Comparison of Different Vitamin D Dosing Regimens

All these articles were sent to me by my good friend, Norm Shealy MD. There are many sources of changing recommendations on how to use Vitamin D3 in life and here is but a small part of what this excellent physician thinks it is important.

Dr. Joe

Keywords:
AGING, VITAMIN D STATUS, ELDERLY - Vitamin D, Dosing, Dosages

Reference:
"The same annual dose of 292 000 IU of vitamin D(3) (cholecalciferol) on either daily or four monthly basis for elderly women: 1-year comparative study of the effects on serum 25(OH)D(3) concentrations and renal function," Pekkarinen T, Valimaki VV, et al, Clin Endocrinol (Oxf), 2009 May 25; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: Dr. Matti Välimäki, M.D, Ph.D., Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, FI-00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland. E-mail: matti.valimaki@horcon.inet.fi ).

Summary:
In a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel group study involving 40 women between the ages of 67 and 79 years, daily supplementation with vitamin D 400 IU twice a day was found to be more efficient at raising 25(OH)D(3) concentrations than supplementation with 97,333 IU vitamin D(3) oil, every four months. Both groups of subjects received 1 gram per day calcium. After one year, 100% of subjects in the daily vitamin D group achieved 25(OH)D(3) levels above 50 nmol/L, as compared to 67% in the 4 months group, and 47% in the daily dose group achieved 25(OH)D(3) 75 nmol/L, as compared to 28% in the monthly dose group. Urinary calcium excretion increased in both groups, but no worsening of renal function in either group was found. These results suggest, "In terms of serum 25(OH)D(3) concentrations, 800 IU daily was more efficient than a 97333 IU every four months. However, to incre ase adherence the latter is still worth developing."