Research
Hormonal
Chronic psychological or physiological stress contributes to severe disease susceptibility by increasing cortisol, which suppresses immune function (specifically secretory IgA) and promotes dysbiosis, thereby increasing vulnerability to infection.
Manage chronic stress through mind-body interventions like diaphragmatic breathing or other relaxation techniques, as high stress levels can suppress your immune system and disrupt your gut health, making you more vulnerable to infections.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Chronic stress from psychological or physical factors has been shown to increase stress hormones, like cortisol, as well as inflammation and there is some evidence that mind-body interventions can be helpful in reversing these effects. Chronic stress also can increase vulnerability to infection and imbalances in the intestinal microbiome.
Why this rating
The paper cites animal models and human reviews linking stress to immune suppression and dysbiosis.
Source
Exploring the microbiome’s potential role in severe COVID-19: possible implications for prevention and treatment
Joyce Waterhouse · Authorea · 2020
DOI 10.22541/au.158758665.58622495
narrative_reviewCited 1×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Adopting a whole-food, plant-based or Mediterranean diet and reducing ultra-processed foods can reverse or prevent chronic inflammatory conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and COPD) by correcting gut dysbiosis and lowering inflammatory markers like IL-6 and CRP, thereby potentially reducing susceptibility to severe COVID-19.Moderate
- Moderate exercise (at least 150 minutes/week) positively impacts the gut microbiome and immune function, whereas excessive exercise may increase stress and decrease immune function.Moderate
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