Fraser Health update: 20,000 IU weekly
Made an Overview of Vitamin D for Fraser Health in Canada
Which has lots of support for vitamin D - including:
- For falls and fractures
- In Canada
- In Northern Europe
- Benefits to seniors: Movement
- Benefits to seniors: Mental
- Other benefits to seniors
Telephone notes
For phone conversation Nov 24 between Henry Lahore and
Dr. Michael McBryde, Program Medical Director, Residential and Assisted Living Programme
Vitamin D has a problem of following other “wonder drugs” which proved to be not so beneficial – but this time is different. A problem of “cry wolf”.
Great resistance by many doctors to try vitamin D until after extensive and solid evidence.
Fraser Health program is somewhat funded by the Canadian govt (after 18 months of effort).
Fraser has previously issued quarterly reports – such as hip fractures as required in Canada.
They optimistically hope that it will reduce the number of hip fractures in their facility by 100.
It will be cost effective if vitamin D reduces the hip fractures by even 1.
They should have a large enough database – with 7,000 residents – to easily detect the reduction in fractures etc. as a result of adding vitamin D
They will not have vitamin D tests before and during the protocol – too expensive.
All prescriptions are given by nurses to the senior home residents, approximately 85% of whom are demented.
Prescription of 20,000 IU tablet once per week.
Had considered once per month, but was concerned that the resident might be absent on the day of the month that it was given.
He expects a very high participation rate – as the doctors must give a reason why their patients should not participate.
This might be called an opt-out situation.
A very small percentage of the residents will not participate – probably due being on dialysis or having high levels of Calcium
3 Questions - uncertain from phone conversation - asked by e-mail
- D3 or D2
- Might residents be getting too much Calcium for the higher level of vitamin D
- 100 Falls or fractures
Future expansion of the program:
- Add co-factors of Vitamin K2 and Magnesium (the residents already get enough Calcium) to improve the effectiveness of the vitamin D on the bones,
- Add more vitamin D for those at high risk (dark skin, obese, etc)
- Others in Fraser Health will probably elect in the future to extend vitamin D to some of the 99.9% of Fraser Health who are not in senior facilities