Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 02, 2026 1 hour, 29 minutes ago
Medical News: Long Covid Triggers Hidden Diabetes and Thyroid Damage
Long after the fever fades and lungs recover, COVID-19 may continue to quietly disrupt the body in unexpected ways. A new long-term study has revealed that four years after SARS-CoV-2 infection, many survivors are developing serious metabolic and hormonal problems, even if they had no such conditions before. This
Medical News report highlights how COVID-19 is increasingly linked to diabetes-like blood sugar problems and autoimmune thyroid disorders years after the original infection.
Medical-News-A-Four-Year-Wake-Up-Call-on-COVID-19-s-Silent-Endocrine-Impact
The Study and Who Conducted It
The research was carried out by scientists from Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, the Clinical Hospital of Pneumology and Infectious Diseases of Brasov, Transilvania University of Brasov, and the County Emergency Clinical Hospital in Sibiu, Romania. The team followed adults who were hospitalized with COVID-19 during 2020 and 2021 and reassessed their health four years later.
Importantly, none of the participants had known diabetes or thyroid disease when they were first admitted for COVID-19.
How The Study Was Done
Out of more than 1,000 eligible former COVID-19 patients, 96 individuals returned for a full medical evaluation between 2024 and 2025. Researchers tested fasting blood sugar levels, checked thyroid hormone function, measured thyroid autoantibodies, and performed thyroid ultrasound scans. These tests helped identify hidden metabolic and immune-related changes that may have developed over time.
Shocking Rise in Blood Sugar Disorders
The findings were striking. About 27 percent of participants showed abnormal blood sugar levels consistent with type 2 diabetes. Even more concerning, those who had high blood sugar during their initial COVID-19 hospitalization were far more likely to develop long-term glucose problems.
Patients who experienced severe COVID-19 were at the highest risk. This suggests that the virus may either trigger lasting damage to insulin-producing cells or expose previously hidden metabolic weaknesses.
Thyroid Autoimmunity Emerges as A Major Issue
The thyroid gland was also heavily affected. More than 41 percent of participants showed signs of thyroid autoimmunity, meaning their immune systems were attacking their own thyroid tissue. Many had elevated thyroid antibodies, while others showed structural changes on ultrasound consistent with autoimmune thyroiditis.
Surprisingly, thyroid problems were found even in people who had only mild COVID-19, indicating that severe illness is not required for long-term thyroid damage to develop.
A Dangerous Combination for Many Patients
Researchers also discovered that some individuals suffered from both conditions at the same time. Around 16 percent of participants had both abnormal blood sug
ar levels and thyroid autoimmunity. Overall, nearly half of the study group developed at least one endocrine disorder four years after infection.
This dual impact suggests COVID-19 may trigger a broader immune and metabolic imbalance that persists long after recovery.
Why COVID-19 May Cause These Changes
Scientists believe several mechanisms may be involved. The virus can enter pancreatic and thyroid cells directly, causing tissue damage. Severe inflammation during infection may also disrupt hormone regulation, while immune system overactivation can lead to autoimmune diseases. Stress-related hormone surges and steroid treatments during hospitalization may further worsen long-term risk.
Conclusions And Public Health Implications
The conclusions of this study are deeply concerning and carry important implications for millions of COVID-19 survivors worldwide. Four years after infection, a significant proportion of patients developed persistent blood sugar abnormalities, thyroid autoimmunity, or both, despite having no known endocrine disease before COVID-19. These findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 may act as a long-term trigger for metabolic and immune dysfunction rather than causing only short-lived illness. The results strongly support routine long-term screening for blood sugar levels and thyroid health in COVID-19 survivors, especially those who were hospitalized or had high blood sugar during acute infection. Early detection could prevent serious complications and reduce the growing hidden burden of long COVID.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: COVID
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/6/2/25
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Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/long-covid
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
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