The effect of home-based aerobic training and vitamin D supplementation on fatigue and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis during COVID-19 outbreak

OBJECTIVES: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common neurological disease that causes disability in the nervous system, which reduces the quality of life (QoL). Studies have shown positive effects of therapeutic exercise with supplementation on motor- and cognitive function, fatigue, and QoL in individuals with MS. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of home-based aerobic training (AT) and vitamin D (Vit D) supplementation on fatigue and QoL in patients with MS during the COVID-19 outbreak. EQUIPMENT AND METHODS: We recruited 40 females (20–40 years) with MS (EDSS: 3–5). The subjects were then randomly assigned to one of four groups: AT (n = 9; 50–75 percent, 20–40 minutes per day, three days per week), Vit D supplementation (Vit D; n = 9; 50,000 IU one day per week), AT plus Vit D supplementation (AT + Vit D; n = 10), and sedentary control (C; n = 10 placebo). The data were analyzed using paired t-test and one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test using SPSS 26 at a significance level of P < 0.05. RESULTS: After eight weeks of intervention, fatigue grade markedly reduced in the AT + Vit D, AT, and Vit D groups); However, fatigue increased in the control group. QoL increased significantly in AT + Vit D, AT, and Vit D compared to C. Also, the results show that the AT + Vit D had significantly higher QoL than AT and Vit D. These findings suggest that therapeutic AT and Vit D supplementation effectively reduces fatigue and improves the QoL in female MS patients.