LONG COVID and Growth Hormone: What is the link?

Right now, this remains a potential link and more research is required to clearly establish the relationship between growth hormone and LONG COVID. That said, when I stumbled across this story in my search for interesting podcast topics, I found it fascinating: particularly because it all goes back to a few doctors making observations about growth hormone and its effects in traumatic brain injuries. Yes, the story starts with TBI patients and gets to LONG COVID patients, and you’ll hear all about it in the podcast.

In this episode of Causes or Cures, I chat with Dr. Randall Urban about his research on the link between Long COVID and growth hormone and how growth hormone may potentially reverse or decrease the neurological symptoms/brain fog associated with Long COVID. He discusses the research he and his team have conducted, outcomes, and (of course) any safety concerns. He also describes how COVID impacts the microbiome…and therefore, the production of growth hormone. Definitely tune in if you are struggling with Long COVID, because it’s good to have this research on your radar! And send to anyone you know who is struggling with LONG COVID, as it may help them or at least give them a little hope.

Dr. Urban is an endocrinologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas. He is the Vice Dean of Clinical Research in the School of Medicine, Vice President and Chief Research Officer, and the Principle Investigator of UTMB’s Clinical Translational Science Award. You can learn more about his research here.

There are more questions than answers when it comes to Long COVID, and it’s an area exploding with research. While some folks deny that there is such a thing as LONG COVID, I would ask them to consider that there’s always been the potential for consequences or long-term symptoms after recovery from an infectious illness. It’s just that the spotlight is on Long COVID, and that may be a good thing and perhaps could help us find answers for the “long stuff” that happens after other infectious illnesses.  Heck, I had a weird atypical pneumonia in my early 20s, after which I developed asthma that never went away. It’s an annoyance, but I manage it and still run, swim, play soccer and practice martial arts regularly. (But I keep a rescue inhaler close by, just in case. ;)).

Please tune in here for the episode!

And if you haven’t checked out some of the other episodes, I encourage you to. You can start with a couple listed below:

A vaccine for cancer in dogs in the works, with Dr. Mark Mamula

Creating universal antivenom using one guy’s blood, a guy who was bit by 200 snakes on purpose, with Tim Friede

What is the function of dreams? With Dr. Katja Valli

And if you are interested in any of my “work” musings from the field of public health consulting and scicomms, I invite you to check out my writings here.

Chat soon!

Eeks