> But what is fundamentally causing these environments? With the caveat that this doesn't contain an answer, cf. cited studies https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc

> But what is fundamentally causing these environments? With the caveat that this doesn't contain an answer, cf. cited studies https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8469745/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8469745/ ("inflammation, difficulty in gas exchange in the lungs and thrombosis" during early infection causes a self-reinforcing cycle of metabolic acidosis: decrease in blood pH leads to decrease in oxygen saturation, which exacerbates the acidosis) and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32738466/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32738466/ (increased general COVID-19 vulnerability correlating with increased lactate dehydrogenase levels). The OP study suggests in the broader context that a person more prone to acidosis is more likely to have a much longer and worse experience with COVID. This isn't necessarily news because acidosis was already well correlated with worse short-term COVID outcomes, but if treating the acidosis can substantially treat the symptoms of PASC/long COVID - which one of the authors attempts to experimentally prove on the smallest meaningful sample size of herself - then identifying and treating the cause of _pre-infection_ acidosis risk factors might reduce the likelihood and potency of long COVID. COVID's already been shown to have a harmful effect on renal health post-illness: https://journals.lww.com/jasn/fulltext/2021/11000/kidney_outcomes_in_long_covid.19.aspx https://journals.lww.com/jasn/fulltext/2021/11000/kidney_out..., https://www.nature.com/articles/s41581-021-00487-3 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41581-021-00487-3 And a strong correlation to both complications in diabetic patients and as a potential cause of diabetes: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/reports/reportcard/diabetes-and-covid19.html https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/reports/reportcard/diab... And since two of the strongest causes of metabolic acidosis are poor renal health and poorly managed diabetes, it feels like there's a case for at least experimentally trying to treat long COVID with a combination of renal nutrition (low-acid/high-alkaline diet, more alkaline-forming foods, alkaline water, less alcohol, more sodium citrate or bicarbonate) and pre-diabetic treatment (stop smoking, exercise, increase low-starch vegetable intake, treat high blood pressure). Or tl;dr: eat all brussels sprouts and carrots, go play outside more, and stop eating and drinking so much crap. Preferably before you get COVID, but especially after.