Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Muscle Status in Old Patients Recovering from COVID-19 Infection

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Vitamin D, in addition to its effect on mineral homeostasis, plays a key role in muscle metabolism. Vitamin D supplementation is involved in muscle recovery after damage as a consequence of either pathology or after high-intensity exercise. In this context, the aim of this study was to analyze the effect of vitamin D on muscle fitness in elderly patients in the recovery phase after SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection. Materials and Methods: This pilot study was conducted at the Soria Norte Health Center. The study consisted of a double-blind trial with two groups of men (placebo and vitamin D-supplemented) (n = 15/group). Treatment with vitamin D (cholecalciferol: 2000 IU/day) and placebo was carried out for 6 weeks. Circulating hematological and biochemical parameters (total protein, glucose, vitamin D, urea, uric acid, aspartate aminotransferase/glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, alanine aminotransferase/glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, aldolase, gamma-glutamyl transferase and myoglobin) and the hormones cortisol and testosterone were determined. As for respiratory function tests, FEV1 and respiratory flow were also studied. For physical fitness tests, the “six-minute walk test” (6MWT) was used. Results: After vitamin D supplementation, we observed that serum creatine kinase levels returned to optimal values. This change suggests a protective role of vitamin D against muscle catabolism compared to placebo. In terms of physical test results, we observed only slight non-significant improvements, although patients reported feeling better. Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation produces decreases in indicators of muscle damage, which may ultimately contribute to improving the health status and quality of life of patients who have suffered from COVID-19, during the recovery process.

Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on COVID-19 Related Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Nine studies were RCTs [ 3 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 , 25 , 26 , 27 ] and fourteen, NRIS [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 11 , 14 , 15 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. All trials were performed in adults (≥18 years), with the exception of one study that included participants over 15 years old [ 11 ] ( Table 1 ).…”

“…Overall, 1548 (873 intervention: 675 control) participants were included in clinical trials and 5,868,641 (9764 intervention: 5858877 control) participants were included in NRIS. Most studies were conducted in Spain [ 3 , 6 , 14 , 25 , 26 , 33 , 34 ], with three in France [ 4 , 5 , 28 ] and Italy [ 15 , 30 , 35 ], two in India [ 8 , 13 ], and one each in Brazil [ 12 ], Britain [ 31 ], Canada [ 27 ], Iraq [ 11 ], Saudi Arabia [ 9 ], Turkey [ 29 ], Mexico [ 10 ], and United States [ 32 ]. A total of five studies (one RCT [ 27 ] and four NRIS [ 11 , 14 , 31 , 32 ]) targeted vitamin D supplementation as primary prevention, five studies (two RCTs [ 8 , 10 ] and three NRIS [ 4 , 15 , 30 ]), as secondary prevention and thirteen studies (six RCTs [ 3 , 9 , 12 , 13 , 25 , 26 ] and seven NRIS [ 5 , 6 , 28 , 29 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]), as tertiary prevention.…”

“…Two studies on primary prevention were assessed as low risk of bias [ 14 , 27 ], whereas all of those pertaining to secondary prevention were evaluated as having some concerns [ 4 , 8 , 10 , 15 , 30 ]. In the tertiary prevention group, three RCTs [ 3 , 12 , 26 ] and one NRIS [ 33 ] were rated as low risk of bias; the remainder had some quality concerns ( Table 2 and Table 3 ).…”

Combined Effects of Exercise Training and Nutritional Supplementation in Cancer Patients in the Context of the COVID-19: A Perspective Study

“…Vitamin D hydroxylate in the kidney yield 1,25(OH)2D3, and it binds to the VDR to activate vitamin D response elements within target genes ( 95 ). Considering the effects of exercise training on VDR, the combination of exercise training and vitamin D supplementation can also be effective in regulating the effects of ACE2 and preventing severe cases of COVID-19 in cancer patients ( 96 ). However, more studies are needed, especially in cancer patients with different cancers and at different stages of cancer.…”

Intervenção nutricional em relação a COVID-19: uma revisão de literatura / Nutritional intervention in relation to COVID-19: a literature review

“…Também houve diminuição significativa no IMC e nos níveis de Interleucina (IL) -6. Caballero-García e colaboradores (2021), após análise de seus resultados, observaram que os níveis de creatina quinase sérica voltaram aos valores ideais nos indivíduos com suplementação, sungerindo papel protetor da vitamina D contra o catabolismo muscular, de modo que a suplementação com vitamina D produz reduções nos indicadores de lesão muscular, contribuindo para um melhor estado de saúde dos pacientes(Caballero-García et al, 2021).Em relação a suplementação do ômega-3, os achadosde Doaei et al (2021), mostraram que os níveis de vários parâmetros da função respiratória e renal de pacientes críticos com COVID-19 melhoraram. O grupo de intervenção recebeu uma cápsula de 1.000 mg de ômega-3/dia contendo 400 mg de EPAs e 200 mg de DHAs por um período de 14 dias, adicionando-se à fórmula enteral.…”