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People with Long COVID have an almost four-fold increase of losing their taste and smell compared to those without the condition, according to an international analysis of 15 million people.

Researchers from the University of Leicester combed through 50 research papers to examine the increased risk of up to 42 long-term symptoms of COVID-19.

The study – funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands – was carried out to determine if the risk of ongoing symptoms was higher amongst individuals who had contracted COVID-19 compared to people who were not infected.

The 50 studies reviewed and included were published from 2021 to 2024 and reported on the symptoms of 1,413,970 people with COVID-19 and compared the risk of these symptoms with 13,247,625 others who did not have the condition and included both children and adults.

The most common symptoms brought on by Long COVID included loss of smell with over a four-fold increased risk compared to the general population, loss of taste with nearly a four-fold risk, poor concentration with a nearly a two-fold increased chance, while impaired memory had a 2.5-fold risk and hair loss carried a two-fold chance.

Lead researcher Dr Lauren O'Mahoney, Research Associate, said: “Long COVID has negatively impacted the lives of millions of people globally, and continues to increase the burden on health and social care systems.

“As a result, it is important to continually evaluate the existing literature on the long-term health effects of Long COVID in the general population to inform health and social care planning, as well as future interventions and therapeutics.”

She added: “The primary objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the risk of all reported symptoms of Long COVID in general populations infected with SARS-CoV-2 compared to uninfected comparator/control populations.”

Professor Kamlesh Khunti, Director of NIHR ARC East Midlands, Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester and senior author and Chair of the Long COVID study group said: “This research carried out in Leicester is important because of the answers it brings to the table globally.

“We now know more about the long-term symptoms of COVID-19, and this study will help manage and improve the lives of people with Long COVID.”

NIHR ARC East Midlands funds vital work to tackle the region’s health and care priorities by speeding up the adoption of research onto the frontline of health and social care. The organisation puts in place evidence-based innovations which seek to drive up standards of care and save time and money.

NIHR ARC East Midlands is hosted by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and works in collaboration with the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network. It has bases at the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham.