Frailty 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
• Frailty 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
3. Seniors are indoors more than than 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
   • Seniors also are told to fear skin cancer/wrinkles
5. Seniors often take various drugs which reduce vitamin D
   • Some reductions 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. Reduced stomach acid ==>less Magnesium needed to utilize 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 382 items

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