This article belongs to the Special Issue Preventing the Adverse Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 through Diet, Supplements and Lifestyle.
"Abstract
Objective: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 severity. This multi-center randomized clinical trial aims to determine the effects of 5000 IU versus 1000 IU daily oral vitamin D3 supplementation in the recovery of symptoms and other clinical parameters among mild to moderate COVID-19 patients with sub-optimal vitamin D status...
Results: Vitamin D supplementation for 2 weeks caused a significant increase in serum 25(OH)D levels in the 5000 IU group only (adjusted p = 0.003). Within-group comparisons also showed a significant decrease in BMI and IL-6 levels overtime in both groups... Kaplan–Meier survival analysis revealed that the 5000 IU group had a significantly shorter time to recovery (days) than the 1000 IU group in resolving cough, even after adjusting for age, sex, baseline BMI, and D-dimer (6.2 ± 0.8 versus 9.1 ± 0.8; p = 0.039), and ageusia (loss of taste) (11.4 ± 1.0 versus 16.9 ± 1.7; p = 0.035).
Conclusion: A 5000 IU daily oral vitamin D3 supplementation for 2 weeks reduces the time to recovery for cough and gustatory sensory loss among patients with sub-optimal vitamin D status and mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms. The use of 5000 IU vitamin D3 as an adjuvant therapy for COVID-19 patients with suboptimal vitamin D status, even for a short duration, is recommended.
Discussion
... [T]he present study is the first clinical trial for vitamin D and COVID-19 conducted in the Middle East, a region with one of the highest prevalences of vitamin D deficiency in the world, especially in Saudi Arabia (SA), which consequently, is one of the hardest hit by COVID-19 within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries...
5000 IU oral vitamin D3 taken daily for 2 weeks can substantially reduce the days of recovery from cough and ageusia, and this was clinically significant compared to those who took the standard dose for vitamin D deficiency management."
Funding: " The study was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research, Chair for Biomarkers of Chronic Diseases at King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA. Vitamin D supplements used in the intervention were provided by Synergy Pharma (Dubai, UAE)."
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