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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #289456
Title: Supplementation with 1000 IU vitamin D/d leads to parathyroid hormone suppression, but not increased fractional calcium absorption, in 4-8-y-old children: A double-blind randomized controlled trial

Author
item ABRAMS, STEVEN - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item HAWTHORNE, KELI - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item CHEN, ZHENSHENG - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/27/2012
Publication Date: 1/2/2013
Citation: Abrams, S.A., Hawthorne, K.M., Chen, Z. 2013. Supplementation with 1000 IU vitamin D/d leads to parathyroid hormone suppression, but not increased fractional calcium absorption, in 4-8-y-old children: A double-blind randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 97(1):217-223.

Interpretive Summary: The effects of vitamin D supplementation in healthy prepubertal children on physiologic outcomes have not been investigated. Our goal was to find out the effects of supplementation with 1000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 on calcium absorption. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned 64 children to 1000 IU vitamin D3/d or placebo for 8 weeks. Stable isotopes were used to assess calcium absorption. We found that vitamin D supplementation at 1000 IU/d increases vitamin D levels and decreases parathyroid hormone in children with average vitamin D intakes below the dietary recommendations of the Institute of Medicine. However, no significant effects of this change on calcium absorption occurred.

Technical Abstract: The effects of vitamin D supplementation in healthy prepubertal children on physiologic outcomes have not been investigated. The objective was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with 1000 IU vitamin D(3)/d on calcium absorption. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned 64 children to 1000 IU vitamin D(3)/d (n = 32) or placebo (n = 32) for 8 wk. Stable isotopes were used to assess calcium absorption. The main outcome measure was calcium absorption before and after supplementation. All of the data are shown as means +/- SDs. At baseline, vitamin D intake was 221 +/- 79 IU/d and calcium intake was 830 +/- 197 mg/d. Baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was not significantly correlated with fractional or total calcium absorption. After 8 wk, with baseline values used as a covariate, no differences were seen in fractional or total calcium absorption based on supplementation group (P = 0.75 and 0.36, respectively). Supplemented children had a significant increase in 25(OH)D concentrations (from 27.7 +/- 7.4 to 36.0 +/- 10.3 ng/mL; P < 0.0001) and a decrease in parathyroid hormone (from 21.4 +/- 10.4 to 12.9 +/- 7.1 pg/mL; P < 0.001); no significant changes in the placebo group were observed. No adverse side effects were noted in either group. Vitamin D(3) supplementation at 1000 IU/d increases 25(OH)D and decreases parathyroid hormone in children with average vitamin D intakes below the dietary recommendations of the Institute of Medicine. However, no significant effects of this change on calcium absorption occurred.