Influence of physical activity on serum vitamin D levels in people with multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Background: In most cases, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients reduce physical activity with disease progression and many patients are found to be vitamin D deficient. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of daily physical activity in everyday life on 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 (25(OH)D3) serum levels in mildly disabled patients with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) ≤ 4.Methods: We analyzed serum 25(OH)D3 levels and recorded daily physical activity (activity duration, number of steps, distance, total calorie consumption) using an activity tracker for 14-days in 25 women and 15 men. Participants recorded their daily sun exposure time by diary during the study period.Results: We found a positive correlation between physical activity and 25(OH)D3 levels in both, Pearson correlation (r = 0.221) and multivariate regression analysis (B = 0.308, β = 0.236), which was stronger than correlation with sunlight exposure (B = -0.044, β = -0.081). EDSS and physical activity were weakly correlated (r = -0.228), but no correlation between EDSS and 25(OH)D3 levels was found (r = -0.077). There were no relevant differences in physical activity (p = 0.803) and 25(OH)D3 concentrations (p = 0.385) between the EDSS groups 0 – 1.5 and 2.0 – 4.0.Conclusion: Physical activity has an independent effect on vitamin D levels in MS patients with low-grade disability.

The Use of Consumer Wearable Physical Activity Monitors in Clinical Populations with Functional L imitations

“…The ActConnect study explored factors associated with lower PA in individuals with RA and axial spondyloarthritis using a smartwatch [ 36 ]. For people with MS, a Beurer AS 80 and Yamax SW 200 Digiwalker were used to determine cross sectional associations of serum vitamin D levels and activity capacity with daily PA levels [ 42 , 43 ]. For individuals who experienced gout flares, were in the early stages of PD, were stroke survivors, and experience fibromyalgia, step counts and time spent in MVPA from a Fitbit device worn for ≥ 7 days was used to measure PA levels [ 39 , 41 , 44 – 46 ].…”

“…Utility: Consumer WPAMs have also been utilized to measure prospective and cross-sectional associations of PA with functional disability and other chronic conditions for clinical populations. The ActConnect study explored factors associated with lower PA in individuals with RA and axial spondyloarthritis using a smartwatch [36] [42,43]. For individuals who experienced gout flares, were in the early stages of PD, were stroke survivors, and experience fibromyalgia, step counts and time spent in MVPA from a Fitbit device worn for ≥ 7 days was used to measure PA levels [39,41,[44][45][46].…”