Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team May 16, 2025 5 hours, 57 minutes ago
Medical News: Austrian Scientists Reveal How Gut Barrier Damage May Trigger Long Term Health Issues After COVID-19
A new study by researchers from the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna in Austria has found a strong link between gastrointestinal barrier damage and persistent fatigue in people suffering from Post-COVID Syndrome. This new discovery highlights how gut health may play a crucial role in why some individuals struggle with long-lasting symptoms even after recovering from the initial COVID-19 infection.
Austrian Study Links Leaky Gut to Long COVID Fatigue Syndrome
Post-COVID Syndrome, also known as Long COVID, affects an estimated 10 percent of individuals who have recovered from COVID-19. This condition is marked by ongoing symptoms such as extreme fatigue, brain fog, difficulty breathing, heart issues, and gastrointestinal problems. Some patients also experience symptoms similar to those seen in chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
In this
Medical News report, the Austrian researchers—led by Johanna Rohrhofer, Viktoria Wolflehner, Johannes Schweighardt, Larissa Koidl, Michael Stingl, Sonja Zehetmayer, Joana Séneca, Petra Pjevac, and Eva Untersmayr—sought to understand why fatigue becomes a long-term issue in certain people. They closely examined blood, saliva, and stool samples from patients with Post-COVID fatigue symptoms and compared them with people who recovered from COVID without lasting symptoms, as well as with healthy individuals and patients with ME/CFS.
The Gut Barrier Connection
The scientists focused on the gastrointestinal (GI) system—our body’s digestive tract and its immune defense. They discovered that patients suffering from Post-COVID fatigue often had pre-existing digestive issues before getting COVID-19, such as bloating, constipation, or food intolerances. These people were also more likely to suffer from low-level inflammation and a “leaky” gut barrier after recovering from the virus.
The gut barrier acts like a filter, allowing nutrients to pass through while keeping harmful bacteria and toxins out of the bloodstream. But when this barrier is damaged, harmful substances can leak through, triggering inflammation and immune reactions. The researchers measured markers in the blood such as lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) and soluble CD14 (sCD14), which are known to increase when the gut barrier is compromised. Post-COVID fatigue patients showed significantly higher LBP levels and lower sCD14 levels, resulting in a much higher LBP/sCD14 ratio—a sign of ongoing gut leakage and immune stress.
Inflammatory Triggers and Immune Dysfunction
The team also found that patients with Post-COVID fatigue had higher levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a well-known inflammatory molecule linked to chronic diseases. At the same time, their levels of interleukin-33 (IL-33), which helps protect gut integrity, were unusually low. Together, these findings suggest that the body's immune system is being constantly activated due to gut leakage, creating a cycle of low-grade inflammation and fatigue.
Surprisingly, no active
SARS-CoV-2 virus was detected in patients’ stool, saliva, or blood samples during the study. This indicates that persistent symptoms may not be due to ongoing infection, but rather the lingering damage the virus caused to the gut and immune system.
No Major Changes in Microbiome Diversity but Signs of Gut Disruption
Although the overall diversity of gut bacteria didn’t show significant changes between groups, some bacterial types like Blautia, Bacteroides, and Ruminococcus gnavus were more abundant in those with fatigue symptoms. These bacteria have been linked to inflammatory conditions and weakened gut barriers in previous studies. This suggests that gut microbial imbalances may still be playing a role in sustaining inflammation in these individuals.
Importantly, other markers such as calprotectin and defensin-2—typically used to diagnose serious gut inflammation—were not elevated in these patients. This supports the idea that even in the absence of full-blown inflammation, mild but chronic disruptions in gut function can still contribute to long-term symptoms.
Pre-Existing Conditions and Fatigue Risk
One striking finding was that people who already had digestive problems or were prone to infections before contracting COVID-19 were far more likely to go on to develop Post-COVID fatigue. The study found that these individuals also showed signs of hypermobility—a condition affecting joint flexibility—and possible immune dysregulation. This means that certain people may already be biologically vulnerable to the long-term effects of COVID-19, especially if their gut and immune systems were already under stress.
Conclusion
This groundbreaking study sheds light on why some people develop persistent fatigue and other symptoms after COVID-19. It shows that damage to the gut lining and disturbances in immune signaling may be central to this condition. People with pre-existing digestive issues or immune vulnerabilities appear especially at risk. The findings point to the need for early screening of gut health during and after COVID-19, especially in those experiencing fatigue or gastrointestinal symptoms.
As Post-COVID Syndrome continues to affect millions around the world, this research offers hope for better diagnostics and targeted therapies—possibly by restoring gut barrier integrity or calming chronic immune responses. The study’s insights into gut-related mechanisms also pave the way for future research into dietary and probiotic interventions.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Allergy
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.16593
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-research-sars-cov-2-infection-causes-alterations-in-gut-immunological-barrier
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/gut-dysbiosis-and-chronic-inflammation-in-long-covid
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/insights-into-the-gut-s-role-in-long-covid
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
https://www.thailandmedical.news/pages/thailand_doctors_listings
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