A Fasting Pilot Study for Long COVID

A Prospective Pilot Study to Evaluate the Feasibility of Prolonged Fasting for the Treatment of Long COVID Patients

NCT07418567•Université de Sherbrooke

Summary

Background Long COVID (LC) is a chronic multisystemic condition which substantially impact the quality of life. Despite the staggering burden of LC, there is still no effective treatment. Because fasting promotes anti-inflammatory and antioxidant responses, which are involved in the pathophysiology of LC, we hypothesized that it might improve daily functioning and health-related quality of life in patients with LC. The aim of this single center, one arm, prospective pilot clinical trial will be to assess the feasibility and acceptability of prolonged fasting for LC. The main questions aims to answers are; 1. Does in-home prolonged fasting (7 days) is feasible and acceptable for patients with LC 2. Is there a clinical benefit associated with fasting is LC patients Participants (adults 18 year and older) will be asked to 1. Fast for 7 days 2. Have in-person visit at baseline (day 0) and at day 9 for checkups and tests 3. Answer difference questionnnaires about their perceived health during and after fasting

Eligibility

Age

18 - 65 years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion Criteria

•Age 18-64 years
•Diagnosis Long Covid based on WHO criteria (post-acute COVID-19 symptoms persisting ≥12 weeks) and validiated by an experienced cinician
•Normal body Mass Index (18.5 to 39 kg/m2)
•Able to communicate in and comprehend English and/or French language
•Present written / signed declaration of consent
•Ability to understand the patient information and willingness to sign the consent form
•Willing to limit physical activity during prolonged fasting

Exclusion Criteria

•Current underweight condition (body mass index less than 18.5 kg/m2) or weight loss exceeding 3 kg within the last month or 5 kg within the last three months.
•Current or history of eating disorder (e.g., anorexia, bulimia).
•Psychiatric condition that limits understanding of the examination protocol (unable to consent)
•Participation in another intervention study.
•Fasting during the last six months
•Pregnancy or breastfeeding status.
•Diagnosis of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, celiac disease or colorectal cancer according to the guidelines of the Canadian Society of Gastroenterology
•Use of anti-psychotic drugs
•Start of novel drug therapy for long COVID
•Contraindication for additional blood draws (e.g. hemoglobin \<100)
+9 more criteria

Locations (1)

Centre de recherche du CIUSSSE-CHUS

Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

Key Dates

Start Date

May 1, 2025

Primary Completion Date

November 1, 2025

Completion Date

December 1, 2025

Last Updated

February 18, 2026

Enrollment

ACTUAL participants

Conditions

Long COVID Syndrome

Interventions

prolonged fasting

OTHER

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Data Source & Attribution

This clinical trial information is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

ClinicalTrials.gov last update: February 18, 2026Data synced to Clareo: March 29, 2026

Modifications: This data has been reformatted for display purposes. Eligibility criteria have been parsed into inclusion/exclusion sections. Location data has been geocoded to enable distance-based search. For the authoritative and most current information, please visit ClinicalTrials.gov.

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A Fasting Pilot Study for Long COVID

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

A Study to Examine Anktiva for the Treatment of COVID-19.

Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Plitidepsin in Adults with Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC)

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