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It’s your gut! Do you still have long Covid symptoms? Blame it on microbes

Synopsis

Gut bacteria play a crucial role in your Long Covid suffering.

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Still suffering from tiredness and fatigue, after months of your covid infection? We have a feeling your gut knows the reason for it.
Long Covid is a lot like the aftermath of a toxic relationship – it leaves you miserable, exhausted, weak and feeling so sick in some cases that even the most ordinary chore seems choresome. However, since you are not ‘technically ill’ you are expected to sit through office Zoom meetings, meet monthly targets, decide what the house helps will cook for dinner, and plan outfits to wear because you are not quarantining any more and people can see you.

If you are looking to place the blame of your misery on something, then let us tell you: it should ideally fall on your gut, well at least the bacteria living in its ecosystem anyway.

According to a recent study, conducted by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, and published in the journal, Gut, eighty-one gut bacterial species were found to be linked with various categories of long Covid. Several of these bacterial species were, in fact, found to be tied to more than two categories of persistent symptoms. (If you are one of those lucky ones who has evaded the virus till now, and don’t know what long Covid means, let us tell you, it is the aftereffect Covid, after the infection phase during which many experience various illnesses, including general fatigue, weakness and muscle pain.)

Even after several months of recovery, if you still have persistent respiratory issues, according to the study, it is associated with several opportunistic 'unfriendly' microbes found in your gut like the Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus vestibularis, Streptococcus gordonii, and Clostridium disporicum. Also, just a reminder, some of these unfriendly bacteria were responsible for your failure to successfully complete the six-minute-walk-and-then-checking-your-oxygen-level test during your Covid infection.

During long Covid, the good elements in your stomach, the friendly bacterial species like Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum, F. prausnitzii, R. inulinivorans and Roseburia hominis - who do major immunity boosting work, and keep you healthy – are completely knocked down too.

So, the best way forward is gut care. Yes, drink those pungent probiotic drinks even if that makes you woozy, don’t add the extra spoon of sugar in your tea, exercise a bit and sleep well. If you still feel like you're dragging yourself through the day, consult a doctor who will deal with the ‘unfriendly’ bacteria.



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Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

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