The effect of oral and parenteral vitamin D supplementation in the elderly: a prospective, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study
Rheumatology International DOI: 10.1007/s00296-011-1943-6
Hakan Sakalli, Didem Arslan and Ahmet Eftal Yucel
Hypovitaminosis D in the elderly causes falls and fractures as a result of impaired neuromuscular functions and also may be a reason for nonspecific musculosceletal pain. The aim of this study is to investigate the benefits of a single dose per os or parenterally administrated vitamin D on increasing the quality of life and functional mobility and decreasing the pain in the elderly.
The community-dwelling elderly subjects over 65 years age were included in the study.
The subjects were given 300.000 IU Vitamin D via per os and parenteral route and assessed after 4 weeks.
The serum creatinine, calcium, phosphorous, ALT, ALP, 24-h urine calcium excretion, PTH, and vitamin D levels, as well as VAS (visual analog scale) for pain assessment, functional mobility with TUG (timed up and go test) and quality of life with SF-36 before and after the treatment were evaluated. The serum vitamin D levels were measured by the RIA method. The subjects were divided into four groups each consisting of 30 subjects.
- The 1st group took i.m. vitamin D,
- the 2nd group took i.m. placebo,
- the 3rd group took p.o. vitamin D, and
- the 4th group took p.o. placebo.
The mean age of all the participants was 70.1 ± 4.3 years.
There was no difference in the age and gender between the groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, the PTH level of first group was decreased (P = 0.0001) and the vitamin D level increased (P = 0.0001) significantly. In the third group, the PTH level of first group was decreased (P = 0.0001) and the vitamin D level increased (P = 0.004) and the 24-h calcium excretion in urine (P = 0.015) increased significantly. When the pain, the functional mobility, and the quality of life were evaluated, in
the first group, the TUG (P = 0.0001) and the VAS (P = 0.0001) decreased significantly, whereas the SF-36 subtitles: physical functioning (P = 0.0001), role physical (0.006), bodily pain (P = 0.0001), general health (P = 0.007), social functioning (P = 0.05), and mental health (P = 0.048) increased significantly.
In group two, {im placebo?} the VAS (P = 0.001) decreased, the role physical (P = 0.009), and role emotional (P = 0.034) increased significantly; In group three, the TUG (P = 0.0001) and the VAS (P = 0.002) decreased, whereas the physical function (P = 0.0001) and role physical (0.001) increased significantly;
In group four, the VAS (P = 0.007) decreased significantly.
The megadose vitamin D administration
- increases quality of life,
- decreases pain, and
- improves functional mobility via po or im route in the elderly.
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P.O. = per os( by mouth)
I.M. = intramuscularly (by shot or injection, if you prefer)
See also Vitamin D Life
- Overview of Seniors and Vitamin D
- All items in Pain and Vitamin D
- Overview of Sports and Vitamin D
- All items in Megadose of vitamin D
- Overview of Dark Skin and vitamin D
- Such a megadose would probably also help others at risk of being vitamin D deficient