COVID and gut health are linked
COVID and gut health are interconnected. Many research studies have revealed the unexceptional link between the gut microbiome and its impact on COVID symptoms and severity of the infection.
Even studies have related gut microbiome to prevalence of long COVID.
The association of COVID and gut health calls for attention towards understanding how the gut microbiome triggers COVID symptoms and worsens it.
"Variety and volume of bacteria in the gut influence severity of COVID"
As per a 2020 research study published in the online journal Gut, the gut microbiota influences the disease severity and outcomes in COVID.
The study also revealed that poor gut health may lead to lasting COVID symptoms. "Imbalances in the makeup of the microbiome could also contribute to persisting inflammatory symptoms, dubbed ‘long COVID',” the study concludes after finding that gut microbiome composition was significantly altered in patients with COVID-19 compared with non-COVID-19 individuals irrespective of whether patients had received medication.
Read: Here's how long COVID depression looks like; these are the key symptoms to know
The direct association between gut and coronavirus
A disrupted gut microbiome leads to epithelium breakdown and inflammation. This increases levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the target of SARS-CoV-2.
A disrupted gut microbiome is when the gut microbiota loses beneficial microbes and becomes a breeding ground for potentially harmful microbes.
"A specific gut microbiota composition may predispose healthy individuals to severe COVID-19 infections; increased levels of pro-inflammatory bacterial species correlated with elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased disease severity. Disruptions to the bidirectional microbiome-immune system dialogue are thought to be the cause of chronic inflammatory conditions, such as ulcerative colitis, and acute systemic multi-organ dysfunction, often accompanied by abnormal cytokine production, “says a 2021 review study.
Therefore, a disrupted gut microbiome may also contribute to increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production (“cytokine storm”), known to worsen severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection,"
What are the gut-associated symptoms seen in COVID?
The common gastrointestinal symptoms seen in COVID patients are diarrhea, vomiting and stomach ache. Lack of appetite is another common symptom of COVID.
The uncommon gastrointestinal signs of COVID are acid reflux, indigestion, belching, colitis or intestinal inflammation and gastrointestinal bleeding.
What are the other factors that disturb gut microbiome?
There are several factors that affect gut health. The gut microbiome carries out a number of functions like regulating digestion, making energy for cells, producing hormones, breaking down toxins, and activating the immune system against viral attacks.
It is evident that if the gut microbiome is disturbed, it can have a ripple effect of adversities on the body.
The several factors that affect gut health are: medication, poor diet, high sugar intake, and stress.
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