Can Female Hormones Be A Possible Cure For Coronavirus?

Globally, more men have been infected with COVID-19 compared to women. This phenomenon has intrigued the researchers and doctors. Scientists postulate that biological differences in immunity, as well as behavioral factors may be the reason why women are more likely to survive.

There could be another explanation than just hormones behind this trend, according to a scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Sabra Klein.

To test whether female hormones prove effective as a treatment, doctors in California and New York are treating COVID-19 patients with female hormones: progesterone in Los Angeles and estrogen on Long Island.  An attempt to find another possible treatment for COVID-19 through hormones is underway. The Long Island estrogen study at Stony Brook University will have 110 emergency room patients (with both men and women having COVID-19 symptoms), but do not require ventilators. The Los Angeles Cedars-Sinai progesterone study has 40 men already admitted to the hospital for COVID-19, mentioned the New York Times.

As pulmonologist and physician at Cedars-Sinai hospital Dr Sara Ghandehari told the New York Times, “There’s a striking difference between the number of men and women in the intensive care unit, and men are clearly doing worse.” Men make up about 75% of Cedars-Sinai patients in intensive care and on ventilators due to COVID-19.

It is noteworthy that both hormones - Estrogen and progesterone - improve the immune system. These could also help researchers and doctors understand why the impact of COVID-19 is gender sensitive.