Background

Hyperinflammation may affect COVID-19 severity and progression. Vitamin D regulates inflammatory and immune responses,[1] and preliminary research indicates it may improve COVID-19 outcomes,[2] but overall, there’s still a lack of research on the effect of vitamin and mineral supplementation on COVID-19 severity.

The study

This was a study of 43 COVID-19 patients admitted to Singapore General Hospital between January 15 and April 15, 2020. Of those 43 patients, 17 received 150 mg of magnesium, 500 μg of B12, and 25 μg (1,000 IU) of D3 daily until they recovered or their symptoms deteriorated or 14 days had passed. The other 26 patients formed the control group. Investigators monitored the 43 patients for 30 days from the onset of symptoms or until hospital discharge. The primary outcome was the number of patients who had to receive supplemental oxygen or ICU support.

The results

The median duration of the protocol was five days. Fewer patients in the treatment group (3/17) required supplemental oxygen or ICU support than in the control group (16/26).

Note

Patients in the control group were older and tended to have more comorbidities than those in the treatment group.

Magnesium oxide, the form of magnesium used in this study, has poor bioavailability (rats absorbed only 15% in one study;[3] humans, only 4% in another[4]) and is especially liable to cause intestinal discomfort and diarrhea.[4][5][6]

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This Study Summary was published on November 5, 2020.

References

  1. ^Kai Yin, Devendra K AgrawalVitamin D and inflammatory diseasesJ Inflamm Res.(2014 May 29)
  2. ^Marta Entrenas Castillo, Luis Manuel Entrenas Costa, José Manuel Vaquero Barrios, Juan Francisco Alcalá Díaz, José López Miranda, Roger Bouillon, José Manuel Quesada Gomez"Effect of calcifediol treatment and best available therapy versus best available therapy on intensive care unit admission and mortality among patients hospitalized for COVID-19: A pilot randomized clinical study"J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol.(2020 Oct)
  3. ^Yoshimura Y, Fujisaki K, Yamamoto T, Shinohara YPharmacokinetic Studies of Orally Administered Magnesium Oxide in RatsYakugaku Zasshi.(2017 May 1)
  4. ^Firoz M, Graber MBioavailability of US commercial magnesium preparationsMagnes Res.(2001 Dec)
  5. ^Walker AF, Marakis G, Christie S, Byng MMg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind studyMagnes Res.(2003 Sep)
  6. ^Lindberg JS, Zobitz MM, Poindexter JR, Pak CYMagnesium bioavailability from magnesium citrate and magnesium oxideJ Am Coll Nutr.(1990 Feb)