Racial Difference in Response to Vitamin D Supplementation.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nutritional Science
• Public Health

Background:

• 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) deficiency is prevalent, especially in elderly individuals and African Americans (AA).
• Low 25[OH]D levels are linked to adverse health outcomes.
• Current vitamin D supplementation guidelines may be insufficient to correct deficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of 25[OH]D deficiency in elderly Veterans.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in this population.
• To examine the influence of race on 25[OH]D deficiency risk and supplementation response.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 234 community-dwelling Veterans (≥60 years) from a VA geriatric clinic.
• Analysis of serum 25(OH)D levels (pre- and post-supplementation), race, and supplementation status.
• Comparison of mean 25(OH]D levels across racial groups and over time.

Main Results:

• 88% of subjects had 25[OH]D deficiency at baseline.
• Despite supplementation in 80.6%, only 10.24% achieved normal levels.
• African Americans exhibited significantly lower baseline 25[OH]D levels and a poorer response to supplementation compared to Caucasians.

Conclusions:

• Standard oral vitamin D supplementation is largely ineffective for achieving therapeutic serum levels, particularly in African Americans.
• Individualized supplementation strategies are necessary.
• Race is a significant factor influencing vitamin D deficiency and response to supplementation, warranting targeted research.