How Long COVID Can Destroy Your Ability to Exercise: A Closer Look at Mitochondrial Dysfunction & PEM. Ways to Counter the Damage & Reduce Risk
Long COVID can severely impact one's ability to exercise, and recent research provides insight into why this occurs. For some sufferers, the culprit lies in muscle damage and the body's impaired ability to produce energy efficiently. This post dives into the scientific findings on post-exertional malaise, mitochondrial dysfunction, and potential recovery strategies for those battling long COVID.
Post-Exertional Malaise and Muscle Damage
A study published in January 2024 identified key metabolic disturbances and exercise-induced muscle damage in individuals with Long COVID. This research revealed that long COVID sufferers exhibit severe myopathy, amyloid-containing deposits, and immune cell infiltration in their skeletal muscles, all of which contribute to post-exertional malaise.
They found SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein in almost all patients and healthy controls. Their results showed that the presence of residual SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein was similar between patients and healthy controls, and therefore didn’t explain the limited exercise capacity or development of post-exertional malaise (PEM) in patients with Long COVID.
The inability to recover properly from exercise exacerbates symptoms, leaving individuals fatigued and in pain after even minimal physical exertion. However, while the muscle abnormalities and metabolic disruptions explain the symptoms, the molecular mechanisms driving these changes remain unclear.
The suggested response to PEM is to pace yourself. There are varying levels of fatigue after COVID and we are presenting some options to limit the risk and repair the damage. We’ll explore some options in this well-sourced review.
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