- Folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin D status in healthy and active home-dwelling people over 70 years
- The majority of Germans had Vitamin D levels < 30 ng in a previous study
- VitaminDWiki -
17 studies in both categories Deficiency and Seniors - VitaminDWiki – Seniors contains:
- See also Nursing homes and Vitamin D - many studies 24+ studies
Folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin D status in healthy and active home-dwelling people over 70 years
BMC Geriatr. 2023 Oct 18;23(1):673. doi: 10.1186/s12877-023-04391-2.
Felix Kerlikowsky 1, Jan Philipp Schuchardt 1, Andreas Hahn 2
Background: Ageing is characterised by physiological changes that can affect the nutrient availability and requirements. In particular, the status of vitamin D, cobalamin and folate has often been found to be critical in older people living in residential care. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the status of these nutrients in healthy and active home-dwelling elderly people.Methods: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the status of vitamin D based on serum concentrations of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25-(OH)D], cobalamin based on serum concentrations of holotranscobalamin (holoTC) and folate based on red blood cell (RBC) folate in unsupplemented, healthy and active German home-dwelling subjects ≥ 70 years of age (n = 134, mean ± SD: 75.8 ± 4.5 years). Dietary intake was assessed by 3-day food recalls. The study was conducted between March and November of 2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic).
Results: The mean 25-(OH)D concentration was high at 85.1 ± 26.0 nmol/L, while the majority of women (92%) and men (94%) had 25-(OH)D concentrations ≥ 50 nmol/L. Less than 10% of men and women had 25-(OH)D concentrations < 50 nmol/L. The mean holoTC concentration was 88.9 ± 33.7 pmol/L (94.8 ± 34.6 pmol/L in women and 73.6 ± 25.6 in men). Only 8% of the women were cobalamin deficient (< 50 pmol/L holoTC) compared to 22% of the men. The mean RBC folate concentration was 831 ± 244 nmol/L, while the prevalence of folate deficiency was 10%. Linear regression analysis showed that only folate equivalent intake was associated with the relevant nutrient status marker.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that healthy, independently living older people with high levels of education, physical activity, and health awareness are not necessarily at higher risk of vitamin D, folate and cobalamin deficiency. Further studies are needed to verify these findings and to identify lifestyle and dietary patterns that can predict adequate nutrient status for healthy ageing.
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“Our results are also in contrast with data from the German Nationwide Nutrition Survey 1 (DEGS1), which included 6,995 individuals of all ages and reported a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency during summer time. Specifically, about half of the adults of both sexes had a vitamin D insufficiency “
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Possible reasons
- They conducted the study in the summer and these seniors uncharacteristically were outdoors a lot in the middle of the day (gardening?)
- These seniors were getting lots of vitamin D from fish, eggs, or meat
- Their blood test machine was not recently calibrated
- They lied
The majority of Germans had Vitamin D levels < 30 ng in a previous study
Hospital costs higher for those with low vitamin D (7,000 Germans in their 50's) – Nov 2017
VitaminDWiki -
17 studies in both categories Deficiency and Seniors This list is automatically updated
- Vitamin D as get older: more D and less deficiency (UK Health Care workers) - April 2024
- Seniors need more Vitamin D (Geriatric Ward in this case) - Jan 2024
- Some seniors in Germany had vitamin D levels of 34 ng without supplementation (seems unlikely) – Oct 2023
- Vitamin D levels in a nursing home (Austria) – Oct 2023
- Seniors 5.4 more likely to die if Vitamin D less than 15 ng (Mexico) – Aug 2023
- Higher Vitamin D in US seniors if older, female, not smoke, but LOWER for each in China – Dec 2019
- When over 50, poor health is associated with poor vitamin D– review Oct 2019
- Majority of postmenopausal women have less than 30 ng of Vitamin D - Review June 2019
- Vitamin D levels for UK seniors with health problems – Dec 2017
- 13 reasons why many seniors need more vitamin D (both dose and level) - July 2023
- Metabolic syndrome 2.4 X more likely if senior women had low vitamin D – Nov 2013
- Seniors in North Indian: half have sore bones, 98 pcnt have less than 30 ng vitamin D – Nov 2011
- German seniors 10 pct less than 7ng, 92 pct less than 30 ng vitamin D – Jan 2012
- Menopause group advises too little vitamin D supplementation etc. – Jan 2012
- Hypovitaminosis D and K are highly prevalent in institutionalized elderly – March 2010
- Vitamin D deficiency was the best predictor of older patient death in hospital – May 2010
- Vitamin D repletion = 2000 IU daily for adults and 5000 IU daily for seniors May 2010
VitaminDWiki – Seniors contains:
431 items in Seniors see also
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Mortality category listing has
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Restless Legs Syndrome dramatically reduced by vitamin D, etc
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Frailty and Vitamin D - many studies many studies
Nursing homes and Vitamin D - many studies
13 reasons why many seniors need more vitamin D (both dose and level) - July 2023 has:- Senior skin produces 4X less Vitamin D for the same sun intensity
- Seniors have fewer vitamin D receptor genes as they age
Receptors are needed to get Vitamin D in blood actually into the cells - Many other Vitamin D genes decrease with age
- Since many gene activations are not detected by a blood test,
more Vitamin D is often needed, especially by seniors - Seniors are indoors more than when they were younger
not as agile, weaker muscles; frail, no longer enjoy hot temperatures - Seniors wear more clothing outdoors than when younger
Seniors also are told to fear skin cancer & wrinkles - Seniors often take various drugs which end up reducing vitamin D
Some reductions are not detected by a vitamin D test of the blood
statins, chemotherapy, anti-depressants, blood pressure, beta-blockers, etc - Seniors often have one or more diseases that consume vitamin D
osteoporosis, diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer, ... - Seniors generally put on weight as they age - and a heavier body requires more vitamin D
- Seniors often (40%) have fatty livers – which do not process vitamin D as well
- Reduced stomach acid means less Magnesium is available to get vitamin D into the cells
- Vitamin D is not as bioavailable in senior intestines
- Seniors with poorly functioning kidneys do not process vitamin D as well
Seniors category has431 items
See also Nursing homes and Vitamin D - many studies 24+ studies
Some seniors in Germany had vitamin D levels of 34 ng without supplementation (seems unlikely) – Oct 20231084 visitors, last modified 19 Oct, 2023, This page is in the following categories (# of items in each category)Attached files
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