Increased those taking Vitamin D daily in nursing home from 45% to 78% with a lot of effort (higher % if weekly to monthly) – Oct 2024

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Vitamin D Status and Physical Functioning in Nursing Home Residents after Improved Adherence to the Vitamin D and Calcium Recommendation-A Quasiexperimental Study

J Nutr Metab. 2024 Oct 5:2024:2405429. doi: 10.1155/2024/2405429
Charlotte Mortensen 1, Anne Marie Beck 2, Inge Tetens 3, Charlotte Jeppesen 1, Søren Frank Jørgensen 4, Leif Kofoed Nielsen 4, Michael Kristensen 1

Introduction: Dietary supplements with vitamin and calcium are recommended to nursing home residents in Denmark, but adherence to the recommendation is low. In a previous part of this study, we reported improved adherence by means of The Model for Improvement leading to increased awareness and change of workflows at two nursing homes. However, potential effects of this improved adherence are unknown.

Objective: The objective of this substudy was to investigate if the improved adherence to the recommendation affected vitamin D status, muscle strength, and physical functioning of the residents.

Methods: This was a 20-week quasiexperimental study involving 40 residents from two Danish nursing homes. Baseline and endpoint measurements took place in October 2021 and March 2022, respectively. Outcomes were number of residents taking vitamin D and calcium supplements; vitamin D status; handgrip strength; and physical functioning with timed-up-and-go test and 30-second chair stand test.

Results: Prevalence of vitamin D supplement users increased from 45 to 78% (mean dose 41 μg) and of calcium supplement users from 40 to 72% (mean dose 769 mg) (both P=0.002). Among those having blood sampled at both baseline and endpoint (n = 30), mean vitamin D status increased from 66.6 ± 31.7 nmol/L to 82.8 ± 26.3 nmol/L (P < 0.001), and more residents were vitamin D sufficient at endpoint (90 vs. 63%, P=0.021). Endpoint vitamin D status among supplement users was 88.2 ± 22.2 nmol/L, which was higher compared to nonsupplement users (55.3 ± 30.4 nmol/L, P < 0.01). No effects were seen on muscle strength or physical functioning.

Conclusions: Increased supplementation with vitamin D using The Model for Improvement positively affected vitamin D status and prevalence of vitamin D sufficiency but did not affect muscle strength or physical functioning. Longer-term studies involving more residents are needed to investigate effects of improved adherence on these outcomes. This trial is registered with NCT04956705.
 Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki

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VitaminDWiki – Seniors contains:

436 items in Seniors

see also
Overview Seniors and Vitamin D
Muscles and Vitamin D - many studies 125+ items
Overview Fractures and Falls and Vitamin D

Falls and Fractures category listing has 260 items along with related searches

Overview Alzheimer's-Cognition and Vitamin D
Overview Cancer and vitamin D
Overview Influenza and vitamin D

Cancer - Prostate category listing has 106 items along with related searches

Overview Diabetes and vitamin D
Hearing Loss appears to be prevented and treated with vitamin D

Mortality category listing has 329 items along with related searches

Overview Osteoporosis and vitamin D
Restless Legs Syndrome - Vitamin D, Iron, etc. - many studies
Overview Rheumatoid Arthritis and vitamin D
Frailty and Vitamin D - many studies many studies
Nursing homes and Vitamin D - many studies
13 reasons why many seniors need more vitamin D (both dose and level) - July 2023 has:

1. Senior skin produces 4X less Vitamin D for the same sun intensity
2. Seniors have fewer vitamin D receptor genes as they age
   Receptors are needed to get Vitamin D in blood actually into the cells
3. Many other Vitamin D genes decrease with age
4. Since many gene activations are not detected by a blood test,
   more Vitamin D is often needed, especially by seniors
5. Seniors are indoors more than when they were younger
   not as agile, weaker muscles; frail, no longer enjoy hot temperatures
6. Seniors wear more clothing outdoors than when younger
   Seniors also are told to fear skin cancer & wrinkles
7. Seniors often take various drugs which end up reducing vitamin D
   Some reductions are not detected by a vitamin D test of the blood
   statins, chemotherapy, anti-depressants, blood pressure, beta-blockers, etc
8. Seniors often have one or more diseases that consume vitamin D
   osteoporosis, diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer, ...
9. Seniors generally put on weight as they age - and a heavier body requires more vitamin D
10. Seniors often (40%) have fatty livers – which do not process vitamin D as well
11. Reduced stomach acid means less Magnesium is available to get vitamin D into the cells
12. Vitamin D is not as bioavailable in senior intestines
13. Seniors with poorly functioning kidneys do not process vitamin D as well
14. Glutathione (which increases Vitamin D getting to cells) decreases with age
       Seniors category has 436 items

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VitaminDWiki – Nursing homes and Vitamin D - many studies (26 as of Oct 2024)

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VitaminDWiki – Vitamin D given weekly better than daily (Nursing home, 5,600 IU weekly) – Aug 2018

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VitaminDWiki – Free Vitamin D in New Zealand to prevent falls in nursing homes (50,000 IU monthly) – June 2016

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VitaminDWiki – Residents of a Nursing Home who choose monthly Vitamin D had 4X fewer COVID-19 deaths – Nov 2, 2020

Vitamin D in the blood can be restricted from getting to cells by the Vitamin D Receptor
Seniors have fewer Vitamin D Receptor than adults
Infrequent dosing is one of 16+ ways to activate the remaining Vitamin D Receptors
  see additional 13 reasons above that seniors need more vitamin D

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VitaminDWiki – Better than Daily contains:

33 items in BETTER THAN DAILY category

Non-daily (Bolus) is better:

1. Better compliance for everyone
   • Fewer opportunities to forget.
   • If happen to forget, just take the dose many days later
   • Fewer times to have to take a pill - for those who dislike doing so
2. Non-daily gets more vitamin D to the cells for the ~20% who have a poor Vitamin D Receptor
   • A high concentration gradient is one of 14+ ways to get past Vitamin D Receptor limitations
   • So, while 80% get no extra benefit from non-daily dosing, 20% will get an extra benefit

• Weekly Vitamin D better than daily – lower cost, less pill burden, perhaps 1.5X better response – meta-analysis Oct 2024
• Vitamin D given daily, weekly, or monthly has similar response (116 RCTs) – meta-analysis Aug 2023
• 44 percent of successful RCTs in VitaminDWiki used non-daily dosing - Nov 2020
• Monthly vitamin D dosing better for children than daily (again) - Oct 2023