New evidence suggests a relation between geriatric syndomes and vitamin D exists.

1. SAMIA AHMED ABDUL-RAHMAN
Assistant Professor of Geriatrics and Gerontology
Faculty of Medicine
Ain Shams University
2014
Vitamin D, Geriatric Syndromes
& Common Comorbidities:
Possible Links

2. *The autocrine/paracrine functions of
vitamin D are becoming increasingly
widely recognized.
*Several organs possess the enzymatic
machinery to convert 25-hydroxyvitamin
D, to the active form,
1,25dihydroxyvitamin D, has provided
new insights into the function of this
vitamin.
- Holick MF 2004 Vitamin D: Importance in the prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis. Am
J Clin Nutr 79:362–371.
- Liu PT, Stenger S, Li H, Wenzel L, Tan BH, Krutzik SR, Ochoa MT, Schauber J, Wu K, Meinken C, Kamen DL, Wagner M,
Bals R, Steinmeyer A, Zugel U, Gallo RL, Eisnberg D, Hewison M, Hollis BW, Adams JS, Bloom JR, Modlin RL 2006 Toll-like
receptor triggering of a vitamin D-mediated human antimicrobial response. Science 311:170–173.

3. Which tissues include
vitamin D receptors?
Among other tissues; these are the most well known:

10. *
*Yes.
*In fact, it controls over 200 genes,
including genes responsible for the
regulation of:
*cellular proliferation,
*differentiation,
*apoptosis, and
*angiogenesis.
Iida-Klein A, Guo J, Xie LY et al. Truncation of the carboxyl-terminal region of the rat parathyroid
hormone (PTH)/PTH-related peptide receptor enhances PTH stimulation of adenylyl cyclase but not
phospholipase C. J Biol Chem 1995; 270: 8458–8465.

11. Although there is no consensus on optimal
levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D as measured
in serum, most experts defined the
different vitamin D status as :
Holick MF. High prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy and implications for
health. Mayo Clin Proc 2006;81:353-73.

12. *
•Normal≥ 30ng/ml
21-29
ng/ml
•Deficiency≤ 20
ng/ml

13. Now what do we all
know?!!

14. *
*Musculoskeletal system:
*Osteoporosis & osteomalacia
*Proximal myopathy
*Falls

15. Osteoporosis and
Osteomalacia!!

16. Muscle function and
falls!!
- Performance speed,
- Proximal and peripheral muscle strength,
- Risk of falls.

17. Non-skeletal systems

18. Geriatric syndromes
possibly linked to
vitamin D deficiency

19. FRAILTY

20. 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency is
associated with debilitating chronic
diseases and age-related conditions
that may influence physical
functioning and hence relation to
frailty was considered in research.
Wilhelm-Leen ER, Hall YN, deBoer IH, Chertow GM. Vitamin D deficiency and frailty in older Americans. J Intern
Med 2010; 268: 171–180.

21. The largest of these studies was that of
Wilhelm-Leen and colleagues (2010). Using
data from the 3rd National Health and
Nutrition Survey (NHANES III), 25-
Hydroxyvitamin D deficiency, defined as a
serum concentration <15 ng/mL), was
associated with a 3.7-fold increase in the
odds of frailty amongst whites and a 4-fold
increase in the odds of frailty amongst non-
whites.
- Wilhelm-Leen ER, Hall YN, deBoer IH, Chertow GM. VitaminDdeficiency and frailty in older Americans. J Intern Med
2010; 268:171–180.

22. *A cross-sectional study on a total of 1,504
community-dwelling men aged 60-79 years-
using multinomial logistic regression- found
lower levels of 25(OH)D were associated
with being pre-frail and frail even after
adjustment for confounders.
*Among the five frailty phenotypes (FP)
criteria, only sarcopenia was not associated
with 25(OH)D levels.
Fried LP, Tangen CM, Walston J, Newman AB, Hirsch C, Gottdiener J, Seeman T, Tracy R, Kop WJ, Burke
G, McBurnie MA; Cardiovascular Health Study Collaborative Research Group. Frailty in older adults: evidence for a
phenotype. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001 Mar;56(3):M146-56.
weight loss, muscle weakness, poor endurance, slow motor performance and reduced physical activity

23. *Its relation to sarcopenia was examined again in
the cross-sectional study of Dupuy and colleagues
using data from the EPIDOS study. The results again
showed no association between low muscle mass
and low dietary intakes of vitamin D.
*Longitudinal studies are needed to examine if
giving vitamin D supplementation or vitamin D rich
diet to vitamin D deficient frail persons with
sarcopenia has any effect.
Charlotte Dupuy, V. Lauwers-Cances, G. Abellan Van Kan, S. Gillette, A. -M. Schott, O. Beauchet, C.
Annweiler, B. Vellas, Y. Rolland. Dietary vitamin D intake and muscle mass in older women. Results
from a cross-sectional analysis of the EPIDOS study. The journal of nutrition, health & aging 2013, 17(2),
119-124.

24. URINARY INCONTINENCE

25. *
Urinary continence
requires coordinated
muscle function with
relaxation of the bladder
detrusor allowing the
bladder to fill, followed by
detrusor contraction with
concomitant sphincter
relaxation at a time
controlled by the
individual.

26. Since bladder musculature possesses
vitamin D receptors and responds to
vitamin D analogues, vitamin D deficiency
perhaps could influence bladder/pelvic
floor dysfunction.
- Crescioli C, Morelli A, Adorini L, Ferruzzi P, Luconi M, Vannelli GB, Marini M, Gelmini S, Fibbi B, Donati S, Villari
D, Forti G, Colli E, Andersson KE, Maggi M 2005 Human bladder as a novel target for vitamin D receptor ligands.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 90:962–972.
- Schroder A, Colli E, Maggi M, Andersson KE 2006 Effects of a vitamin D3 analogue in a rat model of bladder
outlet obstruction. BJU Int 98:637–642.

27. Pelvic floor dysfunction in
females is common, and its
prevalence increases with age.
The prevalence of UI varies by
definition but has been
reported to range between 13-
49%.
• Nygaard I, Barber MD, Burgio KL, Kenton K, Meikle S, Schaffer J, Spino C, Whitehead WE, Wu J, Brody DJ (2008)
Prevalence of symptomatic pelvic floor disorders in US women. JAMA 300 (11):1311–1316
• Sung VW, Hampton BS (2009) Epidemiology of pelvic floor dysfunction. Obstet Gynecol Clin N Am 36:421–443
• Melville JL, Katon W, Delaney K et al. (2005) Urinary incontinence in US women: a population-based study. Arch
Intern Med 165(5):537–42
• Dooley Y, Kenton K, Cao G et al. (2009) Urinary incontinence prevalence: results from the National Health and
Nutritional Examination Survey. J Urol 179(2):656–61
• Irwin DE, Milsom I, Hunskaar S et al. (2006) Population-based survey of urinary incontinence, overactive bladder,
and other lower urinary tract symptoms in five countries: results of the EPIC study. Eur Urol 50(6):1306–14

28. Previously; research suggested a
relation between osteoporosis and
pelvic floor muscles function exists
and so the idea to study its relation
to vitamin D deficiency seems
rational.
Holick MF, Chen TC, Lu Z, Sauter E. Vitamin D and skin physiology: a D-lightful story. J Bone Miner Res
2007;22(suppl 2):V28–33.

29. Prospective cohort or randomized
studies investigating the relationship
between vitamin D nutritional status
and PFD symptoms are lacking but
observational studies show a possible
link.

30. *One study including more than 1800
adult women showed that as many
as 82% of the participants had low
levels of vitamin D.
*However those who had pelvic floor
disorders and/or incontinence had
levels significantly lower than those
of the rest of the group.
Badalian, S. and Rosenbaum PF.Vitamin D and Pelvic Floor Disorders in Women: Results From the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey Obstetrics & Gynecology, April 2010; vol 115: pp 795-803.

31. *This is not limited to women with UI.
*Studies on males with UI showed significantly
lower levels of vitamin D as well.
*A cross-sectional study on 2387 men with lower
urinary tract symptoms including UI. Although it
included all age groups starting from 20 yet 85%
had vitamin D levels below 30ng/ml and 55% of
them had levels below 20 ng/ml.
*Results showed an association between vitamin D
deficiency and moderate/severe UI.
Vaughan CP1, Johnson TM 2nd, Goode PS, Redden DT, Burgio KL, Markland AD. Vitamin D and lower
urinary tract symptoms among US men: results from the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey. Urology. 2011 Dec;78(6):1292-7.

32. *
*Still, 2 case studies are available; the first was a
78-year-old woman with UUI symptoms who had
vitamin D deficiency [25(OH) D010 ng/ml] who
claims her UI resolved with vitamin D
supplementation.
*The second reported case was a 59-year-old
woman with stress urinary incontinence symptoms
who had a 25(OH)D level of 13 ng/ml. These
symptoms resolved even before normalization of
her serum vitamin D level.
Gau JT. Urinary incontinence resolved after adequate vitamin D supplementation: a report
of two cases.J Am Geriatr Soc. 2010 Dec;58(12):2438-9.

33. *In a small cohort study of patients with
fecal incontinence, it was shown that all
patients had hypovitaminosis D (60% had
vitamin deficiency and 40% with relative
vitamin D insufficiency). The mean
vitamin D level in patients with fecal
incontinence was 17 ng per milliliter
(range 5.4–22.2 ng per milliliter) wither
significantly higher prevalence than the
general population.
Amer A. Alkhatib • Ashok K. Tuteja. High Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency Among Patients with
Fecal Incontinence Dig Dis Sci (2010) 55:3632–3633

34. DEMENTIA
AND
COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
(MCI)
Dementia and cognitive
impairment

35. *Research in the last 10 years has yielded
a large amount of knowledge regarding
vitamin D and its previously unknown role
in brain development and function.
*For example, the distribution of the
vitamin D receptor (VDR) has been
mapped in human brain.
D.W. Eyles, S. Smith, R. Kinobe et al.Distribution of the vitamin D receptor and 1 alpha-
hydroxylase in human brain Journal Of Chemical Neuroanatomy, 29 (2005), pp. 21–30

37. *Hypovitaminosis D has been associated
with cognitive decline in the elderly,
Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s
disease patients.
• Evatt ML, DeLong MR, Khazai N, et al. Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in patients with Parkinson disease
and Alzheimer disease. Archives of Neurology; 65: 1348–1352, 2008.
• Jorde R, Sneve M, Figenschau Y et al. Effects of vitamin D supplementation on symptoms of depression in
overweight and obese subjects: randomized double blind trial. Journal of Internal Medicine; 264: 599–609,
2008.
• Llewellyn DJ, Lang IA, Langa KM, et al. Vitamin D and risk of cognitive decline in elderly persons. Archives of
Internal Medicine; 170: 1135–1141, 2010.
• May HT, Bair TL, Lappe DL, et al. Association of vitamin D levels with incident depression among a general
cardiovascular population. American Heart Journal; 159: 1037–1043, 2010.

38. *Direct evidence for an association of
vitamin D deficiency with Alzheimer’s
disease (AD) is limited.
*However, low vitamin D levels have been
frequently associated with cognitive
impairment in the elderly and
prospectively with cognitive decline.
• J.S. Buell, B. Dawson-Hughes, T.M. Scott, D.E. Weiner, G.E. Dallal, W.Q. Qui, P. Bergethon, I.H. Rosenberg, M.F.
Folstein, S. Patz, R.A. Bhadelia, K.L. Tucker, 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, dementia, and cerebrovascular pathology in elders
receiving home services, Neurology 74 (2010) 18–26.
• M.L. Evatt, M.R. Delong, N. Khazai, A. Rosen, S. Triche, V. Tangpricha, Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in patients
with Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease, Arch. Neurol. 65 (2008) 1348–1352.
• E. Pogge, Vitamin D and Alzheimer’s disease: is there a link? Consult. Pharm. 25 (2010) 440–450.
• J.W. Miller, Vitamin D and cognitive function in older adults: are we concerned about vitamin D-mentia? Neurology 74
(2010) 13–15.
• D.J. Llewellyn, I.A. Lang, K.M. Langa, G. Muniz-Terrera, C.L. Phillips, A. Cherubini, L. Ferrucci, D. Melzer, Vitamin D
and risk of cognitive decline in elderly persons,Arch. Intern. Med. 170 (2010) 1135–1141.

39. *Results of 2 large cross-sectional studies
(one on 6,257 and one on 498 subjects)
showed an association between cognitive
decline and vitamin D deficiency.
*4 year follow up of these cohort revealed
the same finding.
Slinin Y, Paudel M, Taylor BC, et al. Association Between Serum 25(OH) Vitamin D and the Risk of Cognitive
Decline in Older Women. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci ; 67 (10): 1092-1098, 2012.
Annweiler C, Rolland Y, Schott AM, et al. Higher Vitamin D Dietary Intake Is Associated With Lower Risk of
Alzheimer’s Disease: A 7-Year Follow-up. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci; 67 (11): 1205-1211, 2012.

40. *Another large prospective study showed
that cognitive decline and the rate of
decline were increased in subjects
deficient in 25(OH)D (<25 nM).
Llewellyn DJ, Lang IA, Langa KM, et al. Vitamin D and risk of cognitive decline in elderly
persons. Archives of Internal Medicine; 170: 1135–1141, 2010.

41. *However, it is unclear if associations
between hypovitaminosis D and dementia
are causative or circumstantial, but there
is some evidence for symptom
improvements with vitamin D
supplementation.
Jorde R, Sneve M, Figenschau Y et al. Effects of vitamin D supplementation on symptoms of
depression in overweight and obese subjects: randomized double blind trial. Journal of Internal
Medicine; 264: 599–609, 2008.

42. *
DEPRESSION

43. *Vitamin D has also been linked to depression
which is one of the most common mental
disorders in elderly populations.
*Stumpf and colleagues first suggested that
vitamin D may contribute to the higher
prevalence of seasonal affective disorders at
high latitudes.
*However to date, the results of small trials of
vitamin D supplements in seasonal affective
disorder have been inconclusive
Stumpf, W.E., Privette, T.H., 1989. Light, vitamin D and psychiatry. Role of 1,25
dihydroxyvitamin D3 (soltriol) in etiology and therapy of seasonal affective disorder and other
mental processes. Psychopharmacology (Berlin) 97, 285–294.
Gloth 3rd, F.M., Alam, W., Hollis, B., 1999. Vitamin D vs broad spectrum phototherapy in the
treatment of seasonal affective disorder. J. Nutr. Health Aging 3, 5–7.
Lansdowne, A.T., Provost, S.C., 1998. Vitamin D3 enhances mood in healthy subjects during
winter. Psychopharmacology (Berlin) 135, 319–323.

44. *Even with large cross-sectional studies
the results are conflicting.
*A number of cross-section studies have
reported an association between low
vitamin D and depression.
*While other cross-sectional studies have
failed to find such an association when
controlled for potential confounding
factors.
Pan, A., Lu, L., Franco, O.H., Yu, Z., Li, H., Lin, X., 2009. Association between depressive symptoms
and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in middle-aged and elderly Chinese. J. Affect. Disord. 118, 240–243.
Nanri, A., Mizoue, T., Matsushita, Y., Poudel-Tandukar, K., Sato, M., Ohta, M., Mishima, N., 2009.
Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and depressive symptoms in Japanese: analysis by
survey season. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 63, 1444–1447.
Zhao, G., Ford, E.S., Li, C., Balluz, L.S., 2010. No associations between serum concentrations of 25-
hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone and depression among US adults. Brit. J. Nutr. 104, 1696–
1702.

45. *One large, population-based survey
of the elderly (n = 2070
participants, aged 65 years and
older) reported a significant
increased risk of depressive
symptoms in those with vitamin D
deficiency.
Stewart, R., Hirani, V., 2010. Relationship between vitamin D levels and depressive
symptoms in older residents from a national survey population. Psychosom. Med. 72,
608–612

46. *A 6-year prospective study of 954 adults aged
65 years and older examined the association
between low vitamin D at baseline and
subsequent (incident) depression.
*Those with 25(OH)D less than 50 nM at
baseline (compared with those with higher
levels) experienced significantly higher scores
on measures of depression at 3 and 6 year
follow-up even after adjustment for
confounding factors.
Milaneschi, Y., Shardell, M., Corsi, A.M., Vazzana, R., Bandinelli, S., Guralnik, J.M.,
Ferrucci, L., 2010. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and depressive symptoms in older
women and men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab..

47. *A re-analysis of the Women’s Health
Initiative examined the association
between dietary vitamin D intake at
baseline and depression in a very large
sample (n = 81,189).
*Those with the highest dietary intake has
lower scores on depressive symptoms at
the 3 year follow-up, and this persisted
after adjustments for potential
confounding factors.
Bertone-Johnson, E.R., Powers, S.I., et al. 2011. Vitamin D intake from foods and
supplements and depressive symptoms in a diverse population of older women. Am. J.
Clin. Nutr. 94, 1104–1112.

48. COMMON GERIATRIC
PROBLEMS

49. *Of great interest is the role it can play in
decreasing the risk of many chronic
illnesses:
*Infectious diseases
*Malignancies
*Cardiovascular disease

50. Infectious diseases
Auto-immune disease
IMMUNE SYSTEM

51. Infectious diseases

52. *The link between vitamin D deficiency and
susceptibility to infection has been suggested
for longer than a century.
*One of the first clinical trials to use vitamin D
for treatment of infections was on patients
with pulmonary TB in the 1950s and it’s
been demonstrated that vitamin D enhanced
bactericidal activity of human macrophages
against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
• Khajavi A, Amirhakimi GH. The rachitic lung: pulmonary findings in 30 infants and children with malnutritional rickets. Clin Pediatr
(Phila). 1977;16:36-38
• Martineau AR, Honecker FU, Wilkinson RJ, Griffiths CJ. Vitamin D in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. J Steroid Biochem
Mol Biol. 2007;103:793-798.
• Bhalla AK, Amento EP, Clemens TL, Holick MF, Krane SM. Specific high-affinity receptors for 1,25-dihydroxyvi-tamin D3 in human
peripheral blood mononuclear cells: presence in monocytes and induction in T lymphocytes following activation. J Clin Endocrinol
Metab. 1983;57: 1308-1310.
• Rook GA, Steele J, Fraher L, et al. Vitamin D3, gamma interferon, and control of proliferation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by
human monocytes. Immunology. 1986;57: 159-163.
• Crowle AJ, Ross EJ, May MH. Inhibition by l,25(OH)2-vitamin D3 of the multiplication of virulent tubercle bacilli in cultured human
macrophages. Infect Immun. 1987;55: 2945-2950.

53. *VDRs are present in cells of the immune system.
*Recent studies have demonstrated that vitamin D
regulates the expression of specific endogenous
antimicrobial peptides in immune cells.
*This action leads to a potential role for vitamin D
in modulating the immune response to various
infectious diseases.
Stumpf WE, Sar M, Reid FA, Tanaka Y, DeLuca HE Target cells for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in intestinal
tract, stomach, kidney, skin, pituitary, and parathyroid. Science. 1979;206:1188-1190.
Liu PT, Stenger S, Li H, et al. Toll-like receptor triggering of a vitamin D-mediated human antimicrobial
response. Science. 2006;311:1770-1773.

54. *This induces production of
cathelicidin- which has broad
spectrum antibacterial activity-
from macrophages.
*It also induces the production of
other antimicrobial peptides as β-
defensin that works against
bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
• Ramanathan B, Davis EG, Ross CR, Blecha E Cathelicidins: microbicidal activity, mechanisms of action, and
roles in innate immunity. Microbes Infect. 2002;4: 361-372.
• Wang TT, Nestel FP, Bourdeau V, et al. Cutting edge: 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 is a direct inducer of
antimicrobial peptide gene expression [published correction appears in J Immunol. 2004;173:following
6489]. J Immun. 2004;173:2909-2912.

55. *It has been argued through
observations that the seasonal
variations in vitamin D status could
be a major influence on the flu
season especially that both β-
defensin and cathelicidin play major
role in immune defense of the
respiratory system.

56. MALIGNANCIES

57. *An analysis from the Nurses’ Health
Study cohort (32,826 subjects)
showed that the odds ratios for
colorectal cancer were inversely
associated with median serum levels
of 25(OH)D BUT NOT 1,25(OH)D (the
odds ratio at 16.2 ng/ml was 1.0, and
at 39.9 ng/ml was 0.53; P"0.01).61
- Feskanich D, Ma J, Fuchs CS, et al. Plasma vitamin D metabolites and risk of colorectal
cancer in women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2004;13:1502-8.

58. *A prospective study of vitamin D intake
and the risk of colorectal cancer in 1954
men showed a direct relationship (with a
relative risk of 1.0 when vitamin D intake
was 6 to 94 IU per day and a relative risk
of 0.53 when the intake was 233 to 652 IU
per day, P<0.05).
- Gorham ED, Garland CF, Garland FC, et al. Vitamin D and prevention of colorectal cancer. J
Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2005; 97:179-94.

59. *A study of men with prostate cancer,
the disease developed 3 to 5 years later
in the men who worked outdoors than
in those who worked indoors.
*Also, pooled data for 980 women
showed that the highest vitamin D
intake, as compared with the lowest,
correlated with a 50% lower risk of
breast cancer.
- Luscombe CJ, Fryer AA, French ME, et al. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation: association with
susceptibility and age at presentation with prostate cancer. Lancet 2001;358:641-2.
- Garland CF, Garland FC, Gorham ED, et al. The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention. Am J Public
Health 2006;96:252- 61.

60. *Both prospective and retrospective
epidemiologic studies indicate that levels
of 25(OH)D below 20 ng/ml are
associated with a 30 to 50% increased risk
of incident colon, prostate, and breast
cancer, along with higher mortality from
these cancers.
- Ichikawa S, Guigonis V, Imel EA et al. Novel GALNT3 mutations causing hyperostosis-hyperphosphatemia syndrome
result in low intact FGF23 concentrations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2007.
- Ben-Dov IZ, Galitzer H, Lavi-Moshayoff V et al. The parathyroid is a target organ for FGF23 in rats. J Clin Invest 2007;
117: 4003–4008.
- Yamazaki Y, Tamada T, Kasai N et al. Anti-FGF23 neutralizing antibodies show the physiological role and structural
features of FGF23. J Bone Miner Res 2008; 23: 1509–1518.
- Krajisnik T, Bjorklund P, Marsell R et al. Fibroblast growth factor-23 regulates parathyroid hormone and 1alpha-
hydroxylase expression in cultured bovine parathyroid cells. J Endocrinol 2007; 195: 125–131.

61. DIABETES MELLITUS

62. *Vitamin D deficiency increased insulin
resistance, decreased insulin production, and
was associated with the metabolic syndrome in
one study.
*In another; a combined daily intake of 1200 mg
of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D lowered the
risk of type 2 diabetes by 33% (relative risk,
0.67; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.90) as compared with a
daily intake of less than 600 mg of calcium and
less than 400 IU of vitamin D.
- Chiu KC, Chu A, Go VLW, Saad MF. Hypovitaminosis D is associated with insulin resistance and !
cell dysfunction. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:820-5.
- Pittas AG, Dawson-Hughes B, Li T, et al. Vitamin D and calcium intake in relation to type 2
diabetes in women. Diabetes Care 2006;29:650-6.

63. HYPERTENSION

64. Laboratory studies indicate that 1,25-
dihydroxyvitamin D suppresses renin
expression and vascular smooth muscle
cell proliferation.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with
blood levels of inflammatory markers,
including C-reactive protein and
interleukin-10.

65. *Clinical studies demonstrate an inverse association
between ultraviolet radiation exposure and blood
pressure.
*Patients with hypertension were exposed to
ultraviolet B radiation three times a week for 3
months, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels increased by
approximately 180%, and blood pressure became
normal (both systolic and diastolic blood pressure
reduced by 6 mm Hg).
- Krause R, Buhring M, Hopfenmuller W, Holick MF, Sharma AM. Ultraviolet B and blood pressure. Lancet
1998;352:709- 10.
- Thomas KK, Lloyd-Jones DM, Thadhani RI, et al. Hypovitaminosis D in medical inpatients. N Engl J Med
1998;338:777- 83.
- Zittermann A, Schleithoff SS, Tenderich G, Berthold HK, Körfre R, Stehle P. Low vitamin D status: a
contributing factor in the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure? J Am Coll Cardiol 2003;41:105-12.
- Zittermann A. Vitamin D and disease prevention with special reference to cardiovascular disease. Prog
Biophys Mol Biol 2006;92:39-48

66. *Other studies on vitamin D
supplementation to patients with
hypertension showed similar results.

67. RECOMMENDED
DOSES OF VITAMIN D
SUPPLEMENTATION

68. *Vitamin D supplementation intake
recommendations are controversial based upon
the targeted condition.
*The Institute of Medicine (IOM) published the
“2011 report” on dietary reference intakes for
vitamin D to be:
*600 IU/day for ages 1 to 70 years, and
*800 IU/day for those older than 71 years in
musculoskeletal conditions.
Ross AC, Manson JE, Abrams SA et al. (2011) The 2011 repor on dietary reference intakes for Calium
and Vitamin D from the Institute of medicine: what clinicans need to know. J Clin Endocrinol Metab
96:53–58

69. * Nevertheless, there is ample
evidence that vitamin D doses
above these recommendations are
well tolerated.
Brazier M, Grados F, Kamel S, et al. (2005) Clinical and laboratory safety of one year's use of a
combination calcium + vitamin D tablet in abmulatory elderly women with vitamin D insufficiency:
results of a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Clin Ther 27:1885–93
Trivedi DP, Doll R, Khaw KT (2003) Effect of four monthly oral vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)
supplementation on fractures and mortality in men and women living in the community: randomized
double blind controlled trial. BMJ 326:469

70. *Yet, due to the lack of conclusive level
I evidence, the IOM concluded that
recommendations for vitamin D
supplementation to address any other
condition-specific goal must await
larger epidemiologic or randomized
studies.

71. SCREENING
POTENTIAL

72. *Several problems are inevitably connected
with the use of plasma 25(OH)D to assess
vitamin D status.

73. *One important problem is that
plasma 25(OH)D level depends on:
*Unchangeable ecological factors
(season, local weather conditions and
latitude),
*Modifiable individual lifestyle factors
(clothing, dietary habits, etc.), and
*Unmodifiable individual factors (race,
pigmentation, skin thickness and age).
Mosekilde, L., Hermann, A.P., Beck-Nielsen, H., Charles, P., Nielsen, S.P. & Sorensen, O.H. (1999) The
Danish Osteoporosis Prevention Study (DOPS): project design and inclusion of 2016 normal
perimenopausal women. Maturitas, 31, 207209

74. So, most guidelines for elderly
population recommend vitamin D
and calcium supplementation for
the elderly without previous
testing of vitamin D status.
Ross AC, Manson JE, Abrams SA et al. (2011) The 2011 repor on dietary reference intakes for Calium and Vitamin D
from the Institute of medicine: what clinicans need to know. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 96:53–58