The dangerous affinity between obesity and covid-19

Abstract

The objective was to identify some of the common denominators that undermine health and increase COVID-19 vulnerability. The virus has a binding affinity for ACE2 receptors which are abundant in adipose tissue, placing obesity at the spotlight of the COVID-19 susceptibility factors. Obese individuals manifest respiratory problems that elevate viral mortality rates. Visceral adiposity progressively increases with age, often accompanied by inflammation, high VLDL, triglycerides, Free T3 abnormalities, low testosterone, and exacerbated cortisol. Disturbances in the anorexic and orexigenic hormones leptin and ghrelin respectively, lead to weight gain, rendering physical activity challenging and cumbersome. The lack of exercise compromises health and immunity. Toxicity is enhanced by inactivity, while moderate exercise promotes cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), safeguarding against most chronic diseases. However, excessive exercise results in an inverse cortisol/testosterone relationship leading to hormonal imbalance. In search of solutions to proactively protect public health, we conducted a randomized double-blind clinical trial on ten overweight menopausal women with medical issues including diabetes and hyperphagia, to investigate the possibility of weight reduction and increased appetite regulation. Results delineated a statistically significant decrease in BMI, visceral adipose tissue, VLDL, and triglycerides, an inverse relationship between both testosterone/cortisol and leptin/ghrelin, and reduced hyperphagia. Testosterone and leptin, along with Free T3 and IGF-1 climbed towards the peak of the normal range, juxtaposed by cortisol and ghrelin that decreased but without regressing outside normalcy.