COVID Recovery and the Gut

Research has found a link between gut health and long COVID. Long COVID, also known as post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS), is delayed recovery and complications of COVID-19. Common symptoms include fatigue, muscle weakness, sleep difficulties, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

People with PACS have been found to have lower diversity of species in their gastrointestinal microbiome (the microorganisms that naturally inhabit the gut) and higher levels of harmful microorganisms compared to healthy individuals.¹ Harmful microorganisms create inflammation, contributing to a range of negative effects throughout the whole body. Conversely, beneficial microorganisms produce anti-inflammatory substances with many health benefits.

Supporting the gastrointestinal microbiome may therefore assist recovery. A study of 126 people with PACS found that supplementation with a probiotic/prebiotic blend for one month significantly improved gastrointestinal symptoms, cough and fatigue.² Another study of 200 PACS patients found that 2 weeks supplementation with a probiotic/enzyme blend significantly improved overall physical and mental fatigue symptoms (91% compared to 15% in control group).³

Chat to a naturopath about the types of probiotics and treatments that may be of assistance to you.

¹ Liu, Qin et al. “Gut microbiota dynamics in a prospective cohort of patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.” Gut, vol. 71, 3, 2022, 544-552. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2021-325989

² Thomas R, Aldous et al. “The Influence of a Blend of Probiotic Lactobacillus and Prebiotic Inulin on the Duration and Severity of Symptoms among Individuals with Covid-19.” Infectious Diseases Diagnosis & Treatment, vol. 5, 1, 2021, doi.org/10.29011/2577-1515.100182

³ Rathi, Abhijit et al. “A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Efficacy of Systemic Enzymes and Probiotics in the Resolution of Post-COVID Fatigue.” Medicines (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 8, 9, 2021, doi:10.3390/medicines8090047