Three trials on shut-ins (in this case, shut in hospital) by the same authors in Japan
Table of contents
- 6X reduction in hip fracture of stroke patients who got sun exposture - RCT 2003
- 10 minutes of daily sun reduced fracture rate by 3.7 for Alzheimer’s patients - RCT 2005
- 9 minutes of daily sunlight reduced hip fractures by 2.4X in Parkinson’s Disease patients - RCT 2011
- Just imagine how much more reduction would have resulted if they had . . .
- See also VitaminDWiki
6X reduction in hip fracture of stroke patients who got sun exposture - RCT 2003
Amelioration of osteoporosis and hypovitaminosis D by sunlight exposure in stroke patients.
Neurology. 2003 Aug 12;61(3):338-42.
Sato Y, Metoki N, Iwamoto J, Satoh K.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
BACKGROUND: The authors' previous investigations have disclosed low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) concentrations in 45 patients during long-term hospitalization following stroke (mean 5.9 ng/mL). This 25-OHD deficiency resulted from sunlight deprivation.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of sunlight exposure in increasing serum 25-OHD, in reducing the severity of osteoporosis in bone mineral density (BMD), and in decreasing the risk of hip fractures in chronically hospitalized, disabled stroke patients.
METHODS: In a 12-month randomized and prospective study of stroke patients, 129 received regular sunlight exposure for 12 months, and the remaining 129 (sunlight-deprived) did not.
RESULTS: At baseline, patients of both groups showed vitamin D deficiency. BMD increased by 3.1% in the sunlight-exposed group and decreased by 3.3% in the sunlight-deprived group (p = 0.0001). 25-OHD level increased by fourfold in the sunlight-exposed group. Six patients sustained hip fractures on the hemiplegic side in the sunlight-deprived group, and one hip fracture occurred among the sunlight-exposed group (p = 0421; odds ratio = 6.1).
CONCLUSION: Sunlight exposure can increase the BMD of vitamin D-deficient bone by increasing 25-OHD concentration.
PMID: 12913194
10 minutes of daily sun reduced fracture rate by 3.7 for Alzheimer’s patients - RCT 2005
Amelioration of osteoporosis and hypovitaminosis D by sunlight exposure in hospitalized, elderly women with Alzheimer's disease: a randomized controlled trial.
J Bone Miner Res. 2005 Aug;20(8):1327-33. Epub 2005 Apr 4.
Sato Y, Iwamoto J, Kanoko T, Satoh K.
Department of Neurology, Mitate Hospital, 3237 Yugeta, Tagawa, Japan. y-sato at ktarn.or.jp
In a random and prospective study, Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients were assigned to regular sunlight exposure (n = 132) or sunlight deprivation (n = 132) and followed for 1 year. Serum 25-OHD level increased by 2.2-fold in the sunlight-exposed group. Eleven patients sustained fractures in the sunlight-deprived group, and three fractures occurred among the sunlight-exposed group (p = 0.0362; odds ratio = 3.7).
INTRODUCTION: A high incidence of fractures, particularly of the hip, represents an important problem in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), who are prone to falls and have osteoporosis. We previously showed that 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) deficiency caused by sunlight deprivation with compensatory hyperparathyroidism causes reduced BMD in elderly women with AD. This study was undertaken to address the possibility that sunlight exposure with calcium supplementation may maintain BMD and reduce the incidence of nonvertebral fractures in elderly women with AD.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a random and prospective study, AD patients were assigned to regular sunlight exposure (n = 132) or sunlight deprivation (n = 132) and followed for 1 year. BMD of the second metacarpal bone was measured using a computed X-ray densitometer (CXD). The CXD method measures BMD and cortical thickness at the middle of the second metacarpal bone on a radiogram of the hand and an aluminum step wedge as a standard (20 steps; 1 mm/step). Incidence of nonvertebral fractures in the two patient groups during the 1-year follow-up period was assessed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At baseline, average hospitalization period was 1.7 years in both groups, and activity of daily living (ADL) was decreased. Patients of both groups showed vitamin D deficiency caused by sunlight deprivation and decreased dietary intake of vitamin D with compensatory hyperparathyroidism. The exposed group patients were exposed to sunlight (3615 minutes/year). BMD increased by 2.7% in the sunlight-exposed group and decreased by 5.6% in the sunlight-deprived group (p < 0.0001). Serum 25-OHD level increased from 24.0 to 52.2 nM in the sunlight-exposed group. Eleven patients sustained fractures in the sunlight-deprived group, and three fractures occurred among the sunlight-exposed group (p = 0.0362; odds ratio = 3.7). Sunlight exposure can increase the BMD of vitamin D-deficient bone by increasing 25-OHD concentration and lead to the prevention of nonvertebral fractures.
PMID: 16007329
Extracted from PDF
Sunlight exposure outdoors for 15 minutes each day was given to the exposed group during clear weather. Nurses took the patients outside each day using a wheelchair if the patients could not walk without assistance, and the face, forearms, and hands (total exposed skin area was 426 ± 32 cm2) were exposed to sunlight for 15 minutes. Although the deprived group members were not prohibited from venturing outdoors, the interventional sunlight exposure was not performed. Sunlight exposure was assessed from the patients care documents. The document was completed by nurses who recorded the daily behavior of individuals during every 60-minute period. If the patients were taken outdoors by a nurse, time spent outdoors was obtained from notes in the medical records.
Fig 2
Mean ± SE percent changes from baseline in metacarpal BMD after 1 year in the exposed, deprived, and control groups. The differences in the percent changes in BMD among the three groups were statistically significant (ANCOVA, p < 0.0001;ex-posed group vs. deprived group, p < 0.0001; exposed group vs. control group, p < 0.0001; deprived group vs. control group, p < 0.0001). Numbers in parentheses are the subjects followed. 1,25-(OH)2D(r = -0.846, p < 0.0001). There was a positive correlation between BI and serum concentrations of 25-OHD (r = 0.142, p = 0.0210).
PDF is attached at the bottom of this page
9 minutes of daily sunlight reduced hip fractures by 2.4X in Parkinson’s Disease patients - RCT 2011
Amelioration of osteoporosis and hypovitaminosis D by sunlight exposure in Parkinson's disease.
Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2011 Jan;17(1):22-6. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2010.10.008. Epub 2010 Nov 2.
Sato Y, Iwamoto J, Honda Y.
Department of Neurology, Mitate Hospital, 3237 Yugeta, Tagawa 826-0041, Japan. y-sato at ktarn.or.jp
A high incidence of fractures, particularly of the hip, represents an important problem in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), who are prone to falls and have osteoporosis. We previously showed that 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) deficiency due to sunlight deprivation with compensatory hyperparathyroidism causes reduced bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly patients with PD. The present study was undertaken to address the possibility that sunlight exposure may maintain BMD and reduce the incidence of hip fracture in elderly patients with PD. In a prospective study, PD patients were assigned to regular sunlight exposure (n=162) or usual lifestyle (n=162), and followed for 2 years. BMD of the second metacarpal bone was measured using a computed X-ray densitometer. Incidence of hip fracture in the two patient groups during the 2 year follow-up period was assessed. At baseline, patients of both groups showed vitamin D deficiency due to sunlight deprivation with compensatory hyperparathyroidism. The exposed group patients were exposed to sunlight (3231 min/year). BMD increased by 3.8% in the sunlight-exposed group and decreased by 2.6% in the usual lifestyle group (p<.0001). Serum 25-OHD level increased from 27 nmol/L to 52 nmol/L in the sunlight-exposed group. Eleven patients sustained hip fracture in the normal lifestyle group, and 3 fractures occurred among the sunlight-exposed group (p=.03; odds ratio=2.4). Sunlight exposure can increase the BMD of vitamin D deficient bone by increasing 25-OHD concentration and leads to the prevention of hip fracture.
PMID: 21050796
Just imagine how much more reduction would have resulted if they had . . .
- Spent more minutes in the sun
- Concentrated on mid-day sun, not just anytime during the day -no mention in the PDF
- Concentrated on Summer sun (Which produces far more vitamin D than winter sun)
- Had more skin exposed to the the sun
- Also supplemented with vitamin D (Japan, at the time, recommended only 100 IU of vitamin D daily)
- Also took Magnesium and Vitamin K2 - which build bones
See also VitaminDWiki
- Overview Fractures and vitamin D
- Overview Fractures and Falls and Vitamin D
- Hip fracture rate varies with latitude (and thus vitamin D) in Sweden – Nov 2013
- Following a stroke, a hip fracture is 6X more likely if low vitamin D – July 2001
- Vitamin D may prevent falls and fractures without Calcium – an overview of 9 meta-analysis – Oct 2012
- 5 Amazing Properties of Sunlight You've Never Heard About sun produces more than vitamin D
- MS prevention by UV is 2X better than prevention by vitamin D levels – Jan 2012
- Many Italian seniors garden, have high levels of vitamin D and are healthy - April 2012
- Lets go to the sunny beach, it is just down the hall – Nov 2011 which has the following picture
Note: the people in the 3 RCT on this page did not have the skin of the legs exposed.