Abstract:Objective To evaluate the clinical effects of vitamin D combined with nutritional support and exercise intervention in the treatment of sarcopenia in the elderly.Methods A total of 104 patients with sarcopenia admitted to the 960 Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army Joint Service Support Force between October 2021 and December 2024, were randomly assigned to either the control group (n = 52) or the observation group (n = 52). The control group received vitamin D supplementation, while the observation group received additional nutritional support and exercise intervention. Both groups underwent a 3-month intervention. Muscle function parameters, including appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI), handgrip strength, and gait speed, were assessed. Serum inflammatory markers, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), as well as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] levels, were measured. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the associations of post-intervention serum 25(OH)D3 levels with ASMI and IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1 and CRP levels.Results The differences of ASM, ASMI, handgrip strength, gait speed, and levels of IL-6, TNF-α, 25(OH)D3, MCP-1, and CRP before and after intervention in the observation group were all greater than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After the intervention, the serum level of 25(OH)D3 was positively correlated with ASMI (r = 0.496, P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1 and CRP (r = -0.518, -0.440, -0.329, -0.237, all P <0.05).Conclusion Vitamin D combined with nutritional support and exercise intervention effectively improves muscle function, increases serum 25(OH)D3 levels, and reduces the levels of inflammatory cytokines, demonstrating favorable clinical efficacy.