In conclusion , we observed no improvement in muscle strength after the administration of vitamin D with or without calcium supplements .
We did find a small but significant deterioration of mobility .
BACKGROUND It has been suggested that vitamin D status or supplementation is important for maintaining or improving muscle strength and mobility in older adults .
The study results , however , do not provide consistent results .
We therefore aim ed to summarise the available evidence systematic ally , including only studies conducted in community-dwelling older persons .
High-dose oral vitamin D3 supplementation in the elderly
Summary Daily dosing with vitamin D often fails to achieve optimal outcomes , and it is uncertain what the target level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D should be . This study found that large loading doses of vitamin D3 rapidly and safely normalize 25OHD levels , and that monthly dosing is similarly effective after 3–5 months . With baseline 25OHD > 50 nmol/L , vitamin D supplementation does not reduce PTH levels . Introduction There is concern that vitamin D supplementation doses are frequently inadequate , and that compliance with daily medication is likely to be suboptimal . Methods This r and omized double-blind trial compares responses to three high-dose vitamin D3 regimens and estimates optimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D ( 25OHD ) levels , from changes in parathyroid hormone ( PTH ) , and procollagen type I amino-terminal propeptide ( P1NP ) in relation to baseline 25OHD . Sixty-three elderly participants were r and omized to three regimens of vitamin D supplementation : a 500,000-IU loading dose ; the loading dose plus 50,000 IU/month ; or 50,000 IU/month . Results The Loading and Loading + Monthly groups showed increases in 25OHD of 58 ± 28 nmol/L from baseline to 1 month . Thereafter , levels gradually declined to plateaus of 69 ± 5 nmol/L and 91 ± 4 nmol/l , respectively . In the Monthly group , 25OHD reached a plateau of ~80 ± 20 nmol/L at 3–5 months . There were no changes in serum calcium concentrations . PTH and P1NP were only suppressed by vitamin D treatment in those with baseline 25OHD levels < 50 and < 30 nmol/L , respectively . Conclusions Large loading doses of vitamin D3 rapidly and safely normalize 25OHD levels in the frail elderly . Monthly dosing is similarly effective and safe , but takes 3–5 months for plateau 25OHD levels to be reached
In conclusion , we observed no improvement in muscle strength after the administration of vitamin D with or without calcium supplements .
We did find a small but significant deterioration of mobility .
BACKGROUND It has been suggested that vitamin D status or supplementation is important for maintaining or improving muscle strength and mobility in older adults .
The study results , however , do not provide consistent results .
We therefore aim ed to summarise the available evidence systematic ally , including only studies conducted in community-dwelling older persons .