Latest research has shown that recovery from Covid –19 doesn’t seem to be the same as recovering from a cold or a flu virus, especially for women.
According to new research, amongst those who contracted the CoV-2 virus, at least 1 in 10 people will suffer LONG COVID or symptoms that persist or recur for weeks or even months after the virus itself has resolved.
That’s a huge number of unwell people! These numbers are also expected to rise.
For those who suffered with severe infections, the percentage was much higher.
60-80% of these people with LONG COVID are women!
Studies have shown that women aged between 40-50 were twice as likely to suffer from COVID symptoms for longer than a month, compared with men in the same age bracket.
Women aged 50-60 were eight times as likely to suffer from LONG COVID compared to younger age groups. After the age of 60, the risk of LONG COVID generally leveled out between men and women.
So, why is this the case?
Oestrogen is a supportive antioidant which supports the immune system and is protective of covid. Testosterone does not. Which explains why men are more susceptable than women in contracting the virus, earlier on because testosterone suppresses the immune system.
However, women over menopause age are more susceptable to LONG COVID because of this oestrogen drop.
Research has speculated that women could have an altered immune response. Women before menopause are known to have a more robust innate immune response, which is theorized to be the reason why women are more likely than men to have auto immune disorders. Other factors associated with women’s heightened risk of developing LONG COVID include being overweight or having asthma. This makes sense given that both asthma and obesity have links to autoimmune dysfunction.
Research also points to similar patterns with autoimmune diseases in this age group. Conditions such as Hashimoto's, Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis are two to three times more common in middle aged women compared to men. The risk for autoimmune conditions generally evens out after women reach menopause, which again aligned with the data with COVID
If I have LONG COVID what can we do about it? 1.Support the immune system with immune regulation.
2. Switch off inflammation.
3. Check for deficiencies that can heighten LONG COVID symptoms.
4.Support the gut and nervous system. 80% of your immune cells reside in the gut.
LONG COVID doesn’t need to last forever. Taking the right steps to resolution can have you feeling better again.
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