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Vitamin D and the elderly.

Leif Mosekilde1

  • 1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism C, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus C, Denmark. Ovl06lm@as.aaa.dk

Clinical Endocrinology
|February 26, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Vitamin D deficiency is common in the elderly and a risk factor for osteoporosis, falls, and fractures. Supplementation with vitamin D and calcium effectively reduces these risks in older adults.

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Vitamin D status is crucial for elderly health, with specific definitions for insufficiency (plasma 25OHD around 50 nmol/l) and deficiency (below 25 nmol/l).
  • Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in community-dwelling, institutionalized, and frail elderly populations, particularly at higher latitudes.
  • Established links exist between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of osteoporosis, falls, and fractures in the elderly.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on vitamin D status in the elderly.
  • To examine the prevalence and definitions of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency.
  • To assess the impact of vitamin D and calcium interventions on health outcomes in older adults.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on vitamin D status, prevalence, and interventions in the elderly.
  • Analysis of plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels for defining vitamin D status.
  • Evaluation of clinical trial data on vitamin D and calcium supplementation efficacy.

Main Results:

  • Vitamin D deficiency is common, especially in institutionalized elderly and those with hip fractures.
  • Supplementation with 800 IU vitamin D and 1200 mg calcium daily reduces falls and fractures in institutionalized patients.
  • Lower doses (400 IU vitamin D/1000 mg calcium) or infrequent high doses (100,000 IU orally every fourth month) also reduce fracture risk in community-dwelling elderly.

Conclusions:

  • Vitamin D and calcium supplementation are effective in reducing falls and fractures in the elderly.
  • Current food fortification strategies may not suffice for elderly vitamin D needs without exceeding safety limits.
  • Further research is needed to establish causality for vitamin D's role in other elderly conditions like cancer and diabetes.

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