Post Covid Digestive Issues
Why They Happen and What to Do About Them
If you've been struggling with unpredictable indigestion, bloating, or burning in your gut since recovering from COVID-19, you're not alone. A growing number of people are experiencing lingering digestive symptoms weeks or even months after clearing the virus. These issues can feel random, frustrating, and hard to pinpoint.
Why COVID-19 Disrupts Digestion
COVID-19 doesn’t just affect the lungs. It also targets the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The virus binds to ACE2 receptors — which are abundant in the lining of your gut — and can cause inflammation, damage, and dysfunction long after the initial infection clears.
Here are some common mechanisms:
Vagal nerve disruption: The vagus nerve controls digestion from your brain to your gut. COVID-related inflammation can interfere with this signal, leading to poor motility, indigestion, or even reflux-like pain without excess acid.
Histamine dysregulation: Post-COVID mast cell activation can lead to excessive histamine release in the gut, triggering bloating, burning, food sensitivity, and "random" flares.
Gut lining damage: The intestinal lining may become inflamed or leaky (increased permeability), allowing food particles or toxins to provoke immune reactions.
Microbiome shifts: Antibiotics, stress, or the infection itself can alter gut flora, leading to symptoms like gas, irregular stools, or post-meal discomfort.
Post-COVID Digestive Symptom Checklist
If you’ve had COVID and are experiencing digestive issues, see if any of these resonate:
Burning in the stomach or chest not linked to large meals
Random bloating or discomfort after eating
Reacting to foods that never used to bother you
Worsening symptoms during stress, around your period, or in hot weather
A feeling that your digestion is "off" even when eating clean
Symptoms improve with antihistamines (e.g., Pepcid)
Decision Tree: Is COVID the Root Cause of Your Digestive Issues?
Step 1: Timing
Did your symptoms start after a COVID infection? ✓ Continue
Did you have digestive issues before COVID that got worse? ✓ Possible overlap
Step 2: Symptom Pattern
Are your symptoms unpredictable and not tied to specific foods? ✓ Points to vagal or histamine involvement
Do you react to high-histamine foods like wine, aged cheese, avocado, or leftovers? ✓ Suspect histamine intolerance
Step 3: Medication Response
Does Pepcid or a DAO enzyme help? ✓ Supports histamine link
Do antacids or PPIs not really help? ✓ Points away from true acid reflux
Step 4: Triggers
Are symptoms worse with stress, heat, or after exercise? ✓ Suggests nerve sensitization
If most of your answers are “yes,” there's a good chance your digestion issues are post-COVID in origin.
What to Do About It
1. Calm the Gut-Brain Axis:
Support the vagus nerve: gargling, humming, deep breathing before meals
Eat slowly in a relaxed state
Consider low-dose melatonin at night to support mucosal healing
2. Reduce Histamine Load:
Try a low-histamine diet for 5–7 days
Use DAO enzyme before meals
Supplement with quercetin + vitamin C to stabilize mast cells
3. Repair the Gut Lining:
BPC-157 peptide (SubQ or oral) to promote repair and nerve regulation
GI Revive for gut lining support
4. Rebuild Gut Resilience:
Focus on sleep, hydration, and consistent meals
Gradually reintroduce probiotic foods or a broad-spectrum probiotic (if tolerated)
Avoid overly restrictive diets unless clearly beneficial
When to Seek Help
If your symptoms are severe, progressive, or accompanied by weight loss, anemia, or significant bowel changes, work with a functional medicine or GI practitioner. You may need deeper investigation into SIBO, H. pylori, or pancreatic function.
Post-COVID digestive issues can feel invisible to labs and confusing to treat — but they’re real, and they’re often reversible. By supporting your nervous system, reducing histamine burden, and repairing the gut lining, you can begin to restore balance.
You don’t have to live with unpredictable discomfort. Your body knows how to heal — it might just need the right support.