ArticleClinical nutrition ESPEN2022
Fatigue in Covid-19 survivors: The potential impact of a nutritional supplement on muscle strength and function.
Article in Clinical nutrition ESPEN, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06137833 (Clinical Study on Wide Spectrum Micronutrients Supplementation in Patients With Cancer Related Fatigue During Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Chemotherapy), which is not on this map. Cited by 11 papers.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Clinical Study on Wide Spectrum Micronutrients Supplementation in Patients With Cancer Related Fatigue During Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Chemotherapy
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Impact of nutrition on long COVID.Sports medicine and health science · 2026Review
- Physical activity during COVID-19 pandemic: A 5-year retrospect.Sports medicine and health science · 2025Review
- A Comprehensive Scoping Review on Diet and Nutrition in Relation to Long COVID-19 Symptoms and Recovery.Nutrients · 2025Article
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- Addressing Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome in Cancer Patients, from Visceral Obesity and Myosteatosis to Systemic Inflammation: Implications in Cardio-Onco-Metabolism.Biomedicines · 2024Review
- Anti-inflammatory dietary pattern is associated with handgrip strength decline: a prospective cohort study.European journal of nutrition · 2023Article
- Post-COVID Symptoms in Occupational Cohorts: Effects on Health and Work Ability.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Use of First-Line Oral Analgesics during and after COVID-19: Results from a Survey on a Sample of Italian 696 COVID-19 Survivors with Post-Acute Symptoms.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- Inadequate Physical Activity Is Associated with Worse Physical Function in a Sample of COVID-19 Survivors with Post-Acute Symptoms.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- COVID-19 and sarcopenia-related traits: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFatigue with reduced tolerance to exercise is a common persistent long-lasting feature amongst COVID-19 survivors. The assessment of muscle function in this category of patients is often neglected.
aimTo evaluate the potential impact of a daily supplementation based on amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and plant extracts (Apportal®) on muscle function, body composition, laboratory parameters and self-rated health in a small group of COVID-19 survivors affected by fatigue.
methodsThirty participants were enrolled among patients affected by physical fatigue during or after acute COVID-19 and admitted to the post-COVID-19 outpatient service at Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli in Rome between 1st March 2021 and 30th April 2021. All participants were evaluated at first visit (t0) and at control visit (t1), after taking a daily sachet of Apportal® for 28 days. Muscle function was analyzed using hand grip strength test, exhaustion strength time and the number of repetitions at one-minute chair stand test. Body composition was assessed with bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Laboratory parameters, including standard blood biochemistry and ferritin levels, were evaluated at the first visit and during the control visit. A quick evaluation of self-rated health, before COVID-19, at t0 and t1, was obtained through a visual analogue scale (VAS).
resultsParticipants aged 60 years and older were 13 (43%). Females represented the 70% of the study sample. Participants hospitalized for COVID-19 with low-flow oxygen supplementation represented the 43.3% of the study sample while 3.3% received noninvasive ventilation (NIV) or invasive ventilation. Hand grip strength improved from 26.3 Kg to 28.9 Kg (p < 0.05) at t1 as compared to t0. The mean time of strength exhaustion increased from 31.7 s (sec) at t0 to 47.5 s at t1 (p < 0.05). Participants performed a higher number of repetitions (28.3 vs. 22.0; p < 0.05) during the one-minute chair stand test at t1 as compared to t0. A trend, although not significant, in reduction of ferritin levels was found after nutritional supplementation (94.4 vs. 84.3, respectively; p = 0.01). The self-rated health status increased by at least 13 points (t0, mean 57.6 ± 5.86; t1, mean 71.4 ± 6.73; p < 0.05).
conclusionsAfter 28 days of nutritional supplementation with Apportal® in COVID-19 survivors affected by fatigue with reduced tolerance to exercise, we found a significant improvement in means of muscle strength and physical performance, associated with enhancement of self-rated health status between t0 and t1.
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