[PHNUTR-L] How Much Vitamin D3 do the Elderly Need?

[Kathrynne Holden]

Colleagues, the following is FYI and does not necessarily reflect my own
opinion. I have no further knowledge of the topic. If you do not wish to
receive these posts, set your email filter to filter out any messages
coming from   @nutritionucanlivewith.com    and the program will remove
anything coming from me.
---------------------------------------------------------
	How Much Vitamin D3 do the Elderly Need?
http://www.vitasearch.com/CP/weeklyupdates/

Reference: 	"How much vitamin D3 do the elderly need?" Viljakainen HT, 
Lamberg-Allardt C, et al, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 
2006; 25(5): 429-435. (Address: Department of Applied Chemistry and 
Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Finland. E-mail: 
christel.lamberg-allardt at helsinki.fi ).

Summary: 	In a study involving 49 elderly female subjects (aged 65-85 
years), a clear dose-response relationship was found between vitamin D3 
supplementation and levels of serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D). The 
subjects were randomly divided into four groups and received one of four 
treatments for a period of 12 weeks. Group 1 received a placebo; Group 2 
received 5 mu g/d vitamin D3; Group 3 received 10 mu g/d vitamin D3; and 
Group 4 received 20 mu g/d vitamin D3. Levels of serum 25(OH)D were 
assessed at the start of the study and every other week thereafter. 
Results found significant increases in serum 25(OH)D levels among all 
subjects who received supplementation with vitamin D3 (increases were 
10.9 nmol/L among subjects who received 5 mu g/d; 14.4 nmol/L among 
subjects who received 10 mu g/d; and 23.7 nmol/L among subjects who 
received 20 mu g/d), while a decrease was found among subjects who 
received the placebo. Subjects whose vitamin D status was lower at 
baseline responded more efficiently to supplementation with vitamin D3, 
as compared to subjects with higher vitamin D status at baseline. In 
subjects with the highest dose-response to supplementation, levels of 
serum intact parathyroid hormone tended to decrease. The authors 
conclude, "The recommended dietary intake of 15 mu g/d is adequate to 
maintain S-25-OHD concentration around 40-55 nmol/L during winter, but 
if the optimal S-25-OHD is higher than that, even higher vitamin D 
intakes are needed."
-- 
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD < fivestar at nutritionucanlivewith.com >
"Ask the Parkinson Dietitian"  http://www.parkinson.org/
"Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease"
"Parkinson's disease: Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy"
http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/