Research is a core part of what we do at Visible. We don’t want to just make a better way to manage complex health conditions, but advance our understanding of them and ultimately find treatments.

2 years ago, we launched in-app studies. A way for you to share the data you're already collecting for yourself with researchers around the world.

For those that have enrolled, we’ve connected their anonymized data with researchers at leading institutions, including Mt Sinai Health System, Imperial College London and PLRC.

We’re excited to share that last week we submitted a new paper for peer-review, and that this week, we’re launching a new study. Read on to find out more…

New insights: Visible reveals an effect of ovarian hormones on Long COVID and ME/CFS symptoms

Over 3,000 people contributed their anonymized Visible data to help researchers from Imperial College London explore how the menstrual cycle impacts Long Covid and ME/CFS. This became the largest longitudinal dataset ever studied in this area, and after months of analysis, we’re excited to share that the results are finally in, here's the researchers found:

• Symptoms & crashes fluctuate with the cycle – They tend to worsen during menstruation and improve mid-cycle. This suggests that scheduling more demanding activities during the middle of the cycle—when crashes are less likely—could be beneficial.
• Combined hormonal contraception may play a role – People using the combined pill or patch reported milder symptoms and fewer crashes than those not using contraception. However, this effect wasn’t seen in those using progestin-only contraception (mini-pill, IUS, implant). This points to a potential role for oestrogen in these conditions and could help inform future treatment strategies.

The results have now been submitted for preprint (not yet peer-reviewed), and you can read the full paper here.

This is the most comprehensive study on the impact of the menstrual cycle on symptoms. Frequent patient anecdotes and early surveys gave us early signs that this aspect of these conditions was wildly under-researched and overlooked. We’re excited that we’ve contributed significant findings, not just to validate patient experiences, but to the broader research community to continue to research this aspect of the conditions and potentially help point us towards new treatment strategies.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed their data to this study. It’s not lost on us the sensitivity of this kind of data, and we’re extremely grateful that you’ve trusted Visible and Imperial to analyze it.

New study: investigating the role of atmospheric conditions on symptoms

Many people with Long COVID, ME/CFS, and related conditions report that their symptoms change with the seasons or even based on where they live. Research on overlapping conditions has found that factors like air quality, temperature, and barometric pressure can have a significant impact on symptoms—but this area remains largely unexplored.

With Visible’s extensive dataset, we have a unique opportunity to investigate these connections. That’s why we’re partnering with Dr. David Putrino and his team at Mt Sinai Health System to study how atmospheric conditions affect symptoms in people with complex chronic illnesses.

By identifying patterns, we hope to deepen our understanding of these conditions and uncover insights that could help with symptom management—whether through pacing strategies or environmental adaptations.

We’re excited to launch this study today. If you’re a Visible app user and want to take part, head to the Research section of the Community tab to share your data anonymously with researchers.

With your help, we can continue our work to advance our understanding of these conditions. Together, we can push for better answers—and, ultimately, better treatments.

Onwards!

Harry

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