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Vitamin D: a review on its effects on muscle strength, the risk of fall, and frailty.

BioMed research international
January 1, 2015
Matthieu Halfon et al. (3 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman StudyMolecular Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to explore the effects of vitamin D (and its active form, calcitriol) on muscle function, particularly focusing on calcium influx and muscle performance.

Results Summary

The study found that vitamin D supplementation improves muscle strength and gait, reduces fall risk, and is associated with better muscle function, especially in elderly patients. Hypovitaminosis D was linked to decreased muscle performance and increased disability.

Population

Elderly patients and individuals with hypovitaminosis D.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (7)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
calcitriol
increase
cellular differentiation and proliferation
in vitro studies
-
acts in myocytes through genomic effects involving VDR activation in the cell nucleus to drive
#1
calcitriol
increase
calcium within muscle cells
in vitro studies
-
may be responsible for nongenomic effects leading to rapid influx of
#2
Hypovitaminosis D
decrease
muscle function and performance
-
-
is consistently associated with decrease in
#3
Hypovitaminosis D
increase
disability
-
-
is consistently associated with increase in
#4
vitamin D supplementation
increase
muscle strength and gait
elderly patients
-
has been shown to improve
#5
vitamin D supplementation
decrease
risk of falls
-
-
a reduced risk of falls has been attributed to
#6
a low vitamin D status
increase
the frail phenotype
-
-
is consistently associated with
#7
Abstract

Vitamin D is the main hormone of bone metabolism. However, the ubiquitary nature of vitamin D receptor (VDR) suggests potential for widespread effects, which has led to new research exploring the effects of vitamin D on a variety of tissues, especially in the skeletal muscle. In vitro studies have shown that the active form of vitamin D, calcitriol, acts in myocytes through genomic effects involving VDR activation in the cell nucleus to drive cellular differentiation and proliferation. A putative transmembrane receptor may be responsible for nongenomic effects leading to rapid influx of calcium within muscle cells. Hypovitaminosis D is consistently associated with decrease in muscle function and performance and increase in disability. On the contrary, vitamin D supplementation has been shown to improve muscle strength and gait in different settings, especially in elderly patients. Despite some controversies in the interpretation of meta-analysis, a reduced risk of falls has been attributed to vitamin D supplementation due to direct effects on muscle cells. Finally, a low vitamin D status is consistently associated with the frail phenotype. This is why many authorities recommend vitamin D supplementation in the frail patient.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Accidental FallsAgedCell DifferentiationCell ProliferationDietary SupplementsFrail ElderlyHumansMuscle CellsMuscle StrengthReceptors, CalcitriolVitamin D
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality80/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations163
Citations/Year16.3
Relative Citation Ratio7.76
NIH Percentile96.6%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.95
Weight Score1.01
Normalized Score0.66
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Vitamin D: a review on its effects on muscle strength, the r... | Panacea Index