Hypovitaminosis D: which oral supplement therapy?

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Public Health
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Vitamin D's pleiotropic effects drive interest in its therapeutic potential.
• Hypovitaminosis D is a prevalent condition with significant public health implications.
• Early detection and effective treatment of vitamin D deficiency are crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in a patient cohort.
• To evaluate the efficacy of two different oral vitamin D supplementation regimens.
• To identify an effective and safe therapeutic strategy for correcting vitamin D deficiency.

Main Methods:

• 243 patients were assessed for plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels.
• Patients with hypovitaminosis D were assigned to two groups: Tp.A (25,000 IU twice/month) and Tp.B (weekly 50,000 IU loading dose, then 25,000 IU twice/month).
• Treatment efficacy was evaluated over six months based on changes in 25(OH)D levels.

Main Results:

• Hypovitaminosis D was highly prevalent (82.3%) across all age groups.
• The weekly high-dose regimen (Tp.B) was significantly more effective in correcting hypovitaminosis D compared to the bi-monthly regimen (Tp.A).
• Tp.B treatment resulted in a significant increase in 25(OH)D levels from 14.4 ± 5.3 ng/ml to 43.3 ± 14.7 ng/ml at 24 weeks (p<0.0001).

Conclusions:

• Hypovitaminosis D represents a significant public health challenge requiring prompt intervention.
• Achieving optimal vitamin D plasma levels is essential for realizing its beneficial pleiotropic effects.
• The proposed weekly high-dose oral supplementation regimen offers an effective strategy for rapid correction of vitamin D deficiency.