Scientists: High Estrogen Levels, Antacids May Reduce COVID-19 Risk

In the latest COVID-19 related news, scientists observed that high estrogen levels and a certain type of antacid may have positive effects versus symptoms of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. 

Swedish researchers evaluating public health records of postmenopausal women who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 found that augmenting estrogen levels might help reduce one's risk of death from COVID-19. The nationwide cohort involved 49,853 women who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 from February 4 to September 14 in Sweden in 2020. Of this number, 16,693 were aged 50 to 80 years old or already past menopause when estrogen levels naturally decline. 

Researchers observed that 17% of the 50-80-year-old group already taking estrogen supplements to manage menopausal symptoms were 53% less at risk for death from COVID-19 than the women who had not been taking supplements. The observations are just that, of course, as they have yet to be evaluated under a more extensive clinical setting, but they can serve as a jump-off point for any future studies on estrogen vs. COVID-19 death risks. 

"Estrogen supplementation in postmenopausal women is associated with a decreased risk of dying from COVID-19 in this nationwide cohort study. These findings are limited by the retrospective and non-randomized design. Further randomized intervention trials are warranted," noted the study summary published in BMJ Open. 

Meanwhile, scientists from Northwell Health and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in the U.S. observed that antacid drug famotidine may have helped resolve COVID-19 symptoms faster in non-hospitalized, unvaccinated adults manifesting mild-to-moderate infection symptoms. 

In a 55-participant randomized, controlled study, those who took Johnson & Johnson's over-the-counter antacid Pepsid, which contains famotidine, experienced a faster resolution in 14 out of 16 symptoms. Half of the participants took the drug thrice a day for two weeks, while the other half was given a placebo. 

"We found that famotidine is safe at the higher doses used and see molecular and clinical evidence that it improves the recovery of symptomatic patients of diverse ancestries diagnosed with Covid-19. We closely monitored patients in this fully remote clinical trial while protecting their safety and that of health care providers in pandemic conditions. We hope that the data we are sharing with this study guide future trials that are necessary to confirm famotidine as a treatment for patients," commented Tobias Janowitz, M.D., Ph.D., the trial's principal investigator, in a news release. 

The symptoms that were said to have been quickly resolved included difficulty breathing, loss of taste and smell, and abdominal discomfort. An estimated 50% reduction from baseline symptoms was observed at 8.2 days for the famotidine group versus 11.4 days for the placebo group. The differences did not account for race, gender, or ethnicity. 

Details of this research are published in the journal Gut. 

"Famotidine was safe and well-tolerated in outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19. Famotidine led to earlier resolution of symptoms and inflammation without reducing anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity. Additional randomized trials are required," the report said.