Fraility 9X more likely if low vitamin D – Nov 2015

Association of low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with the frailty syndrome in Mexican community-dwelling elderly.

Aging Male. 2015 Nov 10:1-6. [Epub ahead of print]
Gutiérrez-Robledo LM 1, Ávila-Funes JA 2,3, Amieva H 3, Meillon C3, Acosta JL 4,5, Navarrete-Reyes AP 2, Torres-Carrillo N 6, Muñoz-Valle JF 6, Torres-Carrillo NM1, 6.
1a Instituto Nacional de Geriatría , México, D.F. , Mexico .
2b Departamento de Geriatría , Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán , México, D.F. , Mexico .
3c Centre de recherche Inserm , U897, Bordeaux , France ; Univ Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux , France .
4d Departamento de Microbiología y Patología , Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara , Guadalajara , Jalisco , Mexico .
5e Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional (CIIDIR)-Unidad Sinaloa , Sinaloa , Mexico , and.
6f Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara , Guadalajara , Jalisco , Mexico.

OBJECTIVE:
Since vitamin D is an important regulator of muscle function, the effect of vitamin D deficiency on frailty syndrome has been recently studied. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the association between 25(OH)-vitamin D levels and frailty status in Mexican community-dwelling elderly.

METHODS:
Sample of 331 community-dwelling elderly aged 70 or older, a subset of those included in the "Coyoacán cohort" were included. 25(OH)-vitamin D assay and frailty status were measured.

RESULTS:
Mean age was 79.3 years and 54.1% were women. Those classified as frail were more likely to have

• lower Mini-Mental State Examination score (p = 0.015),
• more disability for instrumental activities of daily living (p < 0.001)
• and for activities of daily living (p < 0.001).

Serum 25(OH)-vitamin D levels were lower in the frail subgroup when compared with the non-frail one (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed a significant association between intermediate tertile [odds ratios (OR) = 4.13; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.00-8.56] or insufficient tertile (OR = 8.95; 95% CI 2.41-33.30) of vitamin D levels and frailty even after adjusting for potential confounders.

CONCLUSION:
These results suggest that older adults with low 25(OH)-vitamin D levels are associated with the probability to being frail compared with those with sufficient vitamin D levels.

PMID: 26555196

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See also VitaminDWik

• Overview Seniors and Vitamin D
• Overview Fractures and Falls and Vitamin D
• Seniors 2.2 X more likely to walk slowly if very low vitamin D – meta-analysis Dec 2017
• Search Vitamin D Life for FRAILITY 142 items as of Nov 2016
• Vertigo treated by Vitamin D - many studies
• Slow walking speed of youths 14 times more likely if low vitamin D - Dec 2016
• 80 percent of the characteristics of frailty associated with low vitamin D – May 2013
• Vitamin D improves muscle strength, reduces falling, and reduces frailty – review March 2015
• Fraility Call to Action: Vitamin D is one of the action items – June 2013
• Fraility and low muscle mass both associated with low vitamin D – Aug 2013
• Frailty is associated with low Vitamin D
• Low vitamin D associated with all-cause mortality and frailty – Mar 2011

From 10 reasons why seniors have low levels of vitamin D

1. Senior skin produces 3X less Vitamin D for the same sun intensity
2. Seniors have fewer vitamin D receptors as they age
   (The effect of low Vitamin D receptor genes does not show up on vitamin D test results)
3. Seniors are indoors more than when when they were younger
   not as agile, weaker muscles; frail, no longer enjoy hot temperatures
   (if outside, stay in the shade), however, seniors might start outdoor activities like gardening, biking, etc.
4. Seniors wear more clothing outdoors than when younger
   fear skin cancer/wrinkles, sometimes avoid bright light after cataract surgery
5. Seniors often take various drugs which reduce vitamin D (some would not show up on vitamin D test) statins, chemotherapy, anti-depressants, blood pressure, beta-blockers, etc
6. Seniors often have one or more diseases which consume vitamin D ( osteoporosis, diabetes, MS, ...)
7. Seniors generally put on weight at they age - and a heavier body requires more vitamin D
8. Seniors often (40%) have fatty livers – which do not process vitamin D as well
9. Seniors not have as much Magnesium needed to use vitamin D
   (would not show up on vitamin D test)
10. Seniors with poorly functioning kidneys do not process vitamin D as well
    (would not show up on vitamin D test) 2009 full text online  Also PDF 2009
11. Vitamin D is not as bioavailable in senior digestive systems (Stomach acid or intestines?)

• Category Seniors and Vitamin D 341 items