Yale researchers have unearthed a new clue that may explain who has long COVID—and how to treat the chronic condition - Fortune

Public health officials are scrambling to understand long COVID, the condition in which patients report symptoms like fatigue, muscle weakness, and “brain fog” months after infection.

The study, which has yet to be peer reviewed, analyzed 215 individuals, 99 of whom were long COVID patients.

If the study’s findings are corroborated, low cortisol levels could help doctors determine who has long COVID, allowing for better treatment.

In addition to fatigue and muscle weakness, COVID has also been connected to higher rates of depression, hair loss, cardiovascular disease, and heart attacks. An earlier study found that even a mild case of COVID led to a decline in brain tissue equivalent to a decade’s worth of aging.

Having less of a stress hormone might sound like a good thing, but abnormally low levels of cortisol have been connected to symptoms like muscle weakness, persistent fatigue, a loss of appetite, and low blood pressure. .