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Review
. 2021;46(1):1.
doi: 10.1186/s41110-020-00131-3. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

The evident and the hidden factors of vitamin D status in older people during COVID-19 pandemic

Paula Schmidt Azevedo  1 , Ricardo Ambrosio Fock  2 , Filipe Leal Pereira  1 , Priscila Portugal Dos Santos  1 , Flavio Cruz Ferro  1 , Nataly Sacco  1 , Bertha Furlan Polegato  1 , Leonardo Mamede Zornoff  1 , Marina Politi Okoshi  1 , Wilco Achterberg  3 , Sergio Rupp de Paiva  1
Affiliations
Review

The evident and the hidden factors of vitamin D status in older people during COVID-19 pandemic

Paula Schmidt Azevedo et al. Nutrire. 2021.

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.

Keywords: COVID-19; Care homes; Frailty; Older people; Vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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