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Long COVID Hits Women Harder, Especially Heart Health

A new study published in Scientific Reports found that women who developed long COVID had the highest levels of inflammation, gut damage, and blood vessel stiffness, suggesting they may face greater long-term health risks than men.

Researchers compared 89 COVID-positive adults with 89 matched participants who never had COVID. Among the COVID group, 64% had long COVID, defined as symptoms lasting at least 3 months.

Key findings:

  • Markers of gut permeability and inflammation, like zonulin, IL-6, and oxidized LDL, were significantly higher in people with long COVID.
    • These markers are linked to “leaky gut,” chronic inflammation, and damage to blood vessels, all of which can raise cardiovascular risk.
  • Women with long COVID were 29 times more likely to have poor arterial elasticity (a sign of stiff or damaged arteries) compared to men without long COVID.
  • The more symptoms a woman had, the worse her vascular health. Those with 13+ symptoms were 11 times more likely to have stiff arteries than men with fewer symptoms.
  • Even without long COVID, female sex alone increased vascular risk 4-fold, highlighting a biological difference in recovery.

Researchers used a noninvasive tool (EndoPAT) to measure arterial stiffness. A higher score (called the augmentation index) meant worse blood vessel flexibility, which has been tied to heart disease risk.

The study concludes that female COVID survivors, especially those with lingering symptoms, need long-term monitoring and support to reduce the risk of chronic cardiovascular complications.

Citation

Durieux, J. C., et al. (2025). Sex differences in inflammation and markers of gut integrity in long COVID. Scientific reports, 15(1), 27374. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11470-4