The necessity and safety of calcium and vitamin D in the elderly

The necessity and safety of an oral calcium (Ca) and vitamin D regimen was evaluated in a population of 66 independently living and 73 institutionalized elderly women over an 11-week winter period. The members of both groups were randomly assigned into trial and control groups. Serum Ca, creatinine, and calcidiol levels were measured before and after the trial. The regimen consisted of 1.558 g of Ca and 45 micrograms (equal to 1,800 IU) of vitamin D administered daily in addition to the normal diet. The controls received no treatment. A majority of the elderly subjects living independently had ensured their Ca, and a quarter of them also their vitamin D intake on their own initiative. The mean serum calcidiol concentration before the trial was 24.1 nmol/L in the institutionalized and 38.5 nmol/L in the elderly subjects living independently (P less than .001). After the trial, serum calcidiol was 10.4 nmol/L in the institutionalized control subjects and had decreased (P less than .001) in both control groups, but increased (P less than .001) in both treatment groups. The safety indicators, serum Ca, creatinine, and calcidiol, did not indicate any group or individual side effect.