Medicinal mushrooms (MM) for Long COVID fatigue

Long COVID fatigue is a growing concern for patients and healthcare providers in the fight against the global pandemic. Fatigue is a normal biological response to the body’s work fighting a viral infection. However, with some ailments, fatigue may continue long after the infection has cleared, affecting the everyday activities and quality of life of patients.

The reasons for long COVID fatigue are currently being explored. The body appears to continue responding to the viral impact of COVID even after the infection is removed. Studies indicate that the aftereffects of COVID may be similar to that of pneumonia, where fatigue may last for at least 6 months, according to Nature.

Treatment for long COVID fatigue focuses on providing patients with the energy required to improve their focus and performance in everyday life. Medicinal Mushrooms, combined with regular rest and relaxation techniques, offer a safe, effective, and natural recovery method.

Long COVID fatigue differs from post viral fatigue

The SARS-CoV-2 virus triggers a more severe response in the human body than standard post-viral fatigue. Persistent fatigue post-COVID can be more complex and have greater side-effects than other viral illnesses.

Currently the significant impact COVID has on the human body’s bodily functions is under investigation. However, experts note that this fatigue differs from standard chronic fatigue syndrome. While any viral infection may cause short-lived periods of fatigue, the side effects are more severe with COVID-19. In cases of Long COVID, the fatigue following the infection does not resolve after 3 months or more, making it almost impossible to return to work or normal life.

Studies with patients with long COVID suggests a constellation of symptoms with similarities to another chronic medical illness-myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Therefore, long COVID fatigue presented in patients is forcing clinicians to explore new ways of repairing the body and immune system after exposure to a dangerous viral infection.

The latest research reveals that SARS-COV-2 is closer to an endothelial disease than a lung infection. Scientists from Harvard point to connections between the endothelium and the outcomes of COVID-19. The endothelium forms a crucial link between tissues and blood in the human body, forming a front-line defence against pathogens.

Patients with long COVID will experience fluctuating and persistent symptoms, ranging from fevers, coughs, and breathlessness, to labored breathing, excessive fatigue, palpitations, and chest pain. The causes of these symptoms remain to be determined, but may have certain disease mechanisms, including inflammatory reactions.

Natural Solutions to Long COVID Issues

Medicinal mushrooms are Biological Response Modifiers and Adaptogens, which work with the body to promote homeostasis – the return to healthy, normal functioning. Medicinal mushroom treatments are emerging as part of an approach to fatigue treatment known as nutritional immunology, where foods and nutritional components are used to improve systemic functions.

A growing body of evidence indicates how nutritional immunology can modulate immune function, reduce inflammation, inhibit viral replication, and support a healthy blood stream for recovery. Interventions with medicinal mushrooms address the symptoms of long COVID fatigue by addressing problems such as ongoing immune imbalance, mucosal damage, and the imbalance of the microbiota.

Indeed, the gut microbiota plays a significant role in the management of various viral infections, including the COVID-19 virus. Microbiota, Gut Lung Axis and COVID-19 may have a possible link, according to recent studies. It has already been demonstrated that gut microbiota has a significant impact on host immune homeostasis. Unbalanced bacterial flora with too many infections can shift the performance of the immune system, leading to significant organ and body damage.

Medicinal mushrooms like Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), Agaricus Blazei Murill (Royal Sun Agaricus) and Reishi (Ganoderma Lucidum)  are prebiotics: all have supportive components designed to improve the performance of the microbiota and balance the performance of the body. These mushrooms also include a range of nutritional components like naturalVitamin D, C and  Zinc, among others.

Using Medicinal Mushrooms for Long COVID Fatigue

For the purpose of overcoming long COVID fatigue, medicinal mushrooms offer significant value. They are all immunomodulators capable of creating homeostasis within the body and reducing chronic inflammation which can increase fatigue response. These natural products lower the risk of long-lasting changes to the immune system and protect the body from virus effects after the disease crosses the blood-brain barrier.

In addition to its prebiotic effect, Lion’s mane even offers regenerative properties, as a cytoprotective substance for mucosal cells, capable of reducing oedema and gastric inflammation. This substance can help with neurological regeneration due to its capacity to promote Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and connecting the gut-brain axis. These activities can be taken into account by health professionals to reduce brain fog and focus issues caused during long COVID fatigue symptoms.

Aside from providing a range of benefits to the immune system modulation and gut microbiota performance of the body, medical mushrooms also serve as a safe alternative to other treatments which may further unbalance the performance of various bodily functions. Medicinal Mushrooms are a safe form of adaptogen capable of effectively supporting the resolution of symptoms attributed to long COVID fatigue.