Importance of Vitamin D Supplementation

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Importance of Vitamin D Supplementation

http://www.vitasearch.com/CP/weeklyupdates/

Reference: " Suboptimal vitamin D status is a highly prevalent but

treatable condition in both hospitalized patients and the general

population, " NL, Kiebzak GM, J Am Acad Nurs Prac, 2007; 19(12):

642-651. (Address: St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Center for Orthopaedic

Research and Education, Orthopaedic Nurse Researcher, Houston, TX, USA).

Summary: In a review article looking at the prevalence, implications

of, and treatment for suboptimal vitamin D status in both hospitalized

patients and the general population, suboptimal vitamin D status was

found to be quite prevalent in both populations, and supplementation

with 50,000 IU/day of vitamin D(2) was found to be an inexpensive, safe,

and effective treatment to replete vitamin D status. Data was gathered

from a literature review using PubMed and CINAHL, as well as results

from the authors' recent prospective study involving 100 hospitalized

patients and 51 non-hospitalized subjects. Results found that poor

vitamin D status - ranging from suboptimal to overt deficiency - was

common to hospitalized patients and ostensibly healthy members of the

general population. Suboptimal vitamin D status was found to be

associated with muscle weakness, functional deficits, and longer length

of stay in hospitalized patients. Race, poor nutrition, advanced age,

use of multivitamins, UV light exposure, and grip strength were found to

be predictors of vitamin D status. Supplementation with 50,000 IU/d

vitamin D(2) for several weeks was found to be effective at normalizing

vitamin D status. The authors of this review conclude, " Improving

vitamin D status may improve a patient's functional ability, therefore

decreasing falls and preventing fractures, decreasing length of stay in

the hospital, and decreasing the cost of health care. Providers can

potentially improve the life of older adults by educating patients on

the importance of vitamin D supplementation. "

--

ne Holden, MS, RD

" Ask the Parkinson Dietitian " http://www.parkinson.org/

" Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease "

" Parkinson's disease: Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy "

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