As of: March 28, 2024, 12:40 p.m
By: Nadja Zinsmeister, Kilian Bäuml
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A study from Stanford University shows increased alcohol sensitivity in Long Covid patients. This provides new insights into the consequences of Long Covid.
Bremen – An increased susceptibility to alcohol could occur in people suffering from Long Covid. This was discovered by a Stanford University study after some Long Covid patients reported a more intense “hangover” that they had never experienced to this extent before their Long Covid illness.
“We present here a case series of four patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who were referred to the Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS) Clinic at Stanford University because of persistent symptoms and who also had new-onset alcohol sensitivity was determined,” said the researchers about their
study published on
Cureus
. This observation was made by chance when some patients reported increased symptoms after drinking alcohol during general health checks. To investigate this claim, the scientists conducted interviews with those affected.
Alcohol sensitivity after Covid-19: Stanford study reveals new symptoms
The study authors define “alcohol sensitivity” – how much alcohol one can tolerate – as a range of adverse reactions to alcohol, including symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and headaches. They did not focus on general symptoms, but specifically on new ones. A 49-year-old woman who has been suffering from Long Covid for eleven months reported in her interview that she was “no longer able to move” after drinking wine, which was not the case before she became ill. A 40-year-old patient said she felt like she was suffering from alcohol poisoning after just drinking a cocktail. By the time she became ill, she said she could tolerate up to seven cocktails.
After just four weeks, abstaining from alcohol has a significant effect and has a positive effect on the body. © Andrey Cherkasov/imago/Symbolbild
Based on these statements, researchers concluded at the end of 2023 that patients with long-lasting symptoms after a Covid infection could develop a new sensitivity to alcohol. They suspect that the virus and inflammation in the body could weaken the blood-brain barrier. This leads to stronger “hangovers” because more substances, including alcohol, are able to enter the brain.
New study: Long Covid patients react more strongly to alcohol
According to the study, a 60-year-old man who had no medical history before his corona infection has since suffered from headaches, cognitive impairment, anxiety, as well as mood and sleep disorders. While before his illness he consumed alcohol about twice a month and got up the next morning without any problems, he now suffers from headaches.
A 36-year-old woman who normally never had a headache after consuming alcohol, but has since she became ill, also reported similar symptoms. The study authors emphasize that the four patients do not represent proof, but rather an important research approach for the future. “New-onset alcohol sensitivity should be examined along with other symptoms following COVID-19 illness and may provide new opportunities to explore the pathobiology of the disease and possible interventions,” the report concludes. But even without new symptoms, alcohol causes shocking damage to the body.
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