Modest benefit from vitamin D supplementation observed in patients with knee OA after 2 years
European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology
50,000 IU monthly (1,600 IU daily average) provided some benefit
Vitamin D level achieved by 50,000 IU monthly was only 16 ng
Really need at least 40 ng to get a substantial benefit
Patients with knee osteoarthritis gained only “modest benefits” from 2 years of supplementation with vitamin D, according to study findings.
A multicenter, parallel, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted with 413 patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) and insufficient serum vitamin D levels in Melbourne and Hobart, Australia. Patients had a mean age of 63.2 years; 208 of the patients were women, and all patients were followed for 24 months. Patients were randomly assigned to either a single 50,000 IU monthly D3 capsule or an identical placebo capsule.
At baseline and follow-up, pain was assessed using the WOMAC pain score, and changes in knee tibial cartilage volume were measured using MRI.
Serum levels of 25(OH) vitamin D levels increased by a mean of 40.6 nmol/L after 24 months in the group of patients who received supplementation compared with 6.7 nmol/L in the placebo group. No statistically significant change in tibial cartilage volume or WOMAC pain scores were observed, according to the researchers.
Secondary analysis showed a greater decrease in pain was evident in the treatment group for VAS pain at 24 months compared with the placebo group. A tendency toward a 20% or greater and 50% or greater improvement in total WOMAC pain scores was observed in patients who received supplementation after 24 months.
Between the two groups, no significant changes in tibiofemoral cartilage defects or tibiofemoral bone marrow lesions were observed, but a slower increase in tibiofemoral bone marrow lesions was observed in patients who received vitamin D supplementation, according to the researchers.
Adverse events were mostly minor but more likely to occur in the group who received vitamin D (42 vs. 26), and serious adverse events were infrequent and comparable between the two groups (14 vs. 12). – by Shirley Pulawski
Reference:
Jin X, et al. Paper #OP0296. Presented at: European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology; June 10-13, 2015; Rome.
Personal note by admin of Vitamin D Life
Magnesium added topically and internally eliminated my knee Osteoarthritis (could not walk for more than about a block)
This was in addition to a high level of vitamin D - I take 50,000 IU every 5 days = 6X higher dose than this study
See also Vitamin D Life
- Good evidence for knee osteoarthritis and vitamin D, unsure of other OA – Review March 2013
- Will knee osteoarthritis be prevented with 1700 IU of vitamin D – proposed RCT perhaps this same RCT
- Knee osteoarthritis treated with vitamin D, weekly 50,000 IU – May 2015
- Knee Osteoarthritis (Radiographic ) 3X less if have lots of Magnesium – May 2015