SYDNEY, April 28 (Xinhua) -- COVID-19 vaccines do not cause significant metabolic changes, easing concerns about potential long-term side effects, a study from Australia's Murdoch University said on Monday.
The research followed 33 participants over 480 days, tracking 167 metabolic markers across 28 time points, according to a news release of Murdoch University's Australian National Phenome Center, based in Western Australia.
The results showed no meaningful impact on key health indicators, including inflammatory markers, cardiovascular risk factors, and molecules involved in energy metabolism, it said.
"This real-world study shows that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and don't cause significant metabolic changes," said the study's lead author, Associate Professor Ruey Leng Loo.
"Our findings help counter misinformation and support confidence in vaccination," Loo said.
Published in the Journal of Molecular Medicine, the research compared vaccinated participants with a control group who had never contracted COVID-19, as well as individuals who had experienced mild infections.
The metabolic profiles of vaccinated individuals closely matched those of the control group, further indicating that vaccines do not trigger major biological shifts, the study said.
While a slight, temporary increase in the inflammation-related marker Chemokine IP10 was observed after the third dose, levels remained within the normal range and returned to baseline before subsequent vaccinations, Loo said.
In contrast, even mild COVID-19 infections were found to cause more pronounced metabolic disruptions than vaccination, she said, adding that these results should reassure anyone hesitant about vaccination, and multiple doses do not produce the same biological disturbances seen after infection. ■
