Severe COVID Detrimental To Gut Health: Study

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness. The symptoms that it exhibits are generally related to the respiratory system. Cough, cold, sore throat, breathlessness are some of the signs of COVID, apart from fever, chills, and fatigue. However, some people experience symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, which aren’t related to the respiratory system but the digestive system. So, is there a connection between COVID-19 and your gut? The answer might lie in the affirmative. A recent study in the United Kingdom has found that severe COVID can negatively impact the gut. It might explain why some COVID symptoms are experienced in the gut.

About The Study

The research was undertaken at the King's College London in the UK. 

• They found that severe COVID-19 can compromise the patient’s gut health.
• For the study, they studied samples taken from the gastrointestinal tract of COVID patients who died during the first wave in the country.
• It was published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.

Study Findings

(Photo Credit: Pixabay)

The study found the detrimental impact severe COVID-19 disease can have on a person’s gut health.

• Peyer’s patches were severely disrupted in patients suffering from severe COVID. It was irrespective of whether the coronavirus was present in the gut or not. Peyer’s patches is a system that regulates the make-up of the microbial community, a leading news agency reported.
• They found a depletion of germinal centres, which play a role in antibody protection. 
• Poor immunity could further lead to a dip in microbial diversity.

What Did The Researchers Say?

Here is what the researchers said:

• The study shows that in severe COVID, this “key component of the immune system” is affected, whether the intestines are infected with the novel coronavirus or not, said Professor Jo Spencer, from King's College London, according to a leading news agency.
• The researchers also commented on the efficacy of oral COVID vaccines. They said such vaccines might not be effective if the person is ill with COVID. 

How To Maintain Gut Health

(Photo Credit: Freepik)

Here are some of the things, according to a leading health website, you can do for gut health:

• Add prebiotic and probiotic-rich food to your diet to improve gut health.
• Staying hydrated is another thing you need to do.
• It is also crucial to eat slowly and chew your food well. When you do so, the food gets properly digested and helps with gut health.
• Not just food and water, stress can also have an impact on your gut health. Hence, take steps for stress management. Yoga, meditation, recreational activities, spending time with friends and family are some of the ways you can do it.
• Just like food and water, getting enough sleep is equally important for health. Hence, try to catch up on 7-8 hours of sound sleep daily.

So, these are some of the things you can do to keep your gut healthy. If infected with COVID, follow your doctor’s advice thoroughly and take steps for your digestive health as recommended by him. 

Photo Credit: Freepik