Table 1.
Author, year, and study type | Patients, age | Endpoints/tools | Result |
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Visser et al., 2003 [73]; prospective observational study |
1008 for grip strength evaluation; 331 for muscle mass evaluation; 55–85 yrs | Grip strength; appendicular skeletal muscle mass (using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) |
(i) Persons with baseline 25-OHD levels <25 nmol/liter were 2.57 (based on grip strength) and 2.14 (based on muscle mass) times more likely to experience sarcopenia, compared with those with levels >50 nmol/liter (ii) PTH >4.0 pmol/liter was associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia |
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Latham et al., 2003 [101]; multicenter, RCT∗ | 243 hospitalized patients; 65 yrs or older |
Falls, physical performance (isometric knee extensor strength), and self-rated function | No effect of vitamin D (calciferol, 300,000 IU) on physical health, falls, and physical performance, even in patients with baseline vitamin D levels <12 ng/mL |
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Kenny et al., 2003 [95]; RCT∗ | 65 healthy, community-dwelling men; 65–87 yrs | Upper and lower extremity muscle strength and power (using a leg press and handgrip strength), physical performance (specific tests), and activity (using questionnaires) | (i) Baseline 25OHD correlated with baseline single-leg stance time and physical activity score. Baseline PTH levels correlated with baseline 8-foot walk time and physical activity score (ii) No significant difference in strength, power, and physical performance between groups (cholecalciferol 1,000 IU/d or placebo for 6 months, all received 500 mg of calcium) |
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Broe et al., 2007 [75]; secondary data analysis of a previous RCT∗ | 124 nursing-home residents; 68–104 yrs | Falls | Supplementation with 800 IU of cholecalciferol reduced the adjusted-incidence rate ratio of falls by 72%, compared to placebo; no differences for the 200, 400, and 600 IU dose |
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Bischoff-Ferrari et al., 2004 [78]; population-based survey |
Ambulatory population; 60–90 yrs | Lower-extremity function; timed 8-foot walk test; and repeated sit-to-stand test | The group in the highest quintiles of 25(OH)D had an average decrease of 0.27 s in the 8-foot walk test and an average decrease of 0.67 s in the sit-to-stand test |
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Gerdhem et al., 2005 [77]; prospective observational study |
986; 75.0–75.9 yrs | Gait, balance, and self-estimated activity level thigh muscle strength | 25OHD correlated with gait speed (P < 0.001), balance test (P < 0.001), self-estimated activity level (P < 0.001), and thigh muscle strength (P = 0.02) |
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Houston et al., 2007 [81]; post hoc analysis of a prospective population-based study | 976; 65 yrs or older | Short physical performance battery (SPPB) and handgrip strength | (i) Vitamin D levels were significantly associated with SPPB score in men (P = 0.04) and handgrip strength in men (P = 0.004) and women (P = 0.01) (ii) Men and women with serum 25OHD <25.0 nmol/L had significantly lower SPPB score; and those with serum 25OHD <50 nmol/L had significantly lower handgrip strength than those with serum 25OHD ≥25 and ≥50 nmol/L, respectively, (P < 0.05) (iii) PTH was significantly associated with handgrip strength only (P = 0.01) |
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Pfeifer et al., 2009 [91]; double-blind, controlled trial |
242 community-dwelling people; 70 yrs or older |
Falls, body sway, timed-up-and-go test, and maximum isometric leg extensor strength (assessed with a strain gauge dynamometer) | (i) Calcium plus vitamin D significantly decreased the number of subjects with first falls of 27% at month 12 and 39% at month 20, compared to calcium alone (ii) Significant improvements in quadriceps strength of 8%, a decrease in body sway of 28%, and a decrease in time needed to perform the TUG test of 11% |
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Moreira-Pfrimer et al., 2009 [92]; prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial |
46 patients in long-stay geriatric care, 62–94 years | Maximum isometric strength of hip flexors (SHF) and knee extensors (SKE), measured by a portable mechanical dynamometer | SHF was increased in the calcium/vitamin D group (1 g calcium + cholecalciferol 150,000 IU once a month for the first 2 months and then 90,000 IU once a month for the last 4 months) by 16.4% (P = 0.0001) and SKE by 24.6% (P = 0.0007), no improvement in the calcium + placebo group |
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Kukuljan et al., 2009 [93]; RCT∗ | 180 healthy men, 50–79 yrs | Total body lean and fat mass (DXA∧), midfemur muscle cross-sectional area (quantitative computed tomography), muscle strength, and physical function | Daily consumption of low-fat fortified milk (providing 1000 mg calcium and 800 IU vitamin D3, per day) does not enhance the effects of resistance training exercise on skeletal muscle size, strength, or function |
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Bischoff-Ferrari et al., 2009 [96]; meta-analysis of RCT∗ | 2426 patients from 8 RCT | Falls | (i) High dose supplemental vitamin D reduced fall risk by 19% (ii) Achieved serum 25 (OH)D concentrations of 60 nmol/L or more resulted in a 23% fall reduction |
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Lips et al., 2010 [94]; double-blind, placebo-controlled trial |
126 patients with vitamin D insufficiency; 70 yrs or older | Mediolateral body sway and short physical performance battery (SPPB) | (i) After 16 wk, mediolateral sway and SPPB did not differ significantly between treatment groups (vitamin D3 8400 IU/week versus placebo) (ii) In the post hoc analysis treatment with vitamin D3 significantly reduced sway compared with placebo (P = 0.047) in patients with elevated baseline sway |
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Gupta et al., 2010 [90]; double-blind, randomized trial |
40 healthy volunteers; 20–40 yrs |
Handgrip and gastrosoleus dynamometry, pinch-grip strength, respiratory pressures, 6-minute walk test, and muscle energy Metabolism on 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy |
The supplemented group (60,000 IU D3/week for 8 weeks followed by 60,000 IU/month for 4 months + 1 g of calcium daily) gained a handgrip strength of 2Æ4 kg; gastrosoleus strength of 3Æ0 Nm; and walking distance of 15Æ9 m over the placebo group |
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Murad et al., 2011 [76]; meta-analysis |
45,782 participants from 26 trials | Falls | Vitamin D use was associated with statistically significant reduction in the risk of falls (odds ratio for suffering at least one fall, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.77–0.96) |
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Goswami et al., 2012 [99]; RCT∗ | 173 healthy females, mean age 21.7 + 4.4 yrs | Handgrip and pinch grip strength and distance walked in 6 min | Mean handgrip strength and its increase were comparable in 4 groups (double placebo, calcium/placebo, cholecalciferol/placebo, and cholecalciferol/calcium at 6 months) |
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Cipriani et al., 2013 [100]; prospective intervention study |
18 women with vitamin D deficiency (25–39 yrs) |
Handgrip strength (using a dynamometer and evaluating maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and speed of contraction (S)) | (i) No significant change in MVC and S values after vitamin D supplementation (cholecalciferol 600,000 IU) (ii) A significant correlation between MVC and S and serum phosphorus after supplementation (P < 0.02 and P < 0.05, resp.) |
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Knutsen et al., 2014 [98]; RCT∗ | 251 healthy adults with vitamin D deficiency (18–50 yrs) | Jump height, handgrip strength, and chair-rising test | (i) Percentage change in jump height did not differ between the group receiving vitamin D3 (1000 IU daily) and placebo (P = 0.44) (ii) No significant effect of vitamin D on handgrip strength or the chair-rising test |
*Randomized controlled trial.
∧Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.