- Long
COVID can cause issues like depression and diabetes as a result of inflammation and stress. - Researchers hypothesize that
exercise may help ease symptoms, based on available evidence.
Regular exercise may help relieve symptoms of depression and diabetes related to long COVID, suggests a new research paper published in Exercise and Sports Science Reviews.
While research on long COVID is ongoing, current evidence suggests inflammation caused by the infection can trigger a cascade of side effects in some people, such as worsening mental health and disrupted insulin levels that wreak havoc with blood sugar.
This can, as a result, create a "vicious cycle" of inflammation and stress leading to issues with cell dysfunction, according to Dr. Candida Rebello, lead author of the study and research scientist at Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
Rebello and other Pennington researchers reviewed available research and found exercise has been shown to ease the root causes of ongoing COVID-related depression and anxiety, potentially interrupting the damaging cycle.
"Exercise addresses each of these components, stress, the immune response, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity," she told Insider.
While the hypothesis has yet to be tested on long COVID patients, even less-intense exercise like walking can help ease stress and restore insulin sensitivity and maybe prevent or reduce complications like depression and diabetes, the researchers theorize.
Any exercise can help, but moderate aerobic activity may be best
Both aerobic exercise, or cardio, and anaerobic exercise like lifting weights have
However, aerobic exercise has been linked to more improvements in insulin sensitivity, so running, biking, or walking may be more helpful to treat diabetes, she said.
You don't necessarily need to exert all-out effort, either.
"When it comes to intensity of exercise, there's such a variable response. It depends on each individual," Rebello said.
A good goal is 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a day, she said, based current general recommendations and what studies have shown to be beneficial.
And even less can still be a good starting point, particularly if long COVID has left you with the common side effect of lingering exhaustion.
"If you have fatigue, start slow and gradually increase. It doesn't matter where you start, as long as you work toward the recommendations," she said.
There's reason to think exercise might help ease fatigue as a lingering COVID symptom, too.
"I cannot say anything definitive, but exercise has been shown to improve fatigue in other conditions. I would speculate it would work in long COVID too," Rebello said.
Previous research suggests long COVID may cause fatigue and weakness by damaging the mitochondria which power the cells, and moderate exercise can help strengthen mitochondria to bounce back from illness.
Starting an exercise routine now may be preventative
More research is needed to test how exercise might benefit COVID patients with long-term symptoms, Rebello said, and an upcoming NIH-funded study will help do so.
In the meantime, however, a wealth of current evidence suggests there are plenty of benefits to exercise regardless, with extensive research linking physical activity to better mood and a healthier immune system.
To raise your chances of dodging long COVID and develop a consistent workout routine, your best bet is to start exercising now, whether you're currently experiencing long-term symptoms or not, according to Rebello.
"If you've had COVID, exercise," she said. "The likelihood of preventing long-term symptoms is pretty good."