually, he added thiamine for a variety of reasons. For example, thiamine is required to metabolize some of the metabolites of vitamin C. Studies have also shown that sepsis patients are deficient in certain vitamins, and when thiamine is administered, it reduces mortality.¹⁸

1. Treat infections early and effectively — Don’t ignore minor infections like UTIs or skin wounds. What starts as a small, manageable infection could escalate into something worse. If you notice signs like pain during urination, redness around a wound or persistent respiratory symptoms, take immediate action. Early treatment prevents the inflammatory cascade that contributes to heart muscle damage.

2. Focus on restoring cellular energy — The damage from infections is often rooted in mitochondrial dysfunction — your cells’ ability to produce energy efficiently. One of the best ways to restore cellular energy is to optimize your carbohydrate intake. If you’ve been following a low-carb diet, consider increasing your carbohydrate consumption to 250 to 300 grams a day, depending on your activity level.

Prioritize easily digestible carbs like ripe fruits and white rice, which feed your gut bacteria and support gut barrier integrity. Supporting your mitochondria helps reduce chronic inflammation and strengthens your heart’s ability to recover from infection-related damage.

3. Improve gut health to reduce endotoxin load — Infections that contribute to heart failure begin with gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in your gut bacteria that increases endotoxin production. Endotoxins entering the bloodstream trigger systemic inflammation and place added strain on the heart.²⁰

To improve your gut health, limit fiber-rich foods if you have poor gut health, as suddenly flooding your intestines with fiber will only increase endotoxin production. Start with whole fruits and white rice before introducing more complex carbohydrates. Minimizing vegetable oils in your diet and increasing your intake of saturated fats like grass fed butter and tallow will also help reduce inflammatory load, thus supporting a healthier gut environment.

4. Take precautions in medical settings — Hospitals are hotspots for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and other harmful pathogens. If you or a loved one absolutely must go to a hospital, take proactive steps to reduce infection risk. Request that all medical personnel wash their hands before examining you, and avoid invasive procedures unless absolutely necessary, as these introduce bacteria into the bloodstream.

If you’re visiting someone in the hospital, avoid touching shared surfaces and wash your hands frequently. Hospital visits are unavoidable for certain cases, but as seen in the featured study, it also presents a significant risk of infection-related heart damage, so vigilance is essential.