Vitamin D supplementation in a nursing home population.

To determine if daily supplementation of 2000 IU of vitamin D(3) is able to normalize the 25(OH)D(3) status in a nursing home population, a group particularly prone to Vitamin D insufficiency. A chart review was performed to retrospectively determine the 25(OH)D(3) level in each nursing home patient (N=68) who had received a minimum of 5 months of daily 2000 IU vitamin D(3) supplementation. 94.1% of nursing home residents had a 25(OH)D(3) level in excess of 80 nmol/L after a minimum of 5 months of daily 2,000 IU vitamin D(3) supplementation. No residents had 25(OH)D(3) levels in a toxic range. In order to improve health and well-being and to preclude preventable morbidity and mortality associated with 25(OH)D(3) insufficiency, all nursing home patients without contraindication should be routinely supplemented with (at minimum) 2000 IU of vitamin D(3) on a daily basis.