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50,000 IU vitamin D routinely given monthly in New Zealand senior homes since 2011– Dec 2016

Vitamin D status and its predictors in New Zealand aged-care residents eligible for a government-funded universal vitamin D supplementation programme.

Public Health Nutr. 2016 Dec;19(18):3349-3360. Epub 2016 Jul 25.
MacDonell SO 1: sue.macdonell at otago.ac.nz, Miller JC1, Harper MJ1, Waters DL2, Houghton LA1.

VitaminDWiki

Clipped from PDF

  • ..."implemented nationwide in New Zealand by 2011"
  • ..."recommends a loading dose of 2500 µg (100 000 IU) cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) in the first month followed by a maintenance dose of 1250 µg (50 000 IU) monthly thereafter for life"
  • no Vitamin D testing - offered to all
  • "Overall our study shows that the uptake of the government-funded vitamin D supplementation programme was high, with three-quarters of participants receiving monthly vitamin D supplementation, ..."
  • ". In the present study, we did not collect information regarding the incidence of falls or fractures and thus cannot determine the impact of the supplementation programme on skeletal outcomes"
  • "The very low cost (less than $NZ 5/person per year)..."

10 reasons why seniors need more vitamin D has the following

  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
  6. Seniors often have one or more diseases which consume vitamin D
  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?)

 Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
Image

OBJECTIVE:
The provision of prescribed vitamin D to all aged-care residents has been implemented in New Zealand as part of a government-led falls prevention programme. To our knowledge, there has been no evaluation of this universal programme on vitamin D status and functional and health outcomes. Thus, we aimed to determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and their predictors in aged-care residents across the country and to investigate whether the government-funded programme was associated with adequate vitamin D status.

DESIGN:
Cross-sectional survey of sociodemographic, biochemical, anthropometric, dietary and health characteristics. Blood samples were analysed for serum 25(OH)D and other biochemical measures. Multiple regression was used to examine predictors of vitamin D status.

SETTING: Sixteen residential aged-care facilities throughout New Zealand.

SUBJECTS: Residents aged ≥60 years with residency duration >12 weeks (n 309).

RESULTS:
Mean serum 25(OH)D was 89·9 (95 % CI 85·2, 94·5) nmol/l and monthly supplements (1250 µg (50 000 IU)) were taken by 75 % of all residents. Of those not taking a funded supplement, 65·3 % had serum 25(OH)D 125 nmol/l.

CONCLUSIONS:
Residents taking supplemental vitamin D had adequate vitamin D status; however monitoring of long-term supplementation should be considered, due to the high proportion of participants with high serum 25(OH)D levels.

PMID: 27453540 DOI: 10.1017/S1368980016001683


Created by admin. Last Modification: Saturday April 7, 2018 12:31:26 GMT-0000 by admin. (Version 2)

Attached files

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9657 NZ 50,000 monthl.jpg admin 07 Apr, 2018 12:23 19.05 Kb 419
9656 NZ 50,000 monthly.pdf admin 07 Apr, 2018 12:23 402.67 Kb 475