The calcium and vitamin D status in an elderly female population and their response to administered supplemental vitamin D3.

Recent reports have implicated the importance of impaired calcium absorption, inadequate dietary vitamin D, and low serum vitamin D levels in the genesis of metabolic bone diseases in the elderly. This study evaluated the dietary intakes of calcium and Vitamin D, calcium absorption, and serum 25 hydroxycholecalciferol (25 OH D) levels in a population of women (mean age 83 yrs) compared to healthy volunteers (mean age 35 yrs). Dietary intakes of both calcium and vitamin D and serum 25 OH D levels were found to be comparable in both groups. Calcium absorption was normal in the subjects studied and did not change significantly after two 2-week periods of oral supplementation with vitamin D3 in doses of 500 I.U./day and 10,000 I.U./day, although the serum 25 OH D levels rose significantly and comparably in both groups. Thus other etiological factors may play relevant roles in the causation of bone diseases in the elderly and unless deficient dietary or serum vitamin D levels are demonstrated, empirical supplementation with vitamin D should not be undertaken. The differences of the above findings from previously published data are discussed.