Vitamin D: a review on its effects on muscle strength, the risk of fall, and frailty.
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
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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.