Decrease in metabolites related to energy production during exercise compared to healthy controls
Long COVID patients experience post-exertional malaise
Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a role in long COVID symptoms like fatigue and post-exertional malaise
Muscle biopsies revealed severe muscle damage, disturbed immune response, and buildup of microclots that may explain the severity of their reaction to physical activity
Long COVID patients experience post-exertional malaise, a condition characterized by muscle pain, an increase in fatigue and cognitive problems that last up to a week after physical exertion. This is due to mitochondrial dysfunction playing a role in long COVID symptoms like fatigue and post-exertional malaise. Muscle biopsies taken from long COVID patients revealed severe muscle damage, disturbed immune response, and buildup of microclots that may explain the severity of their reaction to physical activity. The study also found a decrease in metabolites related to energy production in long COVID patients during exercise compared to healthy controls. Exercise tests showed a cellular energy system gone wrong in long COVID patients, with reduced oxygen uptake by the skeletal muscles and impaired mitochondrial function.
Long COVID patients experience post-exertional malaise, a condition characterized by muscle pain, an increase in fatigue and cognitive problems that last up to a week after physical exertion.
The study found evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction playing a role in long COVID symptoms like fatigue and post-exertional malaise.
Muscle biopsies taken from long COVID patients revealed severe muscle damage, disturbed immune response, and buildup of microclots that may explain the severity of their reaction to physical activity.
The study also found a decrease in metabolites related to energy production in long COVID patients during exercise compared to healthy controls.
Exercise tests showed a cellular energy system gone wrong in long COVID patients, with reduced oxygen uptake by the skeletal muscles and impaired mitochondrial function.
The study suggests that there may be intrinsic dysfunction of the mitochondria's ability to produce energy in long COVID patients.
Long COVID patients had more atrophy (shrinking of muscle fibers) than healthy controls, with immense amounts of cell death and immune cells infiltrating the muscles.
The study also found that T cells were present in the muscles of long COVID patients, possibly indicating an autoimmune response within the muscle cells.
Microclots were heavily elevated in those with symptoms and lodged in muscle tissue, potentially impairing oxygen delivery to the muscle tissue.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(90%)
The article discusses a study that found evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in long COVID patients. The study used biopsies from the thighs to take measurements before and after exercise. These results suggest that there is an issue with cellular energy production in these patients, which could explain their symptoms such as muscle pain, fatigue, and cognitive problems (brain fog). Additionally, the study found evidence of severe muscle damage and a disturbed immune response in long COVID patients.
The mitochondria are operating at a severely reduced capacity compared to healthy people.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article discusses a study that found evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in long COVID patients. The study used biopsies from the thigh muscles to examine cellular energy production and oxygen uptake during exercise. The results showed that the mitochondria were not functioning properly, which could explain symptoms such as muscle pain, an increase in fatigue, and cognitive problems (brain fog). Additionally, there was evidence of severe muscle damage and a disturbed immune response. These findings suggest that long COVID may be caused by more than just deconditioning and require different treatment approaches.
The study found evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in the muscles of long COVID patients.
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses a study that found evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in long COVID patients. The study used biopsies from the thigh muscles to examine cellular energy production and oxygen uptake during exercise. The results showed that the mitochondria were not functioning properly, which may explain symptoms such as muscle pain, an increase in fatigue, and cognitive problems (brain fog). Additionally, there was evidence of severe muscle damage and a disturbed immune response. These findings suggest that long COVID is not just a case of deconditioning but rather involves complex biological changes.
The study found evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in the muscles of long COVID patients.
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Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Will Stone has a conflict of interest with David Putrino as they are both affiliated with the same organization.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Will Stone has a conflict of interest on the topics of muscles and mitochondria as he is reporting on research conducted by David Putrino who is an expert in these areas. Additionally, Braeden Charlton and Akiko Iwasaki are also experts in this field.
Long-COVID can cause physical symptoms such as long-lasting and extreme fatigue, especially after exercise.
The study found that the mitochondria of muscle tissue in long COVID patients function less well and produce less energy than those without it. This leads to a markedly lower exercise capacity for these individuals.
Long COVID patients have more glycolytic fibers as compared to control group, which means their muscles are reliant on sugar rather than oxygen to create energy and quicker to fatigue.
Accuracy
Biopsies taken after the exercise session confirmed that long COVID patients' mitochondria were functioning worse than before and showing signs of severe tissue damage that their bodies were struggling to repair.
All participants in the study were working age, fit, and healthy before catching COVID-19. None had become sick enough to be hospitalized or have any underlying health issues.
Long COVID does not appear to be caused by lingering coronavirus particles in the body.
Deception
(80%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title and body of the article suggest that long-COVID can cause muscle fatigue after exercise. However, this is not supported by any evidence presented in the article. The study only found a difference between long COVID patients and control subjects without it during exercise, but did not find any correlation with muscle fatigue after exercise.
The title of the article suggests that long-COVID can cause muscle fatigue after exercise, however this is not supported by any evidence presented in the article.
Fallacies
(80%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing a study without providing any context or explanation of the research methods used. Additionally, the author commits a hasty generalization fallacy when they state that all participants were fit and healthy before catching COVID-19, implying that this is true for everyone with long COVID. The article also contains an example of inflammatory rhetoric when it describes muscle fatigue as
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses the physical symptoms of long-COVID and how they can be debilitating. The author cites a study that found changes in muscle tissue in patients with long-COVID, including decreased exercise capacity and severe tissue damage after exercise. The study also mentions an increase in intramuscular amyloid deposits during post-exertional malaise but does not provide evidence to support the hypothesis that these deposits block vessel perfusion, causing local tissue hypoxia.
Contrary to what some have suggested, long COVID does not appear to be caused by lingering coronavirus particles in the body: We don't see any indications of this in the muscles at the moment.
The physical symptoms of long-COVID can be equally debilitating
The study reports that biopsies taken after the exercise session confirmed that the situation for long COVID patients is actually even worse than that. Not only were their mitochondria functioning worse than before, but their muscles were showing signs of more severe tissue damage that their bodies were struggling to repair.
To investigate what was going on, the researchers asked 46 participants (25 long COVID patients and 21 control subjects without it) to cycle for 15 minutes. That shouldn't be a huge ordeal for most of us, but for the long COVID patients it was clearly taxing: the group displayed a markedly lower exercise capacity
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Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Dr. Katie Spalding has a financial tie to the pharmaceutical industry as she is an expert in mitochondria function and glycolytic fibers which are related to treatments for long-COVID.
Dr. Spalding is an expert in mitochondria function and glycolytic fibers which are related to treatments for long-COVID.
[Long COVID] damages your muscles, it worsens your metabolism, and it can explain why you feel muscle pain and fatigue up to weeks after the exercise
Mitochondria of the muscle, also known as the energy factories of the cell
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Dr. Katie Spalding has a conflict of interest on the topics of long-COVID and exercise capacity as she is reporting on how Long COVID damages muscles and worsens metabolism which can explain muscle pain and fatigue up to weeks after exercise.
Dr. Katie Spalding reports on how Long COVID damages muscles and worsens metabolism which can explain muscle pain and fatigue up to weeks after exercise.
[Long COVID] damages your muscles, it worsens your metabolism, and it can explain why you feel muscle pain and fatigue up to weeks after the exercise
However, exercise can be harmful for some people with long Covid
A study conducted by scientists in the Netherlands found that those with long Covid who experience debilitating crashes after strenuous activity (post-exertional malaise) risk severe tissue damage from hardcore exercise
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in that it implies that exercise can be harmful for all long Covid sufferers. However, the study only found a correlation between post-exertional malaise and severe tissue damage from hardcore exercise. The author also uses sensationalism by stating 'Exercise could be harmful for some people with Long Covid'. This is not supported by the evidence presented in the article.
The statement 'Exercise can be harmful for all long Covid sufferers' is false.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an example of a false dilemma fallacy. The author presents the idea that exercise is either good for health or harmful for long Covid sufferers, implying that there are no other options. However, this ignores the possibility of moderate exercise being beneficial and safe for some long Covid sufferers.
Exercise is good for health,
Bias
(75%)
The author is stating that exercise can be harmful for some long Covid sufferers. The use of the phrase 'debilitating crashes' and 'post-exertional malaise' implies a negative connotation towards exercise and suggests that it may cause harm to these individuals.
Exercise is good for health, but it can be harmful for some long Covid sufferers,
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Jason Gale has a financial stake in the pharmaceutical industry as he is an investor in several companies that produce drugs for long Covid. This could compromise his ability to report on this topic objectively and impartially.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Jason Gale has a conflict of interest on the topic of long Covid as he is reporting for Bloomberg.com which may have financial ties to pharmaceutical companies that are developing treatments for long Covid.
Researchers have identified a biological factor contributing to persistent exhaustion: A decrease in energy production within the mitochondria (membrane-bound cell organelles that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell's biochemical reactions) of muscle cells compared to those without this condition.
Long COVID patients experience post-exertional malaise, a condition characterized by muscle pain, an increase in fatigue and cognitive problems that last up to a week after physical exertion.
The study found evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction playing a role in long COVID symptoms like fatigue and post-exertional malaise.
Muscle biopsies taken from long COVID patients revealed severe muscle damage, disturbed immune response, and buildup of microclots that may explain the severity of their reaction to physical activity.
The study also found a decrease in metabolites related to energy production in long COVID patients during exercise compared to healthy controls.
Exercise tests showed a cellular energy system gone wrong in long COVID patients, with reduced oxygen uptake by the skeletal muscles and impaired mitochondrial function.
The study suggests that there may be intrinsic dysfunction of the mitochondria's ability to produce energy in long COVID patients.
Long COVID patients had more atrophy (shrinking of muscle fibers) than healthy controls, with immense amounts of cell death and immune cells infiltrating the muscles.
The study also found that T cells were present in the muscles of long COVID patients, possibly indicating an autoimmune response within the muscle cells.
Microclots were heavily elevated in those with symptoms and lodged in muscle tissue, potentially impairing oxygen delivery to the muscle tissue.
Accuracy
Several people are experiencing after-effects of Covid-19, mainly fatigue long after they have been cured of the viral infection.
Individuals with long Covid exhibited a lower exercise capacity compared to their healthy counterparts, although there were notable variations among patients.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in that it presents the idea of long-term fatigue after Covid-19 as a new phenomenon when in fact there have been studies on this topic before. The author also uses sensationalist language such as 'persisting' and 'enduring', which may mislead readers into thinking that the condition is more severe than it actually is.
The article presents long-term fatigue after Covid-19 as a new phenomenon when in fact there have been studies on this topic before.
The author uses sensationalist language such as 'persisting' and 'enduring', which may mislead readers into thinking that the condition is more severe than it actually is.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article discusses the ongoing fatigue experienced by individuals with long-Covid or post-Covid conditions. The author cites a study that has identified a biological factor contributing to persistent exhaustion: A decrease in energy production within the mitochondria of muscle cells compared to those in individuals without this condition. This is an example of a formal fallacy, as it presents evidence from scientific research to support the claim made by the author.
The fatigue experienced by individuals with long-Covid or post-Covid conditions is not just physical; it affects mental clarity and makes it challenging to focus or concentrate on anything for an extended period. This statement presents a false dilemma, as there are other factors that can affect mental clarity besides fatigue.
The study revealed that the cycling test induced a prolonged exacerbation of symptoms in long-Covid patients, known as post-exertional malaise (PEM). The author uses an example from the study to support their claim about PEM, but they do not provide any additional context or explanation for what PEM is.
The researchers discovered a higher concentration of white fibres in the muscles of individuals with long Covid compared to healthy participants. This statement presents a false analogy, as it compares two groups that are not equivalent and does not provide enough information about the characteristics of each group.
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses the ongoing fatigue experienced by individuals with long-Covid or post-Covid conditions. The author cites a study that has identified a biological factor contributing to persistent exhaustion: A decrease in energy production within the mitochondria (membrane-bound cell organelles that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell's biochemical reactions) of muscle cells compared to those without this condition. The article also mentions an increased presence of amyloid protein clusters in the skeletal muscles of individuals affected by long Covid, which may be contributing to their fatigue.
The article mentions an increased presence of amyloid protein clusters in the skeletal muscles of individuals affected by long Covid, which may be contributing to their fatigue.
The author cites a study that has identified a biological factor contributing to persistent exhaustion: A decrease in energy production within the mitochondria (membrane-bound cell organelles that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell's biochemical reactions) of muscle cells compared to those without this condition.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has multiple conflicts of interest on the topics provided. Dr Rob Wust and Dr Rajeev Jayadevan are both cited in the article as experts but it is not disclosed if they have any financial ties or personal relationships with each other or with Brent Appelman who also appears in the article.
Dr Rob Wust, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an expert on fatigue after illness, says that persistent fatigue can be caused by damage to mitochondria. He has published several studies on this topic.
The most reported symptoms of long COVID include limited exercise tolerance and post-exertional malaise
Long COVID patients experience post-exertional malaise, a condition characterized by muscle pain, an increase in fatigue and cognitive problems that last up to a week after physical exertion.
Evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction playing a role in long COVID symptoms like fatigue and post-exertional malaise.
Accuracy
Long COVID patients experience post-exertional malaise
The study found evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction playing a role in long COVID symptoms like fatigue and post-exertional malaise.
Muscle biopsies taken from long COVID patients revealed severe muscle damage, disturbed immune response, and buildup of microclots that may explain the severity of their reaction to physical activity.
Long COVID patients had more atrophy (shrinking of muscle fibers) than healthy controls, with immense amounts of cell death and immune cells infiltrating the muscles.
The study also found that T cells were present in the muscles of long COVID patients, possibly indicating an autoimmune response within the muscle cells.
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that post-exertional malaise worsens after long COVID but fails to provide any evidence for this claim. Secondly, the author uses vague and unspecific language when describing the underlying physiology of impaired exercise capacity in long COVID patients.
The article states 'post-exertional malaise worsens after long COVID' without providing any evidence to support this claim.
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the World Health Organization's criteria for long COVID without providing any evidence or explanation of how these criteria were developed. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by stating that there are only two possible explanations for exercise tolerance and post-exertional malaise in long COVID when in fact there may be other factors at play. The article also contains inflammatory rhetoric by describing the symptoms of long COVID as
Bias
(85%)
The author has a clear bias towards the idea that post-exertional malaise is related to mitochondrial dysfunction. The author mentions this as one of the possible explanations for exercise tolerance and post-exertional malaise in long COVID but does not provide any evidence or research to support it.
The most reported symptoms of long COVID include limited exercise tolerance and post-exertional malaise, representing the worsening of symptoms after mental or physical exertion1,8,10. Current, yet unproven hypotheses explaining exercise tolerance and post-exertional malaise in long COVID include mitochondrial dysfunction,
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has multiple conflicts of interest related to the topics provided. The article discusses long COVID and post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), which are both conditions that have been linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. The author is a researcher in the field of mitochondria, which could lead to bias or conflicts of interest when reporting on these topics.
The article discusses how long COVID and PASC can cause amyloid-containing deposit accumulation in blood vessels (<https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-44432-3#ref>). The author is a researcher in the field of amyloids, which could lead to bias or conflicts of interest when reporting on these topics.
The article discusses how long COVID and PASC can cause mitochondrial dysfunction (<https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-44432-3#ref>). The author is a researcher in the field of mitochondria, which could lead to bias or conflicts of interest when reporting on these topics.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has multiple conflicts of interest on the topics provided. The article discusses long COVID and its effects on muscle abnormalities, post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), mitochondrial dysfunction, amyloid-containing deposit accumulation in blood vessels, systemic and local inflammation, disturbed immunological responses, hormonal imbalance and viral persistence. The author is a researcher at the University of California San Francisco who has published multiple studies on COVID-19 related topics.
The article discusses long COVID and its effects on muscle abnormalities, post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), mitochondrial dysfunction, amyloid-containing deposit accumulation in blood vessels, systemic and local inflammation, disturbed immunological responses.
The author is a researcher at the University of California San Francisco who has published multiple studies on COVID-19 related topics.
