ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Medica 2022 August;113(4):683-94

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4806.22.07992-7

Copyright © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Nutrition program, physical activity and gut microbiota modulation: a randomized controlled trial to promote a healthy lifestyle in students with vitamin D3 deficiency

Anastasiia TOKARCHUK ¹, Ludovico ABENAVOLI ² ✉, Nazarii KOBYLIAK ^{3, 4}, Maria KHOMENKO ¹, Mariia REVUN ¹, Nadiia DOLGAIA ¹, Nataliia MOLOCHEK ¹, Olena TSYRYUK ¹, Anna GARNYTSKA ⁵, Valentyna KONAKH ³, Rinaldo PELLICANO ⁶, Sharmila FAGOONEE ⁷, Liudmyla OSTAPCHENKO ¹, Tetyana FALALYEYEVA ^{1, 4}

¹ Educational and Scientific Centre, Institute of Biology and Medicine, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine; ² Department of Health Sciences, Magna Grecia University, Catanzaro, Italy; ³ Department of Endocrinology, Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine; ⁴ Medical Laboratory CSD, Kyiv, Ukraine; ⁵ Department of Diabetology, Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine; ⁶ Unit of Gastroenterology, Molinette Hospital, Turin, Italy; ⁷ Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Molecular Biotechnology Center, Turin, Italy

BACKGROUND: University students are a high-risk group for stress, consumption of junk food and significant weight gain over a short period. Inadequate vitamin D intake has been linked to many health issues, including chronic headache, apathy, aggression and depression. Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency led to dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. The purpose of our study was to estimate the effect of 90-days healthy lifestyle programs along with gut microbiota modulation in university students with vitamin D3 deficiency.
METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 130 students (18-25 years old) with vitamin D deficiency were recruited. Both the standard care group (N.=65) and the intervention group (N.=65) received a 3-months course of individually selected nutrition program and physical activity (8000-10,000 steps daily). The intervention group received an additional treatment with synbiotic Acidolac and vitamin D3 for 3 months. The psycho-emotional status of the participants was assessed by a validated questionnaire that examined situational anxiety. In all students, blood pressure, anthropometric variables, as well as laboratory metabolic parameters, were recorded.
RESULTS: In both groups, vitamin D3 deficiency was associated with instability and lability of mental processes, mood swings, bad sleep, high rates of stuck and agitation for any problem. Combined therapy (diet, physical activity and synbiotic) induced a significant improvement in the psycho-emotional state of students. The 90-days therapy vitamin D3 increased the level of vitamin D3 in serum in the intervention group. Lastly, we observed a decrease in the body weight, body mass index, waist circumference and fatty mass, only in students included in the interventional group.
CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition program, physical activity, vitamin D3 intake and gut microbiota modulation led to both the improvement in vitamin D levels in serum and emotional harmonization.

KEY WORDS: Gastrointestinal microbiome; Vitamin D; Nutrition therapy; Exercise; Life style; Synbiotics; Depression