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In This Episode:
Dr. K explains why the best dose of vitamin D for older adults is lower than you might think. She explains why vitamin D is important and how the latest research suggests that high doses of vitamin D might actually be risky for older adults. This episode covers:
- What is vitamin D
- What is an optimal level of vitamin D
- When to test vitamin D levels
- What is vitamin D deficiency
- Official vitamin D intake recommendations
- Key vitamin D research findings
- Vitamin D and fall prevention
- The vitamin D dose she recommends for older adults
Related episode:
Related Resources:
- Vitamin D: What to Know (& Why to Be Careful About High Doses)
- Vitamin D total unit calculator
- NIH: Vitamin D Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
- Scholarly articles:
- The Relationship of Falls With Achieved 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels From Vitamin D Supplementation: The STURDY Trial
- Monthly High-Dose Vitamin D Treatment for the Prevention of Functional Decline
- Vitamin D supplementation and risk of falling
- Medium doses of Vitamin D Decrease Falls and Higher Doses of Daily Vitamin D3 Increase Falls
- Effect of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation on Volumetric Bone Density and Bone Strength
- Vitamin D for the Prevention of Disease: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline
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Dave Mackie says
Why not test vitamin D levels as long as you’re already having a blood draw?
I can understand not acting rashly on one test result, but it’s a bit like a PSA test; just one data point when monitoring health – the constellation of data presents a nuanced picture for the clinician and patient
Nicole Didyk, MD says
It may seem simple to add in a Vitamin D level, however, as mentioned in this article, it can be difficult to get an accurate assay, and there are limits to our understanding of what the levels even mean (such that there tends to be a range of healthy or unhealthy values, depending on the value and the person).
I know in Canada, cost is an issue as well, in that Vitamin D assays will only be covered by the provincial insurance plan under certain circumstances.