The Evident and the Hidden Factors of Vitamin D Status in Older People During COVID-19 Pandemic

Overview

Journal Nutrire

Specialty Nutritional Sciences

Date 2024 Apr 16

PMID 38624693

Authors

Paula Schmidt Azevedo

Ricardo Ambrosio Fock

Filipe Leal Pereira

Priscila Portugal Dos Santos

Flavio Cruz Ferro

Nataly Sacco

Bertha Furlan Polegato

Leonardo Mamede Zornoff

Marina Politi Okoshi

Wilco Achterberg

Sergio Rupp de Paiva

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, vitamin D is a target of research and speculation. Lockdown or home isolation reduces sunlight exposition and increases the risk of vitamin D deficiency. Special attention is needed for older people at risk of both severe forms of COVID-19 and vitamin D deficiency. This review aims to highlight the association of vitamin D and COVID-19 in two instances, the direct influence of vitamin D on the immune system, and the indirect risks for other vitamin D deficiency-related diseases, such as musculoskeletal properties in older persons.

Methods: We performed a narrative review.

Results: Whether vitamin D deficiency is associated with COVID-19 poor prognosis, and if vitamin D supplementation may improve the post-infection outcomes is still unclear. In any case, the pandemic generates indirect burden, such as the sequence: home isolation, low sunlight exposition, vitamin D deficiency, and fragility fractures.

Conclusion: Therefore, it is time to debate how to optimize vitamin D status in older people, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citing Articles

Fruit and vegetable consumption during the COVID-19 lockdown in Sri Lanka: an online survey.

Sooriyaarachchi P, Francis T, Jayawardena R Nutrire. 2024; 47(2):12.

PMID: 38625301 PMC: 9205284. DOI: 10.1186/s41110-022-00161-z.

Editorial: Micronutrients and critically ill patients.

Lazzarin T, Azevedo P, Cardoso B, Suen V, Minicucci M Front Med (Lausanne). 2024; 10:1352808.

PMID: 38259853 PMC: 10800845. DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1352808.

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