Long-COVID Effect: People Developing Depression, Diabetes from the Virus Find Hope for Treatment with Exercise

While no medical treatment is recognized for Long COVID, a research scientist recently claimed that exercise might break the vicious cycle of inflammation that can develop certain conditions like depression and diabetes after a person recovers from COVID-19.

As indicated in a EurekAlert! report, according to research scientist Candida Rebello, Ph.D., from Pennington Biomedical Research Center, it's known that Long COVID causes depression. She added, "We know that it can increase blood glucose levels," to the point where an individual develops the so-called diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially life-endangering condition common among those who have type 1 diabetes.

The research scientist emphasized that exercise is a contributor, too. She elaborated such activity takes care of the inflammation that results in increased blood glucose and the development of progression of diabetes, as well as clinical depression.

It remains unclear how many people are suffering from Long COVID. However, approximations range from 15 to 80 percent of the people infected with the virus. According to the said figures, it is plausible that as many as one million of the residents of Louisiana may suffer from long COVID.

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(Photo: Pexels/Nathan Cowley)
While no medical treatment is recognized for Long COVID, a research scientist claims that exercise may break the vicious cycle of inflammation that can develop certain conditions like depression and diabetes after a person recovers from COVID-19.

Exercise Against Long COVID

Long COVID is causing what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes as a "constellation of other incapacitating symptoms," including muscle pain, fatigue, and brain fog that can last for months following an individual's recovery from the initial infection.

For instance, a person may not fall very ill from COVID-19, although six months after, long after the fever or cough has vanished, they develop diabetes, explained Dr. Rebello.

The expert also said one solution is exercise, and her co-study investigators described their hypothesis in the research published in the Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews journal.

She explained that one doesn't have to run a mile, nor does he have even to walk briskly. She added, walking slowly is a form of exercise, too. Ideally, she continued, one would do a 30-minute session of exercise.

However, the research scientist also explained, if an individual can only do 15 minutes at a time, she encourages trying to do "two 15-minute sessions."

Depression and Anxiety in Long COVID

NHS Inform earlier reported that being unwell can affect a person's mental health. It's not unusual to experience a lower mood after going through a substantial occurrence like COVID-19.

It may take quite some time for one to process what he has been going through and the effect this has had and may still be experiencing in his life. Additionally, for one who hasn't been able to engage in activity as he would typically do, this can have a big effect on his mood, too.

Fight Against Diabetes

Rebello said that what's important is to try, adding that it doesn't matter where one starts. He can gradually build-up to the suggested exercise level, she continued.

A similar Neuroscience report specified that according to the co-author of the paper, John Kirwan, Ph.D., Pennington Biomedical Executive Director, it's known that "physical activity is a key component to a healthy life."

Their study shows that exercise can break the chain reaction of inflammation that results in high blood sugar levels, and then to the development or progression of type 2 diabetes.

Report about how exercise helps with Long COVID is shown on Health News's YouTube video below:

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