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The Dramatic Degradation of the Human Immune System

October 30, 2023

In many countries worldwide over the past three and a half years the health and financial situation of the population has been falling downhill in a way that has never been seen in the past decades. Trend analysis shows increasing numbers of excess mortalities in all ages and a steep rise in a decay of people’s health and workability, especially women. Pandemic measures, repeated vaccinations and a rising number of people including children and pregnant women suffering from hunger have weakened people’s immune systems. 

Impaired immune system conditions due to a disrupted gut microbiota and increased exposure to oxidative stress can stimulate S. pneumoniae to switch from a commensal bacterium to an opportunistic and harmful micro-organism that may result in pneumonia, myocarditis, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and even sudden death. 

To turn around the ongoing negative trend in health and life expectancy any forced ‘one-size-fits-all interventions’ that may cause a collapse of a weakened immune system need to be halted. Without any positive change in current public health policies, millions more adults and children will die from pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease in the next decades. No other infection can cause this number of deaths.

Instead, a safe, affordable, and effective intervention by a population-wide vitamin D supplementation, a known effective antioxidant and immunomodulator that can prevent dangerous pneumococcal infections is urgently needed. 

In general, public health authorities and governments could better invest in and choose interventions that prevent malnutrition and extreme poverty. Strengthening the population’s immune system will decrease the demand for healthcare and contribute to a healthy world for all. 


Trend analysis demonstrates the population’s weakening immune systems 

Worldwide data have shown a continued period of excess mortality as compared to pre-pandemic periods. According to the OESO covering a total of 1.2 billion inhabitants’ excess mortality in 2022 was 1.2 million. Reports of July 2023 show excess mortality continued to vary across the EU. Among them Sweden had the lowest excess deaths recorded.

A preprint study suggests that all-cause mortality during the first nine months of 2022 increased more the higher the 2021 vaccination uptake associated with monthly mortality increase in 2022 by 1,105 percent. Analysis of all-cause mortality rates in Japan and Germany found a highly significant increase from 5 and 10 percent in mortalities in 2021 and 2022 (2005-2022). For 96.5 percent excess mortality was seen in the vaccinated.

Interim analysis of Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control described an apparent decrease in vaccine effectiveness for all age groups after 4 months of booster injection due to either the impact of waning immunity alone or to immune escape properties of a new Omicron variant. Recent data showed that the risk for infection increased with the number of injections with the Covid mRNA vaccines. 

Whereas Covid-19 vaccines were meant to protect people with a weakened immune system for severe Covid-19, people with various diseases and on different medications reacted differently, depending on the medicine used and type of diseases. Most of the time people with a weakened immune system were advised to take more frequently repeated injections to respond better. Although, opinions on frequent booster vaccinations and how to proceed after Covid-19 infection differed widely in January 2022.

Also, the European Medicines Agency has warned that repeated Covid booster doses could adversely affect the immune response. Moreover, booster doses could contribute to viral mutations against the acquired immunity with higher transmissibility, leading to longer-term vaccine resistance and potential adverse effects on morbidity and mortality. 

‘Vaccine exhaustion’ after repeated vaccination seems to be of increasing relevance to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although a steady decline in antibodies following Covid-19 vaccination is often used as a justification for repeated vaccination, the immunogenic effect of repeated vaccination depends on the age and the immune response of individuals. The same number of doses might be insufficient for some but excessive to others. As immunity acquired from Covid infection is as protective as vaccination against severe illness, concerns for booster vaccination about their effectiveness, sustainability, and possible dangers should be taken seriously. 

For almost two years, peer-reviewed articles on how Covid-19 vaccines could destroy the immune system and cause harm often referred as Vaccine Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (VAIDS) have been ignored. 

Concerns on VAIDS support the reports from Phinance Technologies, with trend analysis on excess mortality, disabilities, and loss of productivity in the UK, the US, and Australia in 2021 – 2023. Deaths per 100k were trending down before 2020 and are trending up since 2020 with 3 deaths/100k higher than 2015-2019 for ages 15-44 years with highly statistically significant signals (black Swan events). Moreover, the rise in disabilities is trending up 4x more than deaths in 2022 from UK PIP for various chronic diseases including cancer and myocarditis. A worrying 2.6 million are out of the workforce due to long-term sickness in the UK. Increases in excess mortality on cardiovascular diseases aged 15-44 years were up 13 percent in 2020, 30 percent in 2021 and 44 percent in 2022. These strong data can no longer be ignored as next year a further increase can be expected.

The timeline report on Epoch Times on myocarditis and Covid-19 vaccines showed how the CDC missed a safety signal and hid a warning. An increasing number of peer-reviewed studies on myocarditis and pericarditis and even Sudden Cardiac Death after Covid-19 vaccination have been published. Even a cardiovascular assessment one year later shows a potential long-term effect of Covid-19 vaccine-associated myocarditis on exercise capacity and cardiac functional reserve during stress. A higher risk for myo/pericarditis cases was detected in those who received mRNA Covid-19 vaccinations compared with unvaccinated individuals in the absence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mild asymptomatic myocardial inflammation could be more common than ever expected. Moreover, recently the presence of mRNA vaccines has been detected in the heart up to 30 days from vaccination.

Even for children aged 0-14 years excess mortality is observed in the UK and EU countries from the second half of 2021. And Naomi Wolf recently reported that US maternal mortality increased sharply in 2021. A recent preprint showed the negative impact of Covid vaccines on pregnancy outcome and menstrual function. Post-vaccination neurological symptoms showed a substantial overlap with Long Covid symptoms. 

While the past four years’ billions of tax money has been spent with the aim to protect the population from mortality or disease, official data show the opposite suggesting an ineffective, unsafe, and even harmful policy. Unfortunately, in several countries public authorities and governments have started to recommend a booster vaccination (6th injection) without informed consent. Even if analysis of a cohort of healthcare workers showed more absence due to side effects after a second injection, people are advised to take another booster. Moreover, the new Covid vaccine variant has not been tested in humans.

A possible relation of repeated Covid-19 mRNA injections with the downward trend on population’s health, workability, income, and life expectancy has not yet been investigated by Public Health Institutes and or communicated to the public. Remarkably, England JCVI said only at-risk groups and those aged 65 and over should be offered vaccines despite fears for overwhelming healthcare this winter.

Even when a paper on respiratory viruses acknowledged that current vaccines could not protect against infections and severe diseases, worldwide governmental flu and Covid-19 vaccine campaigns for the next autumn/winter season proceed, while recent obtained data from the CDC have now shown 77 percent of the hospitalized patients in 2020 did not have Covid as a primary cause.


The hidden role of Streptococcus pneumoniae in pandemics of respiratory viruses

In the context of a respiratory virus pandemic, it is important to acknowledge that a distinction between viral and bacterial infections is not clear in the literature. During the Covid-19 pandemic Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) was wrongly presented as a new disease. For years ARDS or cytokine storm is known as a potential risk for people with a weakening immune system, especially during cold seasons. During viral infections coinfections with other pathogens, especially with Streptococcus pneumoniae have been reported repeatedly. 

Pneumococcal infections were a major cause of influenza-associated pneumonia and death among both military persons and civilians in the 1918 pandemic. Eighty percent of pleural fluids of patients with pneumonia yielded bacteria.

Also during the H1N1 2009 influenza pandemic pneumococcal coinfection was found as the most common cause of death with 30 percent of patients without symptoms of pneumonia and 50 percent could only be diagnosed with an urinary antigen test. Pneumococcal coinfected patients showed a higher severity of disease with lower O2 saturation, higher acute phase serum levels, high humoral IgG4 subclass antibodies and more frequent admission to Intensive Care Units (ICU) indicating higher risks of mortality. Twenty-nine percent of the patients who died from infection with H1N1 influenza had evidence of bacterial infection with pneumococci predominantly of types not present in the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. 

Unfortunately, from the second half of 2021 studies in the UK, Switzerland, and Germany reported a reemergence of Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) by S. Pneumoniae in children younger than 15 years of age and elderly people, with higher coinfection rates as reported for influenza, and compared to the first period in the pandemic and pre-pandemic levels both in Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 CAP patients. This could portend an increase of pneumococcal infections across all age groups while coinfections with other non-Covid-19 viruses did not change. When viral and S. pneumoniae infections occur together, infections appear to be associated with severity of COVID-19 as well as poorer outcomes. 

In many countries pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is part of the governmental vaccination programmes for young children and elderly people. Unfortunately, effectiveness of the vaccines against secondary pneumococcal infections remains controversial. Residual disease caused by persistent vaccine type serotypes and non-vaccine serotypes remain substantial. Effectiveness varies by serotype and vaccine and PCV13 effectiveness was observed to decline with time after booster vaccination.

Moreover, the percentage of cases with underlying risk factors (chronic lung disease, cancer, heart disease. e.a.) increased by 50 percent in the late PCV13 period. Current pneumococcal vaccines confer incomplete protection against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Several hundred variants of capsular serotypes complicate the development of effective vaccines and successful pneumococcus protein-derived vaccines have not yet become available. Growing levels of bacterial resistance have troubled effective treatments.

Clinicians need to have an increased awareness for coinfections or superinfections of viral infections with pneumococci, especially as CAP or IPD may continue to increase. Underestimation of pneumococcal CAP might occur because often a low sensitivity of the standard of care culture methods is used instead of the more accurate urinary antigen testing.

The importance of bacterial superinfection of the lung as a contributor to death in patients with Covid-19 has been underappreciated thus far. A study published in May 2023 found that pneumonia that does not resolve was a key driver in patients with Covid-19. Bacterial infections may even exceed death rates from the viral infection itself. The study highlighted the importance of preventing and looking for and aggressively treating secondary bacterial pneumonia in critically ill patients with severe pneumonia including Covid-19. Six months afterwards 60 percent of hospitalized patients showed abnormalities in multiple organs, especially the brain and lung and higher rates of heart-related risks including irregular heartbeats, heart attack, and stroke. In autopsy analyses a range of abnormalities, particularly in the way heart cells regulate calcium were found. 

Long Covid symptoms, though still poorly defined, could be linked to a S. pneumoniae infection. Long-term mask-wearing could cause overgrowth of S. pneumoniae, which is a facultative anaerobic bacterium with increasing growth opportunities in low O2/ CO2 rich conditions.

Overall it is important to keep in mind that a latest age-stratified analysis found a much lower pre-vaccination Infection Fatality Rate of Covid-19 (0.03 – 0.07 percent) in the non-elderly population globally than previously suggested. Large differences were observed between countries and may reflect differences in comorbidities and other factors. It seems that ‘The biggest Public Health threat is not a virus but a weakening immune system.’


The opportunity for harmful behavior of Streptococcus pneumoniae in weakened immune systems

A possible role of a disseminated Streptococcus pneumoniae growth in relation to sudden death, myocarditis, pericarditis, skin problems, autoimmune diseases, and cancer has been described. Clinical signs, symptoms, and physical examination findings alone cannot distinguish S. pneumoniae disease from infections caused by other pathogens. The common resident in the upper respiratory tract is usually asymptomatic in healthy individuals. Higher carriage is found during winter seasons and often in crowded areas like childcare. While the overall attack rate of the pneumococcus is low, it is the leading cause of infectious deaths worldwide. 

Infections primarily occur in the very young and old as their immune systems are underdeveloped or waning, respectively. Every year 12 million children are hospitalized for severe pneumonia requiring urgent oxygen treatment to survive. Pneumonia is concentrated in the most deprived and marginalized children with a poor nutritious status and a weakened immune system. At least one child dies from pneumonia every 39 seconds, which is 800,000 per year and accounts for more deaths than any other infectious disease worldwide. Sudden death in infancy has been related to bacterial infections. A systematic review observed a dose-response relation of sudden unexpected death and socioeconomic status. 

Unfortunately, malnutrition and the threat of famine worldwide is rising. A recent UN report on the direct and indirect effects of Covid-19 pandemic and response said it killed 228,000 children in South Asia and a sharp increase of more than 20 percent in maternal deaths.

Especially elderly people and immunocompromised individuals are at increased risk for developing Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD), when the bacteria spreads from the nasopharynx to other parts of the body including the lungs, blood, and brain. Once in the bloodstream pneumococci disseminate widely into many organs where the bacteria can bind.

While much has been written on pneumococcal pneumonia, recent studies have shown that S. Pneumoniae is able to invade the myocardium and kill cardiomyocytes. One in five persons with pneumonia in hospital experience cardiac complications and for those with pneumococcal bacteremia adverse cardiac events in convalescence is a risk factor for up to ten years. The interactions between pneumococcus and the heart are an emerging field. 

The virulence determinants of the pneumococcus that mediate the greatest inflammation and cytotoxicity are the pneumococcal cell wall, pneumolysin, hydrogen peroxide, and some other secreted products like peptidoglycan. The cell wall of the pneumococcus is inhibitory for cardiac contractility. The pneumococcus toxin, pneumolysin, has multiple interactions with the host leading to extensive spread of disease, intense inflammation, abundant cell damage, and necrosis, decreasing the bactericidal function of mast cells and the opportunity for bacteria to cross into the bloodstream.

Pneumolysin disrupts Ca2+ signalling due to pore formation even if cells are not immediately killed. The effects of hydrogen peroxide contribute to mitochondrial damage of neurons and cardiac damage. Hypoxia and hypotension with arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, myocarditis, pericarditis, and congestive heart failure can be found. Cardiac complications may occur because of poor oxygenation status at a time of increased myocardial demand and/or because of unintended effects of antimicrobials or other medicine. 

Pneumococcal bacteremia with metastatic infection and meningitis is responsible for significant mortality, particularly in the elderly where rates may be as high as 60 percent and 80 percent respectively. The bacteria are also known as a contributor to end stage renal disease in both children and adults. 

People that survive pneumococcal meningitis often experience permanent neurological sequelae with defects in memory and learning because of neuronal damage by pneumolysin and hydrogen. If the pneumococcus enters the middle ear, the pneumolysin strongly contributes to cochlear damage and hearing loss. Bacterial products encountered during pregnancy may be associated with cognitive disorders in children.


Diversity gut microbiota protective in infections and vaccine side effects

The influence of gut microbiota on a diminished capacity to phagocytose and killing by alveolar macrophages of S. pneumoniae was demonstrated in a study with microbiota depleted mice. Findings of the study support the protective role of the gut microbiota against organ failure during S pneumoniae induced sepsis. Alveolar macrophages are thought to be the first line of defense in case of pathogen invasion towards the lung. Gut microbiota has been shown to regulate immune defenses against infection of the upper respiratory tract 

with influenza A virus. The role of the gut microbiota became even more evident by a report that described successful treatment with lactobacillus rhamnosus in critically ill patients with ventilator associated pneumonia. Probiotic prophylaxis was also effective to prevent ventilator associated pneumonia in children on mechanical ventilation.

Large communities of intestinal microbes not only contribute to a local host defense against infections but also modulates responses at systemic sites. Mice depleted with microbiota before infection with S Pneumoniae showed enhanced liver and hepatic injury. A difference in microbiota composition in the Upper Respiratory Tract between young and elderly mice showed more diversity in young mice and faster clearance to baseline. 

Risk for invasive pneumococcal disease is much higher for patients with inflammatory bowel disease or other comorbidities and/or use of multiple medicines that modulate the gut microbiota. In older hospitalized patients polypharmacy but not multimorbidity and frailty was significantly associated with gut dysbiosis. The severity of dysbiosis was able to significantly predict death after a two-year follow-up. An English Longitudinal Study on Ageing found that older adults with polypharmacy were at higher risk of all-cause mortality and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases as compared with those who did not take medication.

Recent studies indicate that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is thought to be the cause of most cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, arrhythmias, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. Gut microbiota dysbiosis can induce an inflammatory response and affect the metabolism of bioactive molecules, resulting in systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. These changes promote the development of artherosclerotic plaques and increase the risk of thrombosis and cardiovascular events.

A decline in biodiversity of the gut microbiota in the genus Bifidobacteria is observed with inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, neurological disorders C. Difficile infection, and recently severe Covid-19 infection (ARDS). Patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection possess significantly less bacterial diversity with lower abundance of Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium and increased abundance of Bacteroidetes as compared to those with lighter symptoms.

A direct association was observed between severity of Covid-19 disease and Bacteroides abundances. A large cohort from the US showed that digestive symptoms were associated with patients that showed 70 percent risk of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Patients with GI manifestations like diarrhea were related to longer disease duration. 

Preliminary data showed a persistent damage to the gut microbiome with a decrease in Bifidobacterium following the messenger RNA SARS-Cov-2 vaccine. The decline in Bifidobacterium after vaccination might explain the higher risk for a SARS-CoV-2 infection after each mRNA booster injection. Analysis of US nursing homes data proves the vaccine made it more likely for the elderly to die. A recent study with the BNT162b2 Covid vaccination in children observed altered cytokine responses to heterologous pathogens that can persist up to six months after vaccination. However, it is not clear whether these changes provide protection against other infectious diseases. 

Studies suggest there is a bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiota and the Covid-19 vaccine and the varying components of the microbiota either enhancing or reducing the vaccine efficacy. Unfortunately, recent UK numbers showed that 96.5 percent of excess mortality occurred in vaccinated individuals.

Food insecurity and malnutrition may be linked to microbiota immaturity and/or dysbiosis. The nutritional status may affect Covid-19 vaccine efficacy by modulating the immune system and influencing inflammations and oxidative stress. With many people facing a weakened immune system, disrupted microbiota, and increased oxidative stress any ill-considered intervention could be fatal by a final toxic attack of Streptococcus pneumoniae on the body’s immune system. 

A threatening food insecurity worldwide due to war and climate change policies will exacerbate the risk for severe infectious and chronic diseases. During the pandemic the number of people and children in extreme poverty rose from 70 million to 700 million. Moreover, collapsing healthcare systems will not be able to cover a demand for increased care and rising numbers of morbidity and mortality. 

Continuing the same policies will make the UN Decade for Healthy Ageing 2020-2030 and Zero Hunger in 2030 a farce and will maximize public distrust. 



The urgent need for a population wide Safe Affordable Effective Intervention

At the start of the pandemic the scientific literature on the protective effects of Vitamin D3 for prevention of seasonal pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome has been ignored and disputed by many medical doctors, scientists, experts, and politicians with the argument that more research would be needed before general recommendations can be made. However, cost-effective harm analysis shows even a small decrease in infections could justify such an intervention.

Data from Israel, Spain, and Belgium showed that low vitamin D plasma 25(OH)D levels appear to be an independent risk factor for Covid-19 infection, and hospital mortality. Patients with vitamin D deficiency had greater prevalence of raised biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases. 

Vitamin D deficiency with a 25(OH)D concentration below < 30 nmol/l should be avoided wherever possible as it dramatically increases the risk of excess mortality, infections, and many chronic diseases i.e pneumonia, sepsis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, muscle, and bone health. In some countries approximately 80 percent of individuals are affected by vitamin D deficiency. Around 66 million people in the EU show serum vitamin D levels < 50 nmol/l. Hypovitaminosis of vitamin D impairs mitochondrial functions and enhances oxidative stress and systemic inflammation. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with gut dysbiosis and inflammation and associated with worse outcome of diseases. A synergistic effect of vitamin D3 and Bifidobacterium has been demonstrated in reducing the severity of bacterial and viral infections via suppression of inflammatory responses and blocking translocation of bacteria.

Unfortunately, up to now nothing has changed to protect the global population from vitamin D deficiency despite the consensus that vitamin D has a host of immunomodulatory effects which may be beneficial in the context of Covid-19 and low levels of vitamin D can result in dysfunction of crucial antimicrobial effects. Vitamin D deficiencies predispose children to respiratory infections. 

Recent studies demonstrated the crucial role of vitamin D above 50 nmol/l at all times a year in protection against pneumonia or ARDS and prevention of hospitalization, with better protection than Covid-19 vaccination or flu vaccination and with less side effects. A protective role of vitamin D supplementation in the regime of patients with Covid-19 was indicated. Vitamin D supplementation given at a daily maintenance as an antioxidant and immunomodulator may prove a relative simple applicable intervention to modify an important risk factor for a waning immune system, beneficial in improving resistance to overall respiratory infections by S. pneumoniae, and/or SARS-CoV-2 virus variants and/or pathogen X. 

In face of new winter seasons with an increased risk for ARDS and a collapsing healthcare system, a strategic investment and support in the health of citizens all times a year with protective vitamin D serum levels (at least 50-100 nmol/l) is a safe, affordable, and cost-effective investment. This will be a much safer and effective way forward to contribute to a world with healthy aging, zero hunger and reducing pneumonia. 


Author: dr. Carla Peeters

First published at Brownstone Institute


The (Lack of) Health in Young Women

By Carla Peeters • March 13, 2025
Many countries now face a growing problem with an aging population and declining childbirths. Too many infants still die unnecessarily before the age of five years. Countries increasingly struggle to keep their economies stable. While Public Health experts communicate to focus on healthier future generations, declining health in young females is ignored. The healthiest generation with a flourishing economy is achieved by a holistic strategy addressing Young Women’s Health as a Public Health priority. The Healthiest Generation of the World in 2040 A Federation of Organizations involved in Public Health in the Netherlands has the ambition to reach the healthiest generation of the world in 2040 . Health is aimed at all levels; mental, social, and physical. To achieve this goal, the Netherlands needs the healthiest young females of the world. In contrast, data analysis from the Netherlands shows the opposite; the health of young women is declining fast. In other Western countries, it won’t be much better. The health of young women has worsened worldwide; it is time to face reality. Women’s bodily functioning and metabolism differ from men and need specific female-adapted health support. While many health problems in a population could be prevented when young females are supported for optimal health prior to pregnancy, this is not a priority of Public Health Agencies. Good health for the next generation starts with a strong and resilient immune system before pregnancy and during the first 1,000 days around pregnancy, birth, and postpartum breastfeeding. Childbirth and children’s health are declining; the number of women dying during pregnancy (within 42 days after labor) is increasing, as well as the number of abortions. Without change, these conflicting trends may develop into a disaster touching all levels of society. The Public Health Future Outlook of the Netherlands predicts that close to 12 million people will have a chronic condition by 2050. Young Women’s Health Is Declining Around half of the young people aged 6-25 years in the Netherlands experience mental health problems. Moreover, 47% of the people aged 15-44 years are diagnosed with at least one chronic disease, with young women more often diagnosed than men. When diagnosed with a chronic disease, people work less, experience more sick leaves, and are less productive. Unfortunately, not being able to work contributes to poorer health and income. An even larger percentage of young people (79%) still suffer from a negative impact of the pandemic, with women and lower-educated individuals hit hardest and experiencing mental problems like emotional exhaustion, stress, and hyperactivity. A recent study published in PNAS showed a faster aging of the brains of young females as compared to young males, which might be related to chronic stress exposure. Students experience more stress than before due to worries about inflation and the high costs of living. Within the EU, the Netherlands has grown into the most expensive country to live in. Unfortunately, there is much more that is troubling the health of young females. Increased Drug Use and a Dangerous Beauty Myth During the pandemic, the use of antidepressants increased by 16% for those aged 16-24 years and for children. Women are prescribed antidepressants earlier and take them twice as much as men. While the positive effects of SSRI have been criticized repeatedly and women report more side effects than men, these medicines are still frequently prescribed by medical doctors. One in four young people in the Netherlands use Ritalin or Concerta ( methylphenidate ) without a medical prescription to improve concentration and study results. Most people are unaware of the potential risks, like sudden death, that are well-known as a potential side effect. Research has shown that 5.5-22.5% of the young have used ADHD medication without a doctor’s prescription. Furthermore, in mid-2023, a worrisome increase in NSAID like paracetamol (Tylenol or Acetaminophen) and ibuprofen use was observed, especially in young girls, increasing the risk for poisoning. The use of antibiotics like amoxicillin increased for children 0-10 years (55%) and for those aged 11-20 years with 50%. As 2023 was the first year after the pandemic with all festivals open to the public, an increased use of party drugs (like ecstasy ) among those aged 16-35 years was noticed with regularly registered symptoms of poisoning. The online and interconnected world exposes the risk of cyberbullying among young people. Ironically, many are feeling lonelier than ever before and are struggling with their weight and self-confidence, setting them up for poor health as adults. The beauty myth is another danger. During the years 2019-2022, the use of fillers increased by 80%, and the use of Botox doubled among young women. Exposure to microplastics, nanoplastics, and nanoparticles has increased. Furthermore, the concentration of PFAS/PFOA in Dutch drinking water is found to be above the norm and may decrease the fertility of both women and men. On the other hand, the use of oral hormonal contraceptives by young girls diminished in the Netherlands, with only a slight increase in the use of an intrauterine hormonal device. Recent studies showed that there is an increased risk, although small, of myocardial infarction or stroke when using hormonal contraceptives. The use of an intrauterine device with levonorgestrel did not show the risk. Given the extensive and ongoing reliance of millions of young women on these drugs, ensuring their safety remains a critical responsibility of the medical community. As well as medical doctors informing young women of potential harm based on the latest scientific literature by informed consent. Over the past 4 years, girls and young women have been exposed to repeated HPV vaccinations and Covid-19 mRNA vaccines within a short period of time, for both of which side effects in women have been reported to be more frequent and severe. Possible interactions and/or interference with these vaccines and long-term effects on the immune system and microbiome have not been investigated beforehand. Neither was knowledge available when it started in 2021 on the possible risks and short- and long-term effects when four vaccines before 22 weeks of pregnancy were introduced. Nutritious Food Not Affordable for Many The importance of daily consumption, as recommended by the WHO, of 400 grams of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, milk products, and eggs for a healthy life and joyful social and working life is unknown by many young people. For most of them, it has become unaffordable . (Ultra)processed foods are the cheapest satisfying foods with a well-designed composition of low-cost ingredients, sugar, fat, and salt that change the microbiome. Home, school, commercials, social media, influencers, mobile phones, and retail environments are driving obesity and being overweight in children and adolescents, often concurrent with undernutrition and anemia. A growing body of evidence shows that the billions of microorganisms present in our body are intimately involved in weight gain and loss and immune training and modulation, as well as overall host homeostasis. Around 33% of the population in the Netherlands does not consume fruit and vegetables daily. As of 2024, 7.1% of Dutch children live in poverty, and this number is still growing . More children might be undernourished, which is associated with impaired growth, neurodevelopment, and increased infectious morbidity and mortality. To reverse the problem of malnutrition, the delivery of free meals has recently started at primary schools. Unfortunately, this does not make a difference for the children at secondary schools. While sending funding to developing countries to prevent malnutrition, a similar problem appears in front of our eyes in the Netherlands. The young generation predominantly eats more plant-based foods, as it would improve climate change. Almost 30% of young women prefer to shop for vegetarian food, and 0.7% of the Dutch population is vegan. In addition, the EU introduced novel food products such as insects and worms, lab-grown meat, and Bovaer for cows to reduce methane production, which might affect the human immune system. Almost one in five adolescents vape. Long-term effects are yet unknown. In the Netherlands, vapes with synthetic liquids that taste like cola, vanilla, apricot, etc., have now been forbidden . Although smoking is declining in adults, young women more frequently smoke than boys but drink less alcohol. All internal and external environmental factors may contribute to weakening or strengthening the resilience of the immune system and may therefore influence the period of pregnancy, labor, nursing, and the health of mother and child for future generations. Pregnancy Is Regulated by a Unique Complexity of the Immune System Pregnancy is a unique immunological state. The changes of the immune system in the three stages of pregnancy (very early, mid, and late stage) are meticulously timed. In the very early stage, the immune system adjusts to prevent her body from rejecting the fetus while at the same time still being strong enough to keep out foreign pathogens. In the late stage, the body is preparing for labor, which is driven by an inflammatory response. A full-term pregnancy will follow an immunological clock . Changes in this immune profile could help to predict and possibly prevent preterm labor. Studies show that pathologically-driven inflammation might trigger pre-term birth (before 37 weeks). In the Netherlands, 14.8% of the children born are preterm with 9.7% low birth weight for the duration of the pregnancy (Big2). Interestingly, in the case of a preterm child labor, the inflammatory reaction is more heated as compared to a full-term child labor. Preterm birth is an important indicator of a risk for early death, chronic and infectious diseases, sepsis, stunting, and delayed neurological and brain development. This may manifest throughout one’s lifespan. Very early birth and extreme early birth occur in only 1.5% of the Dutch baby population and are responsible for 50% of the deaths of newborn babies. The number of abortions jumped in two years in 2023 to 39,000, with most by women aged 25-34 years of age. Abortion in the Netherlands is allowed until 24 weeks of pregnancy. The number of childbirths has declined dramatically to 167,504 in 2022. That is 1.49 children per woman, with a mean age of 30.3 years. The number of women breast-feeding is also decreasing. At 6 months, women feeding breast milk lowered from 60% to hardly 30% of the young mothers. Each year, around 661 babies in the Netherlands die. Mothers dying within 42 days after labor are around 11 persons a year with an additional 5 women dying by suicide each year, and not counting women who died from cancer. Over the past years, mothers’ deaths have been increasing worldwide, with the leading cause being heart diseases and blood clots. Pregnant women with stress , depression , or anxiety , as well as obese women with gut inflammation and chronic disease, have altered immune systems and, as a consequence of malnutrition, have an altered microbiome. A weakened immune system suggests an increased risk for preeclampsia, high blood pressure, HELLP syndrome, gestational diabetes, preterm labor, and/or low birth weight. ‘Gut Feeling’ a Turmoil for Healthy Future Generations The gut presents 70-80% of the immune cells in the human body. In the mucosal layer of the intestine, neuronal cells, endocrine cells, and immune cells cooperate to manage its metabolism and bodily functioning. Recent studies in mice showed villi of the mucosal layer expanding twice its volume during pregnancy and breastfeeding, slowing food passage, improving digestion for an optimal use of available nutrition. The intestinal mucosal layer is strongly connected to various stages of pregnancy with altered gut microbiota, metabolites, and cytokines. These bioactive metabolites modulate and change the ‘innate’ and ‘adaptive’ immune system. Together, the microbial composition and the mucosal layer of the intestine determine long-term health. Mothers’ intestines influence the biodiversity of the microbiome and the resilience of the immune system, which is transmitted to the baby during pregnancy, labor, and nursing. Earlier periods in life facing hunger, extreme stress, or severe diseases may influence health during pregnancy and may transmit to the baby throughout one’s lifespan and even with intergenerational effects. Specific nutrients may have positive effects during pregnancy, labor, and nursing. Sufficient vitamin D , present in sunlight, nutrition (fish, milk products), or supplements, is a prerequisite during this precious time in life for both mother and child. For young women who wish to become pregnant, it is important to learn how to balance the immune system and the microbiome. The immune system of young women could be the most important regulator of the healthiest generations and a population’s workability and income. Author: dr. Carla Peeters First published at Brownstone Institute

The Alarming Increase in Female Healthcare Worker Suicide

By Carla Peeters • March 13, 2025
The increasing number of suicides and fatal overdoses of women healthcare workers has accompanied rising sickness, disability, and women leaving the sector. The total social and economic costs of a workforce in despair are yet unknown. A shortfall of 10 million healthcare workforce (of whom 80-90% is female) is projected by the WHO for 2030 and is of critical concern. When the health of those who look out for people’s health is at risk, the whole population and economy are at risk. This is an emergency of unprecedented scale that needs attention at the highest Public Health level. Humanity and nutrition instead of medicalization as a coping strategy urgently needs to return in the healthcare sector. Alarming Warnings by Healthcare Workers in Despair Recent studies noticed death by suicide and the risk for fatal drug overdose among women in healthcare is much higher as compared with the general population (1-10). It is not only female physicians, but the risk is even higher for nurses and other healthcare workers, especially for those with the lowest-paid jobs and heaviest mental and physical workload who have been most stretched to the limits (7). Worldwide over the last several years thousands of healthcare workers have died by suicide or fatal overdose leaving family, friends, and the workplace in shock and grief. Suicide and self-harm have substantial social and economic costs (12). One death by suicide was calculated in the UK to cost the economy an average of 1.46 million pounds (13). In 2022 more than 360 nurses attempted suicide, and 72 medical professionals took their own lives in 2020 in the UK as data from the Office of National Statistics indicate. Analysis of mortality data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2007 to 2018 identified 2,374 suicides among nurses, 857 among doctors, and 156,141 in the general population. However, the number of death by suicide or fatal overdose is grossly underreported. The WHO reports that over 50% of suicides happen under the age of 50 years (14). To address this avoidable burden, a better understanding of effective and non-effective strategies is paramount. Even before the Covid pandemic started women in healthcare reported substantial workplace stressors (9-11, 15-16). The past four years have put additional strain on women’s health. This is especially true for those women working as front-liners and first responders in highly demanding stressful situations. Increased complexity of care, understaffing, long working hours, additional bureaucratic tasks, moral injury, diminished autonomy, lack of decision-making ability, and low-paid jobs take a burden on their health. Moreover, women routinely face tougher challenges at work and at home such as institutionalized barriers to career advancement as well as additional pressure for domestic labor by frequently being a caregiver for children and/or parents (9). In all parts of the world healthcare workers are at high risk for violence with 8-38% suffering some sort of violence form in their careers. In 2023 for the first time in history, 75,000 healthcare workers in the US went on strike (17). Women are more frequently diagnosed with burnout, major depression, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, ME/CFS, and Long Covid. Long Covid is more prevalent in healthcare workers (11,18-20). These diagnoses of chronic illnesses have many symptoms in common that are known to exacerbate the risk for suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and suicidal completion beyond occupation and established risk factors such as socioeconomic status and education (7-8,20-24). An Epidemic of Emotional Trauma and Distress Healthcare workers are trying to hide their symptoms by pushing themselves to work despite extreme pain, fatigue, memory inconsistency, exhaustion, and grief of not being able to deliver the quality of care patients need. Being overstressed and with long-term understaffing, healthcare workers hardly take time to eat a nutritious meal. Many have become undernourished, and sleep-deprived. Potential disparities in help-seeking and healthcare access might manifest in non-medical use of prescription drugs among some healthcare workers, which has implications for workers’ safety and well-being (25). Many of the medicines used by healthcare workers might be unprescribed and unnoticed (1-8, 23). Toxic Cocktails: A Danger for Women’s Health Suicides among the healthcare workforce often take place at work. The most frequently used method of suicide is overdose or poisoning (1-8). New studies suggest that most overdoses are caused by psychiatric drugs and multiple medications in their system. Co-administration of antidepressants and opioids deliberate or unplanned is common. Women are more likely to be prescribed and take medication like antidepressants and birth control pills and seem to be more sensitive and experience drug side effects than men. Pharmacokinetic interactions may increase the concentrations and severity of side effects of antidepressants (27-28). Studies demonstrate potential side effects of psychiatric drugs and opioids as insomnia, burnout, fatigue, anxiety, pain, and suicidal thoughts (21-25). The risk of opioid-involved overdose death was nearly twice as high experienced by healthcare support workers such as nursing home workers and home health aides as compared to other healthcare workers in the sector (7). The interaction and side effects of the use of multiple medicines and concentrations are mostly unknown. This is especially true for women as most drugs have been poorly studied in women. Some medicine might even have more disastrous side effects than any benefit as seems to be the case for psychotropic medicine (26). Moreover, interactions of psychotropic drugs with immunosuppressive capabilities and Covid-19 mRNA vaccines have been reported (17). Furthermore, pandemic measures that have been mandated for healthcare workers including long-term wearing of medical facemasks (with potential inhalation of toxins) and repeated Covid-19 vaccinations with women reporting more side effects than men (30-31) might have exacerbated potential risks. Recent publications repeatedly reported a global burden of absenteeism related to Covid-19 vaccine side effects which could negatively impact the strained healthcare system and jeopardize patient care (32-33). Medicalization as a Coping Strategy During the pandemic, prescription of antidepressants and use of other over-the-counter medication like acetaminophen (paracetamol) which is often advised to temper vaccine side effects, has grown substantially. Although harmless in low doses, acetaminophen has direct hepatotoxic effects when taken in overdose or a wrong combination and may cause acute liver failure. Accidental or unintentional overdose usually occurs in patients who have been fasting, or are critically ill with a concurrent illness, alcoholism, malnutrition, or have preexisting chronic liver disease (34). Acetominophen (single or combination products) is one of the most used medications in the United States with 25 billion tablets sold in 2016. It is expected that treatment of trauma ailments and increase in chronic illness will fuel the market sales from $9.8 billion in 2022 to $15.2 billion in 2033. However, after a report showed 8,700 poisonings with high rates of hospitalization and liver injury in 2019-2020 with a sharp rise among females, the Australian medicine regulator is considering restrictions on who can buy paracetamol (35). In Sweden, the sale of acetaminophen in supermarkets was banned in 2015 after they experienced an overdose hike. Increased use of over-the-counter and controlled drugs may fuel a rise in acute liver failure. Awareness of potential unintentional irreversible harm is highly needed among healthcare workers and the public, as many new drugs and vaccines have been introduced since the pandemic. Drug Theft and Diversion Job stress and occupational burnout have been associated with increased risk for opioid use disorder which in turn can increase risk for overdose. Those who prescribe or administer medication have ready access to opioids and other controlled prescription drugs. Drug theft and diversion of controlled drugs in hospitals and nursing homes appear to have accelerated worldwide, bringing healthcare workers and patients at risk (36-38). Taking prescription medicine at work, almost 100 healthcare workers have been fired in The Netherlands. Moreover, the problems with understaffing in the Dutch healthcare sector have introduced the use of falsified certificates with people from illegal drug networks entering healthcare organizations pushing the system to more errors and deficits (39). Increasing stress at work and too many night shifts in a row have contributed to a 70% increase in medicine thefts. Almost 50% of calming and sleeping pills were not delivered to patients putting them at risk for suboptimal treatment or contaminations and errors (40). Drug use may gradually become an attractive and convenient coping mechanism. Although professionals often think knowledge of the medicine may control their use, dependence may slowly develop. Many impaired healthcare workers feel guilt and despair and suffer from physical and mental problems and may be indifferent to the risk of overdose (38) A Return to Humanity in Healthcare The problem of the rise in sudden (un)intended death of healthcare workers comes against the background of increasing long-term sick leaves, permanent disabilities, and hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers leaving the sector, choosing for less stressful and better-paid jobs. This is an unprecedented sign by dedicated women for no longer willing to work in a toxic and overstressed environment with underpaid complex tasks for often severely ill patients. The healthcare system is facing increased clinical error rates and liability exposures while adversely impacting patient satisfaction and organizational reputation. This may develop into a catastrophe when Public Health Officials do not take responsibility for a highly needed change ensuring that the workforce has the tools and resources needed to turn the wheel. Hard times may turn positive when CEOs and insurance companies start to embrace the idea that quality of care and reputation starts with a healthy, fair-paid workforce, gender equity, and a working environment choosing for humanity and good nutrition. A vital well-nourished empowered healthcare workforce that is occupied to guide people to health and work will be a win for all.
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