![]() Vitamin B3: Known as niacin, nicotinamide, niacinamide, and nicotinamide riboside, this vitamin is essential to maintaining levels of NAD+, which reduce the inflammatory response. 6,7 .Here we list a few under investigation and how they could address one more of the causes: Given the potential causes mentioned above, researchers can now consider specific nutritional interventions to address long COVID. Nutrient s Researchers Are Investigating That May Help ![]() Lingering virus in the brain may then lead to persistent inflammation in that organ, leading to neuroimmune disorder. 1,5 The problem with macrophages is that they produce significant collateral damage and they are slow to shut down. In particular, macrophages are a type of immune cell that assaults invaders (like viruses) by “carpet bombing” them with damaging free radicals and cytokines (molecules that generate inflammation). People with “COVID brain” appear to have an immune system that is chronically activated in or near the central nervous system. What happens when your immune system goes into attack mode and can’t turn off? Haywire inflammation. 1 Other studies indicate that the virus gains access to the brain through mucosal cells deep in the nose, where they then damage neurons and astrocytes (which are brain cells that support neurons in the brain). 3 A very recent research publication found that SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detected in the brain as long as 230 days after infection. Long after the acute phase of COVID, small amounts of the virus can “hide out” in isolated pockets in the brain, muscle, gut, and lungs and continue to replicate. Scientists are finding that the COVID virus is more persistent than we expected. Blood clots may form to help heal the damaged blood vessels, but sometimes they don’t adequately dissolve, and they are swept to other organs where they can block flow.Ģ. How do these microclots arise? Scientists find that SARS-CoV-2 (the COVID virus) attacks endothelial cells, which are the cells that make-up blood vessels. In the brain, microclots may lead to ministrokes, resulting in damaging or destroying nerve cells. Researchers and case studies are revealing that microclots in certain organs, such as the lungs and brain, may be inducing long COVID symptoms through restricted blood flow and oxygen deprivation. 2 In the lungs, microclots may drive fatigue and breathlessness. Blood flow is essential, especially for brain function. Suspected Causes of Long COVID: the Triad of Microclots, Lingering Virus, and Haywire Inflammation.ġ. Here, we’ll introduce three suspected causes of long COVID and “COVID brain.” Armed with that knowledge, we’ll consider which nutrients or nutritional supplements researchers are investigating to address those causes. ![]() William Pittman, MD, who treats long COVID at UCLA Health reflects this perspective in a recent quote, “I now think of COVID as a neurological disease as much as I think of it as a pulmonary disease, and that’s definitely true in long COVID.” 1 In fact, doctors increasingly view long COVID as a neurological disease. An important takeaway from research to-date is that long COVID particularly affects the brain and cognitive function, resulting in symptoms such as trouble remembering things, concentration difficulties, depression/anxiety, and insomnia. ![]() We recently published an article on long COVID (found by clicking here ), where we addressed some basic questions about it: what is it, who gets it, what are its symptoms, and initial things we can do about it. ![]()
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