Can gut microbiome therapies treat Long Covid?

This is the first in my series of blogs giving progress reports on the Long Covid case study programme. To receive email updates, please add your details here.

In the UK alone, there are more than 60,000 people suffering with long term symptoms following Covid, and that number is expected to rise significantly over the coming months.[1] Although COVID-19 is considered to be primarily a respiratory disease, it’s clear that SARS-CoV-2 affects multiple organ systems in the body – including the central nervous system, circulatory system and digestive system – leaving many with persistent symptoms now recognised as post-acute Covid syndrome or Long Covid.

As with other post-viral syndromes and fatigue conditions, medical gaslighting has been common; with some doctors not believing their patients, downplaying their symptoms or dismissing them as psychologically-induced. However Long Covid is taken increasingly seriously by a significant proportion of the medical community and care guidelines have recently been published by the British Medical Journal for GPs and consultants to follow.[2]