Effect of Monthly and Bi-Monthly 50,000 International Units (IU) Maintenance Therapy With Vitamin D3 on Serum Level of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.13929
Mohammed A. AlAteeq, Abdulaziz AlShail, Amal AlZahrani, Osama AlNafisah, Emad Masuadi, Awad Alshahrani
Trial compared responses to 50,000 given
| every 2 weeks | achieved 40 ng |
| every 4 weeks | DECREASED by 10 ng |
One 50K dose every two weeks fights
Diabetes + Heart Failure + Chronic Pain + Depression + Autism + Breast Cancer + Colon Cancer + Prostate Cancer + BPH (prostate) + Preeclampsia + Premature Birth + Falls + Cognitive Decline + Respiratory Tract Infection + Influenza + Tuberculosis + Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease + Lupus + Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome + Urinary Tract Infection + Poor Sleep + Growing Pain + Multiple Sclerosis + PMS + Schizophrenia + Endometriosis + Smoking 27 problems
Note: Once a week also fights: COVID, Headaches, Colds, Fibromyalgia, Asthma, Hives, Colitis etc.
- Treating Vitamin D deficiency in senior women – such as 50,000 IU daily for 15 days then twice a month – Review April 2019
- 50,000 IU of vitamin D every two weeks – Jordan conclusion - RCT July 2017
- Vitamin D update – 40-60 ng ideal, 50K biweekly maintenance – Jan 2014
- Monthly vitamin D dosing is better than daily dosing for children and elderly (more likely to be taken) – June 2017
What is an Optimal Level: 40 ng, 50 ng, 60 ng, 80 ng?
- Is 50 ng of vitamin D too high, just right, or not enough
- Optimum Vitamin D level: Evidence for 30 and 40 ng – Grant Aug 2013
- 30 to 50 ng of vitamin D is optimal – Central Europe consensus Sept 2013
- Defining normal level of vitamin D (need 4000-5000 IU) - Heaney Spring 2013
- 40 ng Vitamin D perhaps optimal for reduced mortality – Meta-analysis Jan 2012
Better than Daily has the following
Non-daily (Bolus) is better:
- 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
- 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
Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
Background
Vitamin D deficiency is a prevalent condition worldwide. Identification of optimal supplementation approaches for maintaining normal vitamin D level in healthy adults is still required. It has been clearly established that sun exposure and diet do not provide the recommended daily amount of vitamin D, and that vitamin D supplementation is needed to maintain normal levels in the Saudi population. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of two regimens, monthly and bimonthly doses of 50,000 International Units (IU) cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), in maintaining normal serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in Saudi adults.
Methods
This study was a randomized controlled trial conducted to compare the efficacy of three regimens in maintaining a normal level of vitamin D in adult individuals. The study took place at three primary healthcare centers in King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 65 participants were enrolled and randomly divided into two intervention groups and one control group. All participants were contacted by researchers and followed up at their corresponding primary health care center for two successive visits.
Results
All 65 participants completed the study. The participants were mostly females (49; 75.4%); the mean age was 42.1 years (±13.5). The difference in vitamin D levels after three months of the trial was statistically significant among the three groups. A decrease in vitamin D level was recorded in the control group and in the once monthly intake of 50,000 IU group. The bimonthly intake of 50,000 IU group maintained statistically significant vitamin D levels > 75.
Conclusion
Bimonthly vitamin D3 supplementation appears to be an efficient regimen for maintaining a normal level of 25(OH)D, regardless of the amount of vitamin D obtained from diet and sun exposure.
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