Single oral high-dose vitamin D3 prophylaxis in the elderly.

A poor vitamin D status is common in the elderly during the winter months. Because it is possible that hypovitaminosis D may be a cause of senile osteopenia, a simple method of prophylaxis would be useful. The single, oral, high-dose method was tested in two old-age homes, and the efficacy of vitamin D3 was compared with that of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD3). The trials showed that 25-OHD3 caused a higher peak value in the serum 25-OHD levels in the second week than did vitamin D3. However, follow-up after four to five months showed that in those patients who received a single, oral dose of 25-OHD3, the serum 25-OHD levels had returned to the baseline low values, whereas in those patients who had had oral vitamin D3, the serum 25-OHD levels still remained significantly raised compared with the baseline values and were within normal limits. It is concluded that the single, oral, high-dose method using vitamin D3 is a safe and simple method of prophylaxis and could be used easily in large populations of elderly persons.