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Investigating the links between muscle strength, sun exposure, dietary vitamin D intake and the vitamin D status of ambulatory older adults in South East Queensland Borradale, David (2008) QUT Thesis]

Effects of vitamin D supplementation on strength, physical performance, and falls in older persons: a systematic review. Latham NK, Anderson CS, Reid IR. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2003 Sep;51(9):1219-26. Review. PMID: 12919233 DOI: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2003.51405. Conclusion: Although there is insufficient evidence that vitamin D supplementation alone improves physical performance in older people, some data suggest a benefit from vitamin D combined with calcium supplementation, but this requires confirmation in large, well-designed trials.

"Vitamin D is not just a sun-derived vitamin, but is a crucial steroid precursor that is transformed into one of the most potent hormones in the human body for strength, power, lung function and regulating gene expression in every organ system. Athletes need Vitamin D. Dr. Cannell has written quite extensively about the role of vitamin D in athletes"

Vitamin D supplementation improves neuromuscular function in older people who fall. Dhesi JK, Jackson SH, Bearne LM, Moniz C, Hurley MV, Swift CG, Allain TJ. Age Ageing. 2004 Nov;33(6):589-95. PMID: 15501836 doi:10.1093/ageing/afh20 9 CONCLUSIONS: vitamin D supplementation, in fallers with vitamin D insufficiency, has a significant beneficial effect on functional performance, reaction time and balance, but not muscle strength. This suggests that vitamin D supplementation improves neuromuscular or neuroprotective function, which may in part explain the mechanism whereby vitamin D reduces falls and fractures.

Vitamin D A Key Player In Overall Health Of Several Body Organs, Says Biochemist In a paper published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Norman identifies vitamin D's potential for contributions to good health in the adaptive and innate immune systems, the secretion and regulation of insulin by the pancreas, the heart and blood pressure regulation, muscle strength and brain activity. In addition, access to adequate amounts of vitamin D is believed to be beneficial towards reducing the risk of cancer. Norman also lists 36 organ tissues in the body whose cells respond biologically to vitamin D. The list includes bone marrow, breast, colon, intestine, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, skin, stomach and the uterus.

Comment: The strengths of this randomized study include its high level of adherence and its use of a vitamin D dose sufficient to cause a biologically meaningful increase in serum levels. The adult daily value for vitamin D is 400 IU, but many U.S. women are vitamin-D-deficient (N Engl J Med 2007; 357:266). The Institute of Medicine considers doses up to 2000 IU to be without significant risk for adverse health effects. In addition to consuming dietary sources of vitamin D (see Table 1), most women will need supplements to achieve adequate intake. Multivitamins usually contain 400 IU of vitamin D.

Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium An IOM committee has been named to undertake a study to assess current relevant data and update as appropriate the DRIs for vitamin D and calcium. The review will include consideration of chronic and non-chronic disease indicators. The study will also incorporate, as appropriate, systematic evidence-based reviews of the literature and an assessment of potential indicators of adequacy and of excess intake. Indicators for adequacy and excess will be selected based on the strength and quality of the evidence and the demonstrated public health significance, taking into consideration sources of uncertainty in the evidence.

Vitamin D protects bone, preserves muscle strength, and regulates cell growth and energy metabolism. It also offers some protection against cancer and other disease, but are these effects really important for health and life expectancy? The answer seems to be a resounding yes.

"Women from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka with insulin resistance showed marked improvement after taking vitamin D supplements, says a study. Von Hurst, nutrition lecturer at the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health at Albany, conducted the study for her doctoral thesis. Insulin resistance is largely symptom-free and sufferers are unaware of their condition. 'Once it has fully developed into type-2 diabetes, it can be treated, but not cured,' says Von Hurst. Von Hurst says that while diet and exercise play a major part in the onset of type-2 diabetes, her findings reinforce the importance of vitamin D from the sun and supplements to prevent type-2 diabetes. She also found evidence of vitamin D increasing bone strength in older women. "

"NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Important news for seniors: A daily dose of vitamin D cuts your risk of falling substantially, researchers reported today. But not just any dose will do. "It takes 700 to 1000 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day and nothing less will work," Dr. Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, who directs the Center on Aging and Mobility at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, noted in an email to Reuters Health. Those recommendations - which are higher than those by the U.S. Institute of Medicine -- are based on the results of eight studies that looked at vitamin D supplements for fall prevention among more than 2,400 adults aged 65 and older. Falls were not notably reduced with daily doses of vitamin D lower than 700 IU. An analysis of all eight studies, posted online today in the British Medical Journal, add weight to several others which have shown that vitamin D improves strength and balance, and bone health in the elderly, the researchers note."

Association between vitamin D status and physical performance: the InCHIANTI study.\nHouston DK, Cesari M, Ferrucci L, Cherubini A, Maggio D, Bartali B, Johnson MA, Schwartz GG, Kritchevsky SB.\nJ Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2007 Apr;62(4):440-6.\nPMID: 17452740

MedWire News: Serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) play a role in prostate cancer disease progression and are a potential prognostic indicator, Norwegian study findings suggest.

Vitamin D-Related Changes in Physical Performance: A Systematic Review. Annweiler C, Schott AM, Berrut G, Fantino B, Beauchet O. J Nutr Health Aging. 2009;13(10):893-898. PMID: 19924350 Conclusions: The findings show that the association between vitamin D and physical performance remains controversial. Observational studies and clinical trials yielded divergent results, which highlights the complex and to date still poorly understood association between serum vitamin D concentration or vitamin D supplementation and physical performance.