COVID-19: Researchers claim that coronavirus can also impact the endocrine system
New Delhi : The world is in the midst of a major health crisis since the outbreak of coronavirus across the globe. This highly contagious virus puts a lot of people at major health risk due to the way it progresses. We've all heard that a lot of coronavirus infected people are coming in with high blood sugar levels and some of the most uncommon symptoms are slowly starting to become a lot more common. Researchers and scientists are working hard to find a cure or vaccine to contain and control the spread of this virus.
Coronavirus is very dangerous for people with underlying health conditions like diabetes, blood pressure and heart disease or any other chronic health conditions. This strain of coronavirus is known to damage people's respiratory system and it can often lead to permanent lung damage and sometimes it can also impact the brain or lead to organ failure. COVID-19 is now slowly starting to impact the kidney and gastrointestinal system as well. In a new study, researchers from Sri Lanka have found out that this virus can also take a toll on our endocrine system which is made up of pituitary gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries as well as the testicles. This system is an essential part of our body because it helps in producing hormones as well as managing the metabolism and reproductive functions.
Most of the times this leads to diabetes or thyroid problems. This also means that people who already have an underlying endocrine problem may be at a higher risk and coronavirus may worsen their health conditions. Coronavirus enters the endocrine cells and can cause diseases and disorders related to the endocrine system. This can cause chaos in our bodies. The loss of smell and taste is a way for this virus to enter the brain and cause damage. While in most cases this virus causes a temporary endocrine disorder but when it isn't treated properly, it may lead to a permanent health problem or complications. In most cases, coronavirus patients are treated with steroids or anti-viral medications as well as nutritional supplements like vitamin D, folic acid, zinc, vitamin C and other such pills.
