A new study has revealed a post-pandemic surge in gut-brain related disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The researchers compared data from the UK and US before the pandemic in 2017, and after the pandemic in 2023.
They found a sharp 28 per cent increase from 4.7 to six per cent in cases of IBS which can cause stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhoea.
This troublesome condition is classified as a gut-brain interaction disorder because it is rooted in problems with the gut communicating with the brain.
There was also a 44 per cent rise from 8.3 to 11.9 per cent in functional dyspepsia—which causes stomach aches, bloating and premature feeling of fullness.
Those with Long Covid—fatigue, breathlessness and muscle weakness triggered by the virus—were significantly more likely to have a gut-brain disorder.
Worryingly those with the debilitating condition Long Covid also reported worse anxiety, depression and quality of life.
Their recent findings were published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.Â
The researchers found a sharp increase in gut-brain disorders after the pandemic, particularly in those suffering from Long Covid
It is estimated that since the pandemic began, nearly two million people in the UK have experienced Long Covid.
This includes 1.3 million people with symptoms lasting for more than a year and 762,000 with symptoms lasting more than two years.
Earlier this year, experts said they finally discovered the cause of Long Covid—and it is linked to dementia.
Those suffering from Long Covid have suffered unique changes to their brains which can make it harder to think and speak.
The previous study found they have fewer protective proteins in their brains and higher levels of inflammation—both of which have been linked to dementia.
Long Covid patients also perform worse in language tests, such as finding the right word or understanding what certain words mean, which can be signs of brain fog.
The study suggested, for the first time, that damage to the brain, rather than a ramped up immune system, causes the symptoms of Long Covid.
Though the study included just 17 people, the researchers planned to use the findings to launch larger-scale studies to find the causes of Long Covid.
The recent findings also follow a warning from experts that the virus may also dramatically raise the risk of dementia.
Previously, US researchers found those suffering from Long Covid may be five times more likely to get the memory-robbing illness.
Dr Gabriel de Erausquin, a neurologist at University of Texas Health San Antonio is exploring the link.
The existing studies show those over 57 who’ve suffered Long Covid ‘have the profile of a person with very early Alzheimer’s’, he told the Wall Street Journal.
And worryingly he added: ‘It doesn’t look like in older adults that this is a reversible process.’
What is Long Covid?Â
According to the NHS, if someone continues to have symptoms 12 weeks after being infected, they may be suffering from Long Covid.
The most common symptoms include:
Extreme tiredness (fatigue)Feeling short of breathMemory and concentration difficulties i.e. ‘brain fog’DizzinessHeart palpitationsMuscle aches and joint pains
However, others also include:
Loss of smellDifficulties sleepingChest tightness or painAnxiety and depressionPins and needlesTinnitus and/or earachesNausea, stomach aches, diarrhoea and loss of appetiteA persistent cough or sore throatHeadachesRashes
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Scientists pick up massive surge in painful gut disorder – and they think it’s linked to a virus that has touched almost everyone’s life