Effect of nutritional supplementation on skeletal muscle mass in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in a National Hospital, 2022

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 virus has generated a series of disorders such as hyporexia, fatigue, considerably impacting the atrophy of skeletal muscle mass, so the use of nutritional supplements is an alternative to avoid complications such as pneumonia, fatigue and muscle atrophy. Objective: To evaluate the effect of nutritional supplementation on skeletal muscle mass in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Materials and methods: Quantitative, quasi-experimental study, the population was composed of 32 patients hospitalized at the Cayetano Heredia Hospital. The sample was of 30 participants, the groups were formed in an intentional non-probabilistic way: one control and one research; 8 men and 7 women in the control group, the mean age was 52.33, range 26 and standard deviation 8.98; in the research group 9 men and 6 women, the mean age was 50.66, range 25 and standard deviation 8.49; who responded to previously established inclusion criteria, the control group was given a standardized balanced diet and the research group was additionally administered a nutritional supplement based on whey protein, leucine and vitamin D for 15 days. Skeletal muscle mass was assessed in both groups at the beginning and end of the nutritional intervention through electrical bioimpedance, the information was collected in a data sheet. Results: It was evidenced that most of the patients were male and adults older than 50 years. At the beginning of the investigation, both study groups presented decreased skeletal muscle mass (p<0.05), at the end of the nutritional intervention most of the participants in the control group improved (<(X)over bar>=22.05), while in the research group all improved ((X) over bar =24.67), the results showed a significant difference (p<0.00). Conclusions: The intake of the nutritional supplement based on whey protein, leucine and vitamin D is effective because it increases the skeletal muscle mass of patients hospitalized for COVID-19.