[Active vitamin D3 analog]

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and exerts effects on skeletal and extraskeletal health in children and adults of all ages. Vitamin D insufficiency is related to low muscle strength, increasing body sway, falls in the elderly. Supplementation with vitamin D reduces risk of osteoporotic fracture, and improves muscle strength and postural balance to prevent the elderly from fall. The preferred vitamin D analog for daily supplementation is cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). The active form of vitamin D3 is 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3. Alfacalcidol, calcitriol and eldecalcitol are used to treat osteoporosis in Japan. Randomized placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial for osteoporotic subjects showed that eldecalcitol is more efficacious to increase bone mineral density and prevent vertebral and wrist fractures in osteoporotic patients with vitamin D sufficiency than alfacalcidol.