Recently, a friend of mine got knocked down with Covid-19 again.
While she’s finally feeling better, she said that she was “surprised how much of a wallop that dang virus still packs.”
The truth is, though, a run-in with Covid-19 might put you out of commission for a week, thanks to the lingering cough, runny nose and sore throat, you may be left with an unexpected side effect.
That’s because research is revealing that suffering even a mild case of Covid-19 can actually age your blood vessels by five years.
Here’s what you need to know…
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Even worse in women
The research from Université Paris Cité, France, delved into the health data of almost 2,400 people from 16 different countries between September 2020 and February 2022. Each person was categorized according to whether they had never had Covid-19, had it recently but were not hospitalized, were hospitalized with it on a general ward or were hospitalized in an intensive care unit.
The researchers then measured each individual’s vascular age. The higher the measurement, the stiffer the blood vessels and the higher the vascular age of a person.
They found that anyone who had ever had Covid-19 were left with stiffer arteries that were aged years beyond their chronological age.
It was an effect that was even worse in women or those who lived with long Covid…
The researchers found that after a mild Covid-19 infection, women’s blood vessels had aged approximately five years. This is equivalent to a 3% increased risk of heart disease for a 60-year-old woman. And the worse the infection, the worse the blood vessel aged.
How the virus ages the blood vessels
According to the scientists, COVID-19’s effects on the vessels (especially in women) could be three-fold:
- Blood vessel lining – Because the virus acts on specific receptors in the lining of the blood vessels to enter and infect cells, it can cause vascular dysfunction and accelerated vascular aging.
- Inflammation – They also believe that the inflammation the virus triggers is a factor in the stiffening of blood vessels.
- Women’s unique response – Additionally, because women’s immune systems mount a more rapid and robust response than men’s, it can lead to increased damage to blood vessels after the initial infection.
However, it’s important to note that Covid-19 isn’t the only virus where this happens…
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Flu ages blood vessels, too
The flu can be just as dangerous to your blood vessels and heart.
Houston Methodist Hospital points out that “The reason influenza stresses the heart and vascular system so much has to do with the body’s inflammatory response to the infection.”
The white blood cells that your body produces to protect you can also cause what they call “a traffic jam of sorts.” This can cause blood clots and high blood pressure, plaque ruptures in arteries and even scarring and swelling of your heart.
Research from The Texas Heart Institute Journal also states that, “There is mounting evidence in support of a significant role for influenza infection in the development of atherosclerosis (buildup of plaque and stiffening of the arteries) and the triggering of its complications.”
And it lists explicitly the pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic (clotting) effects of influenza infection as the cause of blood vessel damage.
Supporting healthy blood vessels
Don’t wait to start taking care of your blood vessels. Maybe you’ve been lucky enough to avoid Covid or the flu, but there’s no guarantee you’ll always be so lucky.
Besides, even factors like air pollution can accelerate the aging, stiffening and the buildup of unwanted plaque in arteries. When you inhale polluted air, your immune system sets off an inflammatory process similar to what happens when the immune system goes into overdrive when faced with a viral infection.
The best ways to support blood vessel health include:
- To support your arteries and douse inflammation, omega-3 fatty acids come out on top. For omega-3s, I stick to krill oil supplements due to their purity and high levels of astaxanthin. You can also get omega-3s in foods like salmon and walnuts.
- Folate is another supplement that’s crucial to the health of the blood vessels. Beans have the most folate. You can also get folate from veggies like asparagus, turnip greens and broccoli.
- Exercise is one of the best non-drug ways to reduce inflammation that can contribute to the aging of your blood vessels. It works by rendering pro-inflammatory molecules powerless.
- And don’t forget vitamin D. Not only can it support the immune system, but it also delivers powerful support for quelling the fires of inflammation.
Sources:
Even mild Covid may leave blood vessels five years older — ScienceDaily
Flu and Heart Disease: The Surprising Connection That Should Convince You to Schedule Your Shot — Houston Methodist
Influenza and Cardiovascular Disease — NIH
COVID-19’s effect on the brain looks like stroke damage — Easy Health Options
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