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@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)..."

13 reasons why many seniors need more vitamin D (both dose and level) - July 2023 has the following

  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 430 items

 Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
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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

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