Ivermectin: A Natural Treatment For Long COVID

In my practice, many patients that I see suffer from a condition called long COVID. This condition, originally called Long-hauler syndrome, got its name from a group of patients who never recovered from getting COVID-19. Long Covid is a condition that's a result of the lingering symptoms of a COVID-19 infection (coronavirus infection) or a dose of the COVID vaccine.

The symptoms range from mild to severe and commonly include fatigue, brain fog, and breathing problems that can last for months. The condition truly affects the lives of people who have it. Many of my patients have become disabled, are unable to work, and cannot take care of their children and their families. This has been a devastating result of the recent pandemic that we are still trying to find answers for.

Research surrounding long COVID and the treatment options are continuing to emerge. One of the natural treatments for long COVID that I've seen work for a portion of my patients is the medication Ivermectin. 

This medication has been used for decades throughout the world to treat numerous infectious diseases. And now, it's being used for viral infections like COVID-19. Unfortunately, Ivermectin got a bad rap during the height of the pandemic and still in our media today.  But organizations of physicians such as the Frontline COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC) have conducted research that proves otherwise. 

The FLCCC started right after the pandemic, and since then, they’ve been working to research different treatment options for COVID-19 and long COVID. Research and studies they’ve done have shown that Ivermectin is not only safe but also worth trialing for acute COVID-19 infections and long COVID.

What Is Long COVID-19?

Long COVID is a group of symptoms that continue or appear after an acute COVID-19 infection. Many of my patients suffer from long COVID, and currently it's estimated to affect at least 65 million people around the world.¹

Other names for long COVID include long-haul COVID, chronic COVID, post-COVID conditions (PCC), and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC).  

The main issue that causes long COVID is something called immune dysregulation. Basically, the immune system isn't able to respond appropriately to foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. And this results in either an over response or an under response in immune function.

For some people, long COVID can last for months to years. And the symptoms of this condition can be severe enough to cause complete disability.

The symptoms of long COVID vary from person to person. They can be present constantly, or they can come and go.² Some of the most common long COVID symptoms include:¹

  • Brain fog

  • Shortness of breath

  • Loss of senses of smell and/or taste

  • Neurological symptoms like dizziness and headaches

  • Chest pain

  • Palpitations

For many people, these symptoms greatly affect quality of life. And while there are many treatment options for long COVID, the one that I want to focus on is Ivermectin. 

What Is Ivermectin?

Ivermectin is a natural medication that was discovered in Japan in the late 1970s. It came from bacteria that were found in a soil sample, and it was first discovered to work well at fighting off parasites in animals. 

In 1988, Ivermectin began being used in humans to treat a condition called river blindness, which is an infection caused by the parasite Onchocerciasis. Since then, Ivermectin has continued to make a marked impact throughout the world. So much so that the developers of Ivermectin were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2015.³

How Does Ivermectin Work?

Since Ivermectin works well against different types of diseases, the way that it works is a bit complex. And it's still being studied by researchers today. 

When used for the treatment of parasitic infections like lice, scabies, and malaria, Ivermectin works by causing paralysis and eventual death to the parasites.

For the treatment of viruses, Ivermectin inhibits the replication and spread of the virus in the body. This is the primary thought behind why it works so well for the treatment of COVID and other COVID-related illnesses.⁴

What Does Ivermectin Treat?

Ivermectin has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-cancer properties.⁵ Because of its versatility, Ivermectin has been found to treat conditions including:⁶

  • COVID-19

  • Long COVID

  • Post-vaccine syndrome (long vax)

  • Parasitic infections like lice, scabies, malaria, and others

  • Certain types of cancer

  • Rosacea (a skin condition)

  • Asthma

  • Epilepsy (a seizure disorder)

  • Tuberculosis (a bacterial infection of the lungs)

  • And more...

Ivermectin has also been used to prevent respiratory infections like COVID-19, influenza (the flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).⁶

Other Benefits of Ivermectin

The benefits of Ivermectin extend above and beyond treating infections. Additional benefits of Ivermectin include reducing inflammation and treating diabetes. 

Decreased Inflammation

Ivermectin has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. This is because it decreases the production of cytokines. These are inflammatory proteins that are released when the immune system is fighting off an illness.⁵

While certain amounts of cytokines help our immune systems, too many cytokines can cause widespread inflammation in the body, leading to other health issues. 

Natural Treatment for Diabetes

Ivermectin has also demonstrated an ability to help regulate blood sugars in those with diabetes. One of the ways Ivermectin does this is by lowering blood sugar.

Also, Ivermectin helps make the cells in the body more sensitive to insulin, which is a hormone that's needed to control blood sugar.⁵

Side Effects of Ivermectin

Overall, Ivermectin is considered a safe and well-tolerated medication. Many of my patients who take Ivermectin experience no side effects. But if you do experience side effects from Ivermectin, they're likely to be mild and may include:⁷

  • Muscle pain or stiffness

  • Joint pain

  • Swollen, tender lymph nodes

While other side effects are possible, if you're taking the proper dose of Ivermectin, this is unlikely to happen.

Certain medications interact with Ivermectin. The most important ones include:⁶

  • Immunosuppressants like cyclosporine and tacrolimus

  • Antiretrovirals, which are used to treat HIV

  • Certain antifungals, which are used to treat fungal infections

For these reasons, it's important to never self-medicate with Ivermectin. You could be taking the incorrect dose or taking it with a medication it interacts with. Always work with a healthcare provider to make sure you're on the correct dose and receiving close monitoring every step of the way. 

How Does Ivermectin Treat Long COVID?

Because our understanding of long COVID is in the early stages, the exact way that Ivermectin helps treat long COVID is still under investigation. However, we know that Ivermectin works to slow down virus replication and decrease inflammation - two big things that drive long COVID. 

In long COVID, the immune system is constantly triggered and over-worked. And when this immune response is so large, inflammation builds up in the body - which contributes to a dysfunctional immune system. This all results in the unpleasant and sometimes debilitating symptoms of long COVID. 

But when we treat long COVID with Ivermectin, we're able to stop this cycle and allow the immune system to rest and heal. 

Unless a patient has a contraindication, Ivermectin is a medication I use along with other first-line treatments like intermittent fasting, physical exercise, and natural remedies. 

Current Research on Ivermectin for Long COVID

Ivermectin has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19 infection. However, research and clinical trials surrounding the use of Ivermectin in long COVID are still ongoing. 

Despite this, I'd still like to share what researchers have discovered about Ivermectin and COVID-19 because it's quite impressive. 

In one large review, researchers reviewed 105 different studies that examined the treatment of Ivermectin for COVID-19. These studies involved 220,423 patients throughout 30 different countries. 

What they found was that using Ivermectin to treat COVID-19 reduced:⁸

  • Mortality

  • Hospitalization

  • Admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU)

  • Recovery time

Plus, Ivermectin helped people's immune systems get rid of the virus faster, which is also referred to as viral clearance. 

What we've learned about Ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 is ground-breaking, and I expect that one day, what we learn about long COVID will be too. 

Are You Ready To Recover From Long COVID?

The potential of Ivermectin as a treatment for long COVID is still being researched. But many of my patients with long COVID have noticed significant improvements in their symptoms and quality of life. 

If you're experiencing persistent symptoms after a COVID-19 infection and are seeking answers, don't wait to take the next step. Book an appointment today to see if Ivermectin is a good fit for you.