Named the unpleasant symptoms of “long COVID” for the intestines

The coronavirus pandemic seems to be a thing of the past, but the consequences of the disease are still felt by many people. Among the symptoms of prolonged COVID were troubles for the intestinal system – from constipation and bloating to diarrhea, a new study shows.

In the three years since the pandemic began, people have reported a huge range of long-term COVID symptoms, from depression to hair loss and organ damage. A new study suggests that being infected with the virus also makes you more susceptible to bowel problems.

According to Sky News, a study has shown that infection with COVID-19 can cause long-term gastrointestinal problems such as constipation and diarrhea.

Other similar symptoms that persisted in people for up to a year after infection were chronic acid reflux, bloating, and abdominal pain.

The US study was based on the medical records of more than 11.6 million people, 154,000 of whom contracted the coronavirus between March 2020 and January 2021. They were compared with 5.6 million people who did not contract the disease during this period and studies of approximately 5.8 million people conducted before the outbreak.

The researchers found that those who had the virus experienced more gastrointestinal symptoms after a year than those who did not contract it and the average person before the pandemic. The results were published in the journal Nature Communications.

Epidemiologist Ziyad Al-Ali, senior author of the study at the University of Washington, notes that it is “increasingly clear” that the gastrointestinal tract (the key pathway through your digestive system) is a “reservoir” for COVID-19.

“The virus can be devastating even among those who are considered healthy or who have had mild infections,” the epidemiologist emphasizes.

Symptoms tended to be more likely in those who were directly affected by the disease, such as those who were hospitalized.

But overall, they were relatively common, with gastrointestinal problems being 36% more common in infected people.

A study found that people are 54% more likely to develop signs of irritable bowel syndrome and digestive symptoms such as constipation, bloating, and diarrhea due to COVID-19.

People were 35% more likely to develop acid reflux disease, Sky News reports.

Previously, a study by the British SAGE expert group showed that in most patients with long-term COVID, organ damage persists even a year after the illness.

In the years since the outbreak, people have reported a wide range of symptoms, including depression, headaches, breathing problems, hair loss, and persistent changes in smell and taste.

According to another study published earlier in 2023, those who had a milder illness at the time of infection should see any long-term effects fade within a year.

However, the latest study says its findings reflect “an urgent need to redouble and accelerate our efforts to develop strategies to prevent and manage the long-term health effects of the coronavirus.”