COVID-19 and metabolic health: Lessons from a global pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical role of metabolic health in shaping susceptibility to infection, disease severity, therapeutic response, and vaccine-induced immunity. Accumulating clinical and experimental evidence has shown a bidirectional relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and metabolic dysfunction, whereby pre-existing cardiometabolic disorders exacerbate clinical outcomes, while COVID-19 itself induces acute and persistent metabolic derangements. This Special Issue explores COVID-19 through an immune-metabolic lens, integrating mechanistic insights, clinical perspectives, therapeutic strategies, and preventive approaches. Its contributions address key pathways linking SARS-CoV-2 to insulin resistance, adipose tissue dysfunction, hepatic inflammation, and immune dysregulation. They also critically evaluate metabolism-oriented pharmacological interventions, including drug repurposing and host-directed therapies, and examine the role of nutrition, lifestyle factors, and metabolic health in modulating disease severity and vaccine-induced humoral responses. Collectively, these works underscore metabolism as a central biological interface in COVID-19 pathophysiology and highlight integrated, host-centered strategies spanning prevention, treatment, and immune resilience. This Special Issue aims to advance understanding at the intersection of infectious disease and metabolism, and to stimulate future research toward improved risk stratification, therapeutic innovation, and long-term public health preparedness.