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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #222934
Title: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and functional outcomes in the elderly

Author
item Dawson-Hughes, Bess

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/28/2008
Publication Date: 8/1/2008
Citation: Dawson-Hughes, B. 2008. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and functional outcomes in the elderly. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 88(2)537s-540s.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective of this paper is to consider key evidence that treatment of vitamin D insufficiency has measurable clinical benefits for the musculoskeletal system in the elderly. The outcomes considered are increased bone mass, decreased rates of bone loss, improved muscle performance, reduced risk of falls, and reduced fracture incidence. Available evidence suggests that the elderly need a mean serum level of at least 65 nmol/L of vitamin D to improve muscle performance and reduce the risk of falling and at least 75 nmol/L to reduce the risk of fracture. Many elderly people in the United States and elsewhere have serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations below these levels. For this reason, supplementation is likely to provide significant benefit to this segment of the population.