COVID-19 Long-Hauler Symptoms -- There is Hope!
We finally seem to be on the other side of the Covid-19 pandemic. At least in the United States. At least in certain parts of the United States. That’s the good news!
But perhaps you recovered from the virus only to face the frustration of long-term, post-COVID-19 symptoms? Post-COVID health challenges are not uncommon. But there is plenty you can do to decrease your symptoms and start to feel better.
Recently, I attended a series of webinars hosted by the leader in the field of functional or holistic medicine -- The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). The IFM is composed of renowned medical doctors and other health care providers known for their holistic approach. This means they look for the root causes of a health problem. They also understand the interconnectedness of the body’s systems. For example, concerns such as brain fog are often linked to gut health.
Doctors trained in the functional medicine approach have a wider array of tools in their tool belts than conventionally trained doctors. On the one hand, they can prescribe pharmaceuticals when needed. But they also have a deep understanding of nutrition. They understand that proper diet, targeted supplementation, and lifestyle interventions often improve people’s lives without the side effects of many prescription drugs.
My training as a nutritionist was heavily influenced by the IFM model.
I was thrilled when the IFM offered a set of webinars to help practitioners like me who are starting to see clients complaining of COVID-19 long-haul symptoms. During the pandemic, the IFM also offered extensive resources for boosting the immune system to prevent COVID-19 as well as for ideas on treating COVID symptoms.
Here are some simplified highlights from the in-depth IFM webinars.
By the way, under Resources, I provide a link to all six IFM webinars in case you want to access them yourself.
Fatigue
The most common long-haul symptom seems to be fatigue. It can be very challenging for people who struggle to get back to normal after COVID-19.
Dr. Ikiko Iwasaki is a top researcher studying how some viruses cause Postviral Fatigue Syndrome. He has observed this phenomenon in many viruses, including SARS, COVID, Ebstein Barr (mono), and Dengue fever. Fatigue is the body’s way of reacting to the presence of a virus by forcing a person to slow down and go into recovery mode. This is common when we first come down with the flu, for example. But the problem with long haulers is that the recovery period never seems to end.
Iwasaki’s theory is that the undetectable presence of viral fragments causes fatigue.
Other interesting theories suggest that COVID-19 might be reactivating dormant viruses. As is almost always the case, the health of the gut microbiome plays a role in the recovery process. At the end of the day, the mitochondria or “powerhouse” of the cell isn’t working the way it should. The immune system is also dysregulated.
If you suspect that you may still be dealing with some kind of viral reaction, what can you do?
Keep your doctor in the loop!
Think about your medical history -- did you have trouble recovering from another virus such as mononucleosis in the past?
High dose vitamin C fights viruses
Consider medicinal mushrooms such as Reishi
Consider anti-viral herbs such as Andrographis and quercetin
Reduce inflammation with omega-3s
Consider glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant
Consider NAC, an inexpensive precursor to glutathione
Avoid strenuous exercise
Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep
Once the virus is under control, it's time to nourish the mitochondria by giving it the key nutrients that play a role in the production of energy. If you start with the mitochondria, I’m worried that it might be trying to rev an engine that is almost out of gas. The car is not going to function very well. For this reason, it is often best to start with an antiviral protocol.
Loss of Smell or Taste
Almost everyone has heard that loss of smell or taste can be a symptom of COVID-19. Some long haulers struggle for months to regain both senses.
What can you do to regain your sense of smell or taste?
Focus on the sense of smell because it affects much of how we taste our food
Consider aromatherapy several times a day -- sniffing essential oils such as lemon, rosemary retrains the nose to pick up scents.
Zinc may help restore your sense of smell
Vitamin A
Other Common COVID-19 Long-Hauler Symptoms
Leaky vascular system
Breathing issues
Brain fog
Lastly, while men were statistically more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 infection than women, the reverse is true for COVID-19 long hauler symptoms. For some reason, women are more vulnerable to experiencing long-term symptoms. If this is your situation, do not give up! Emerging research on the subject offers quite a bit of hope and concrete ideas to combat COVID-19 long hauler symptoms.
Resources:
Ludy, R., Haraway, P. & J. Evans (IFM COVID Task Force) (2021) Series of six webinars: Resistance, resilience, and recovery: patient care during a pandemic, including IFM’s COVID-19 Update: Fatigue, Immunomodulation, and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/covid-19-vaccines-in-phase-3-trials/
Pekala, K., Chandra, R. & J. Turner (2016) Efficacy of olfactory training in patients with olfactory loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alr.21669
Takahashi, T., Ellingson, M. K., Wong, P., Israelow, B., Lucas, C., Klein, J., Silva, J., Mao, T., Oh, J. E., Tokuyama, M., Lu, P., Venkataraman, A., Park, A., Liu, F., Meir, A., Sun, J., Wang, E. Y., Casanovas-Massana, A., Wyllie, A. L., Vogels, C., … Iwasaki, A. (2020). Sex differences in immune responses that underlie COVID-19 disease outcomes. Nature, 588(7837), 315–320. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2700-3
The Institute for Functional Medicine (2020) COVID-19: Functional medicine resources: prevention & treatment. https://info.ifm.org/covid-19
Disclaimer
The included information is not meant to or should not be used to replace or substitute medical treatment, recommendations, or the advice of your physician or health care provider. The information contained within is strictly for educational purposes and is based on evidence-based nutrition. If you believe you have a medical problem or condition, please contact your physician or healthcare provider.