Can a Special Diet Alleviate Long-COVID Symptoms?

News

Can a Special Diet Alleviate Long-COVID Symptoms?

Can a Special Diet Alleviate Long-COVID Symptoms?

The Keck Medicine of USC, part of the University of Southern California, is launching a clinical trial to investigate whether a low-carbohydrate diet designed to reduce inflammation can help alleviate Long-COVID symptoms.

The premise of this study is that prolonged inflammation may be a core factor leading to long-term chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Researchers aim to assess the effectiveness of dietary intervention in managing the condition by studying 50 patients, with half of them undergoing a special dietary intervention.

If successful, this study could pave the way for wider trials and new treatments for Long-COVID.

Keck Medicine of USC has initiated a clinical trial to explore dietary approaches aimed at reducing inflammation as a potential solution to this ongoing, incurable condition.

Approximately 7% of Americans suffer from Long COVID, a series of persistent health issues that arise after recovering from COVID-19.

Symptoms include fatigue, brain fog, headaches, chest pain, and palpitations. Currently, there are no proven treatments for this syndrome, and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Can a Special Diet Alleviate Long-COVID Symptoms?

Details of the Dietary Clinical Trial

Now, Keck Medicine of USC is conducting a new clinical trial to investigate the role of an anti-inflammatory diet in alleviating this debilitating illness. The premise is that recent research suggests that prolonged COVID may be caused by heightened inflammatory responses, which the body activates during the defense against the virus. In some individuals, even after the infection has passed, the inflammatory response doesn’t subside. Elevated levels of inflammation in the body can lead to organ damage and other health issues.

Dr. Adupa Rao, Medical Director of the Keck Medicine COVID Recovery Clinic and a clinical trial investigator, states, “We’re examining whether food choices can quell the body’s inflammatory response, effectively reducing or halting Long COVID symptoms.”

The study will examine the anti-inflammatory effects of a low-carbohydrate diet, combined with a medical food that raises ketone levels. Ketones, including the active ketone, beta-hydroxybutyrate, are chemical compounds produced by the body when carbohydrates and sugars are scarce, used to provide energy. Both a low-carb diet and ketones are associated with reducing internal inflammation.

Research Plan and Potential Significance

Researchers plan to recruit 50 Long-COVID patients currently receiving treatment at the Keck Medicine COVID Recovery Clinic. Half of them will undergo a 30-day dietary intervention, while the other half will not. After one month, researchers will assess the patients’ tolerance of the treatment and compare inflammation markers and Long-COVID symptoms between the two groups.

If patients tolerate the nutritional intervention well and experience improvements in their health issues, researchers intend to expand the clinical trial to a broader population.

Dr. Nuria Pastor-Soler, Associate Professor of Medicine and one of the lead researchers of the clinical trial at Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, emphasizes, “Studies like ours are crucial for expanding our understanding of Long COVID and ultimately helping to identify effective treatments to enhance patients’ quality of life. The results of this trial are expected to bring us closer to potential solutions.”

Dr. Ken Hallows, a Professor of Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, is also involved in this research. The clinical trial is funded by the Amy P. Goldman Foundation.