Functional Medicine Blog

What is new about Functional Medicine however is that it has taken these principles, along with modern ones, and used them to develop a systemised model which allows the practitioner to effectively identify and address the causes of health problems.

One of the leading theories behind Long COVID is that it may not be caused by SARS-CoV-2 alone. Instead, the initial infection may “reawaken” dormant viruses already present in the body — particularly Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and certain herpes viruses.

A number of studies have shown higher levels of autoantibodies in people with Long COVID, and increasing evidence suggests that many patients develop latent autoimmune activity in around 80 percent of cases, or multiple autoimmune processes in around 60 percent.

Brain fog is a common long COVID symptom linked to inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and blood brain barrier disruption. Learn what causes it and how to support recovery naturally.

Both COVID-19 infection and vaccination act as inflammatory triggers, since they stimulate the immune system to become more active. For most people this response is temporary and well-regulated. However, in some individuals the immune and inflammatory reaction becomes overwhelming and leads to longer-lasting effects.