A new study may explain how long-COVID results in long-term dysfunction, brain fog, fatigue and cognitive impairment.
Published August 9th in Science Translational Medicine, the research describes how SARS-CoV-2 disrupts mitochondria, increasing glycolysis (how glucose gets broken down in the cells) and reducing ATP production (how food gets turned into energy), leading to impaired function of the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and brain, among other organs.
Mitochondria are the power plants of our cells – as well as those of animals and fungi. They’re equipped with their own DNA, and are tasked with making ATP, the fuel our bodies run on. They generate the energy which drives cellular functioning, as well as most of our biological processes.
While all cells, except for red blood cells, have mitochondria, they’re found in the highest concentrations in muscle and nerve cells, which require more energy to function properly.
Additionally, mitochondria store calcium ions, which are needed for blood clotting and muscle contraction. They also produce the iron used by red blood cells when they transport oxygen, and they may have the capacity to trigger the death of cells.
This sheds some light on why HBOT is one of the most promising COVID and long-COVID treatments, particularly when addressing fatigue and cognitive impairment.
In addition to reducing hypoxic stress on organs (when organs don’t have enough oxygen) and having a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, HBOT may provide the key to restarting our mitochondrial engines.
Another recent study demonstrated that HBOT increases mitochondrial mass and cellular energy levels. This means that along with treating COVID, this supports what we at Hyperbaric Vermont already know about HBOT’s value in the treatment of chronic Lyme, cancer, ME/CSF (chronic fatigue) and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and Huntington’s disease.
Patients challenged by any of these conditions should not hesitate to reach out to us for help.