- South Korean study reviewed pre-existing research on role of gut microbiome
- Hong Kong-based scientists examined blood and stool samples from patients
- Both studies indicate a gut microbe imbalance is key in severe Covid-19
A person’s gut microbiome may play a role in fighting off coronavirus infection and preventing severe Covid-19 symptoms, according to new studies.
Each person has a unique assortment of bacteria in their gut which play a variety of roles, including in modulating the immune response.
Research from the Chinese University of Hong Kong found people suffering with Covid-19 had a ‘significantly altered’ microbiome composition.
Separate research from South Korea found people with a poorly functioning gut are more likely to develop severe Covid-19 because the lack of healthy microbes makes it easier for the virus to infect cells in the digestive tract.
Continued here: Bacteria in your GUT ‘affects Covid-19 severity’
