Natural Support Strategies for Long COVID Recovery in Ireland

Natural Support Strategies for Long COVID Recovery in Ireland

More than two years after the pandemic peak, many people in Ireland and worldwide are still struggling with Long COVID — a condition where symptoms last for months, or even years, after infection.

Common Long COVID Symptoms

People affected often describe:

• Ongoing fatigue and exhaustion
• Brain fog or memory problems
• Shortness of breath or chest tightness
• Aches in muscles and joints
• Disturbed sleep
• Anxiety or low mood

The HSE’s Follow-up After Disease Acquisition (FADA) Survey found that many people in Ireland were still unwell more than a year after infection, with fatigue and cognitive difficulties among the most common complaints (HSE, 2024). Another Irish study reported that nearly 9 in 10 people with Long COVID had not returned to their pre-COVID health (O’Mahony et al., 2022).

Could It Be Long COVID?

Many people experiencing ongoing tiredness, brain fog, or breathlessness may not realise these issues could be connected to Long COVID. Because there is no single diagnostic test, it is often identified by symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks after infection. Some people may not even recall having COVID-19 in the first place, especially if their initial illness was mild. If you’ve been struggling with unexplained symptoms since the pandemic, it may be worth discussing the possibility of Long COVID with your GP.

What the Science Shows About Long COVID

Long COVID is complex, and there may be several overlapping reasons why symptoms persist. Current research highlights the following mechanisms:

• Chronic inflammation – the immune system stays activated even after infection (Alghamdi et al., 2025).
• Autonomic dysfunction – problems with the nervous system, such as dizziness or changes in heart rate, sometimes described as POTS (Forchette et al., 2025).
• Microclot formation – small blood clots may reduce oxygen delivery, leading to fatigue and brain fog (Hulscher et al., 2023).
• Mitochondrial dysfunction – when cells struggle to produce enough energy (Colgan et al., 2025).
• Spike protein persistence – viral proteins have been detected in tissues such as the brain and blood vessels months after infection or vaccination (Reveret et al., 2023).

At present, there is no cure for Long COVID. Care in Ireland focuses on supportive approaches such as rehabilitation and pacing, but interest is growing in complementary strategies, including nutrition and natural compounds.

Natural Compounds Under Study

A number of natural ingredients are being researched for their potential to support recovery:

• Nattokinase – an enzyme from fermented soybeans, studied for its ability to break down fibrin and improve blood flow; it has also been shown in vitro to degrade spike protein (Tanikawa et al., 2022).
• Bromelain – an enzyme from pineapple stems with inflammation-modulating properties, often combined with curcumin (Kritis et al., 2020).
• Curcumin – the main active compound in turmeric, which reduces inflammatory signalling and has been shown in silico to block spike protein binding (Nag et al., 2022).
• Nigella sativa (black seed) – contains thymoquinone and has immune-modulating and antioxidant properties (Niu et al., 2021).
• Vitamin C & Zinc – essential nutrients for immune defence, oxidative stress protection, and tissue repair.

 These compounds are not approved treatments for Long COVID, but they may play a supportive role in overall health and resilience.

Building a Supportive Recovery Routine

Recovery often takes time and is not always linear. Helpful strategies may include:

• Medical follow-up: Regular check-ins with your GP are essential. In some cases, antibody testing (available through providers like Better2Know) may be used to assess immune status.
• Energy pacing: Overexertion can trigger relapses. A clinical trial showed that symptom-guided, gradual exercise improved function in people with post-COVID conditions (Ladlow et al., 2024).
• Stress management: Stress can worsen symptoms. A UCLA study found that self-regulation therapy, including breathwork, improved both physical and emotional health in Long COVID patients (Emerson et al., 2024).
• Restoring sleep and circadian rhythm: Poor sleep is common. Research suggests circadian rhythm disruption contributes to fatigue and cognitive problems (Goldstein, 2022).
• Nutrition and metabolism: Dietary approaches such as ketogenic therapy have shown promising case-level improvements in fatigue and autonomic symptoms. This involves following an anti-inflammatory diet — rich in whole foods, vegetables, healthy fats, and low in processed sugars — may help reduce fatigue and support overall recovery (Colgan et al., 2025).

Nattokinase+ as a Natural Support Strategy

For those looking for simplicity, multi-ingredient formulas can be an easy way to combine several researched compounds.

Nattokinase+ brings together nattokinase, bromelain, curcumin, black seed extract, vitamin C, zinc, and piperine in one capsule. These ingredients contribute to:

• Normal immune system function (vitamin C, zinc)
• Protection of cells from oxidative stress (vitamin C)
• Support for circulation and blood flow (enzymes under study)
• General vitality and resilience

 Nattokinase+ is not a treatment or cure for COVID-19 or Long COVID. It is designed to support immune health, circulation, and inflammation balance as part of a healthy lifestyle.

If you’re exploring natural support strategies for Long COVID, speak with your healthcare provider about your options — and sign up to our newsletter for more recovery insights.

References & Further Reading

Irish Research on Long COVID

HSE (2024) – Examining the Long-Term Impact of Acute COVID-19 Disease (FADA Survey). Read Report

O’Mahony et al. (2022) – Impact of Long COVID on health and quality of life in an Irish cohort. HRB Open Research. Read Study

Mechanisms & Immune Changes

Alghamdi et al. (2025) – Altered cytokine profile among young adults after mRNA vaccination: A year-long follow-up. Immunity, Inflammation and Disease. Read Article

Hulscher et al. (2023) – Clinical approach to post-acute sequelae after COVID-19 infection and vaccination. Cureus. Read Study

Ota et al. (2025) – Spike protein expression in cerebral arteries after mRNA vaccination: Implications for stroke. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. Read Article

Reveret et al. (2023) –Higher ACE2 levels in the brain of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease: Implications for viral entry and inflammation. Acta Neuropathological Communications. Read Article

Natural Compounds Under Study

Tanikawa et al. (2022) – Nattokinase degrades the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Molecules. Read Article

Kritis et al. (2020) – Bromelain and curcumin as immune-boosting nutraceuticals against severe COVID-19. Metabolism Open. Read Article

Nag et al. (2022) – Curcumin inhibits Omicron spike protein binding (in silico study). Computers in Biology and Medicine. Read Article

Niu et al. (2021) – Nigella sativa (black seed) as an immune-modulator. Frontiers in Nutrition. Read Study

Lifestyle & Recovery Approaches

Colgan et al. (2025) – Ketogenic metabolic therapy improves Long COVID symptoms: A case report. Case Reports in Clinical Medicine. Read Article

Ladlow et al. (2024) – Symptom-guided exercise rehabilitation for post-COVID condition: A randomized trial. JAMA Network Open. Read Article

Emerson et al. (2024) – Long COVID patients report improvements after self-regulation therapy. UCLA Health News. Read Article

Goldstein (2022) – Circadian rhythm disruption as a factor in Long COVID fatigue. Frontiers in Neuroscience. Read Article