Metabolic Damage suPAR, Long COVID, and Why That Kale Smoothie Isn’t for Everyone

By SWA

As conversations around post-COVID recovery grow, a new UCSF/NIH preprint study has shed critical light on the long-term metabolic and immune dysfunction that can follow SARS-CoV-2 infection. Backed by the PolyBio Research Foundation, this research shows how COVID-19 can set off a biological chain reaction that mirrors — and even amplifies — what's commonly known as "metabolic damage."

Whether you’re recovering from illness, chronic stress, or burnout from aggressive dieting, this study helps connect the dots in a much bigger picture of human health.

COVID-19 & Long-Term Metabolic Dysfunction

Even months after infection, individuals in the study exhibited profound metabolic and immune system disturbances, including:

1. Metabolic Abnormalities

  • Depleted tryptophan – an essential amino acid critical for mood, sleep, and immune function.

  • Elevated inflammatory lipids (e.g., arachidonic acid) – promote chronic inflammation and metabolic instability.

  • Reduced protective lipids (AEA, DHEA) – tied to heart and brain health.

  • Epigenetic changes – including decreased methylation at genes related to metabolism and cancer, indicating possible long-term disease risk.

These disruptions reflect a system under biological stress, unable to regulate energy or inflammation properly — hallmarks of metabolic dysfunction.

 2. Immune System Aging & Exhaustion

  • Persistent inflammation and oxidative stress

  • Ongoing production of immature immune cells (like in chronic diseases)

  • T-cells, especially CD8 (cytotoxic T cells), showed signs of senescence and fatigue

  • Elevated suPAR, a chronic inflammation marker linked to poor immune resilience

These immune patterns are eerily similar to what's seen in chronic infections like HIV, where immune cells become overworked, ineffective, and vulnerable.

3. Increased Cancer Risk from Epigenetic Reprogramming

The study also found decreased methylation at cancer-associated genes like ZFP64p1 and CBR3-AS1 in people who had recovered from COVID-19 — suggesting these genes were more "active" post-infection.

Why this matters: methylation helps silence risky genes. When that mechanism fails, it can increase susceptibility to cancer, autoimmunity, and inflammatory conditions over time.

What Does This Mean for “Metabolic Damage”?

If you’ve ever felt stuck after dieting, burnout, or illness — sluggish metabolism, unexplained weight gain, low energy — you’ve likely been told it’s "just aging" or lack of discipline. But this research reinforces what many already experience:

Metabolic health isn’t just about calories in and out — it’s about how your body manages stress, immunity, and inflammation.

Whether from:

  • Long-term under-eating

  • Overtraining

  • Chronic stress

  • Viral persistence (like Long COVID)

…your metabolic systems can get overloaded, leading to dysfunction that’s hard to reverse without a full-body recovery strategy.

What Helps? Interventions Highlighted in the Study:

The study points toward several therapies and lifestyle interventions that may support immune-metabolic recovery:

  • Omega-3 supplementation – to balance inflammatory lipid pathways

  • Metformin – being explored for immune regulation post-COVID

  • mTOR inhibitors (like rapamycin) – may slow immune exhaustion and aging

  • Antiviral treatments – targeting viral persistence (e.g., EBV)

  • Gut healing protocols – via probiotics, fiber-rich diets, or specific treatments

What You Can Do Daily

Here’s a simple wellness framework built to restore metabolic balance after illness, stress, or chronic inflammation:

Morning

  • Sunlight within 30 mins of waking

  • Hydration with sea salt or electrolytes

  • Protein-rich breakfast (e.g., eggs, greens, avocado, berries)

Midday

  • Anti-inflammatory lunch with fiber (quinoa, sweet potatoes, leafy greens)

  • Moderate caffeine only before 2 p.m.

  • Short walks or movement breaks to reset stress levels

Afternoon

  • Strength over cardio (20–30 mins, 3–4x/week)

  • On rest days, gentle mobility or stretching

Evening

  • Blood sugar-stable dinner (lean protein, cooked veggies, slow carbs)

  • Supplements like magnesium glycinate, ashwagandha, and melatonin (if needed)

  • Wind-down with no screens, stretching, or journaling

  • Aim for 7.5–9 hours of sleep

Caution for People with VWF Types 2 and 5

If you have Von Willebrand Disease (VWD) Type 2 or 5, it’s important to limit high-vitamin K greens like kale, spinach, and chard. These greens can interfere with clotting factors and treatment stability.

Even though leafy greens are often recommended in anti-inflammatory diets, too much can disrupt coagulation in VWD, increasing bleeding risks.

Go for moderate portions
Always check with a hematologist or registered dietitian familiar with VWD
Opt for anti-inflammatory herbs, citrus, and cooked veggies instead

Final Thoughts

This research confirms what many already feel: metabolic damage is real, and it goes way deeper than calories and workouts. COVID-19 has revealed how fragile our immune-metabolic balance can be — and how long it can take to reset.

If you’re still feeling off months after illness, burnout, or stress — it’s not all in your head. Your body may be running on overdrive, and it deserves care, not punishment.

https://polybio.org/polybio-supported-study-reveals-long-term-immune-and-metabolic-damage-after-covid-19-infection/Reference: https://polybio.org/polybio-supported-study-reveals-long-term-immune-and-metabolic-damage-after-covid-19-infection/

Neu eingeführter Laborparameter lässt Risiko eines schweren COVID-19-Verlaufs vorhersagen
https://stpoelten.lknoe.at/universitaetsklinikum-st-poelten/pressemeldungen/newsdetail/neu-eingefuehrter-laborparameter-laesst-risiko-eines-schweren-covid-19-verlaufs-vorhersagen


© 2000-2025 Sieglinde W. Alexander. All writings by Sieglinde W. Alexander have a fife year copy right. Library of Congress Card Number: LCN 00-192742 ISBN: 0-9703195-0-9

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