Metformin may help prevent long COVID, evidence suggests

• More than one third of people who have had COVID-19 develop long COVID.
• There is currently no cure for long COVID, and receiving the COVID vaccine is considered the best way to gain protection against this condition.
• A new research commentary suggests that taking a common diabetes drug during or soon after infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 may help prevent long COVID.

Researchers estimate that more than one third of people who have had COVID-19 go on to develop long COVID, a chronic continuation of the disease that occurs for at least 3 months.

Some common symptoms of long COVID include extreme tiredness, brain fog, respiratory problems, heart palpitations, and joint and muscle pain.

Previous research shows that long COVID can lead to several serious health complications, including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), stroke, fibromyalgia, anxiety disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and chronic kidney disease.

There is currently no cure for long COVID. The condition is normally treated with several therapies, including medications to manage symptoms, mental health support, and different types of therapies, such as physical or respiratory therapies.

Because anyone can develop long COVID, receiving the COVID vaccine, which helps prevent COVID-19, is considered the best means of protection against the chronic condition.

Now, a new commentary published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases suggests that taking a common diabetes drug — metformin — during or soon after infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID may help prevent long COVID.