Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Dec 01, 2025 47 minutes ago
Medical News: A new scientific review sheds light on how probiotics and their postbiotic metabolites could help people struggling with long COVID, a condition that affects millions worldwide with symptoms ranging from fatigue and memory issues to digestive problems. This
Medical News report draws on extensive research from experts at The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, the Medical University of Lublin, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, and Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, who examined how restoring gut balance may improve long COVID outcomes.
New research shows that probiotics may ease fatigue, gut problems and inflammation in long COVID patients
The Invisible Damage Caused by COVID-19
COVID-19 does more than attack the lungs. Many survivors continue to experience digestive issues, brain fog, mood changes, muscle weakness, and chronic inflammation. Researchers found that the virus disrupts the gut microbiota, reducing helpful bacteria such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Bifidobacterium while increasing harmful strains like Enterococcus and Streptococcus. This imbalance weakens immunity, fuels inflammation, contributes to intestinal “leakiness,” and worsens long-term symptoms.
How Probiotics Help Rebuild the Body
The study highlights multiple ways probiotics restore internal balance. Probiotic strains strengthen the intestinal barrier by increasing tight-junction proteins such as occludin and ZO-1, protecting the body from harmful microbial leakage. They generate beneficial postbiotics like short-chain fatty acids, which reduce inflammation, support cellular energy, and maintain a healthy gut environment. Certain strains even produce natural antiviral molecules including lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocins that can interfere with viral activity.
Promising Benefits for Long COVID Symptoms
Clinical trials reviewed in the paper showed notable improvements. Some patients taking probiotic blends experienced reduced fatigue, better memory, fewer gastrointestinal issues, and enhanced physical functioning. Synbiotic combinations containing Bifidobacterium and prebiotic fibers significantly boosted levels of SCFA-producing bacteria while improving symptoms such as hair loss, abdominal discomfort, and post-exertional malaise. Other trials showed improved immune responses, including higher protective antibody levels in vaccinated individuals.
Why the Gut Matters for the Brain and Immunity
The researchers emphasized the gut–brain axis, a communication link where gut microbes influence mood, cognitive clarity, and sleep. Dysbiosis in long COVID increases inflammatory molecules like IL-6 and TNF-α that can reach the brain and trigger neurological symptoms. Probiotics help regulate these inflammatory pathways while restoring healthier microbiota profiles crucial for mental and physical recovery.
Conclusion
Overall, the findings suggest that targeted probiotics and postbiotics may help counteract
the long-lasting damage COVID-19 inflicts on the gut, brain, and immune system. While more studies are needed to determine the best strains and doses, current evidence shows meaningful improvements in fatigue, GI health, inflammation, and cognitive symptoms, making microbiome-based therapy a promising option for long COVID care.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Molecules.
https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/20/4130
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