September 2025 Newsletter

In a recent observational study, researchers investigated whether the common diabetes medication metformin could reduce the risk of overweight or obese individuals developing long COVID in a real-world setting. It was found that those patients who initiated metformin within 90 days after COVID-19 infection showed a 64% reduction in their likelihood of a subsequent long COVID diagnosis.

While its mechanisms remain unclear, metformin’s potential anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects are thought to be possible contributors. As an observational study, the findings indicate an association but cannot prove causation. The next step is to conduct large-scale randomized controlled trials to confirm causation.

Using total-body PET imaging to get a better understanding of long COVID is the goal of University of California, Davis in collaboration with UC San Francisco. The research team will be working with patients from UCSF’s long COVID program who will be scanned using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging across a patient’s entire body to give a much more detailed picture.

Researchers aim to see indicators that have been linked to long COVID: where blood vessel damage is occurring, how activated T cells collect in different organs and whether these processes are related to each other. The team will also check blood samples for markers of inflammation and immune activation that correlate with PET imaging data.

According to a survey study of US adults with prior COVID-19 infection, food insecurity is associated with increased odds of having long COVID and a reduced likelihood of recovery. The survey study included individuals aged 18 and older who reported having COVID-19 and reported experiencing long COVID. The study used data from the 2022-2023 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), an annual, nationally representative, survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) that collects demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related information, including food insecurity.
 
Food insecurity was positively associated with current long COVID. In contrast, it was negatively associated with recovery among adults with prior long COVID. “These findings suggest that food insecurity may be an important and modifiable risk factor for long COVID and that strengthening access to programs like SNAP, raising awareness, and simplifying enrollment could help reduce the health burden of long COVID,” the authors wrote.

Preliminary tests revealed hormonal changes and excessive inflammation in women with long COVID. These findings emerged from a UK survey of more than 12,000 women, which found that women with long COVID are prone to longer, heavier periods, putting them at greater risk for iron deficiency which exacerbates symptoms of long COVID.

Viki Male, PhD, who studies reproductive immunology at Imperial College London, said inflammation in the uterus is associated with heavy menstrual bleeding, so this could be the link between long COVID and prolonged heavy periods.

Follow us to stay in the loop about the latest long COVID news and for long COVID updates in Western New York.

Find us on:

If you had COVID-19 and would like to participate, begin filling out the questionnaire.

If you have already participated in the Long COVID Connection, feel free to share with others who may be interested.

Contact us: (716) 382 - 1808 / ubcov@buffalo.edu