Some seniors in Germany had vitamin D levels of 34 ng without supplementation (seems unlikely) – Oct 2023

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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.

Clipped from PDF
“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 “
 Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life

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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

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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

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Vitamin D Life - 17 studies in both categories Deficiency and Seniors

This list is automatically updated

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Vitamin D Life – Seniors contains:

428 items in Seniors

see also
Overview Seniors and Vitamin D
Overview Muscles and Vitamin D 125+ items
Overview Fractures and Falls and Vitamin D

Falls and Fractures category listing has 254 items along with related searches

Overview Alzheimer's-Cognition and Vitamin D
Overview Cancer and vitamin D
Overview Influenza and vitamin D

Cancer - Prostate category listing has 101 items along with related searches

Overview Diabetes and vitamin D
Hearing Loss appears to be prevented and treated with vitamin D

Mortality category listing has 312 items along with related searches

Overview Osteoporosis and vitamin D
Restless Legs Syndrome dramatically reduced by vitamin D, etc
Overview Rheumatoid Arthritis and vitamin D
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:

1. Senior skin produces 4X less Vitamin D for the same sun intensity
2. Seniors have fewer vitamin D receptor genes as they age
   Receptors are needed to get Vitamin D in blood actually into the cells
3. Many other Vitamin D genes decrease with age
4. Since many gene activations are not detected by a blood test,
   more Vitamin D is often needed, especially by seniors
5. Seniors are indoors more than when they were younger
   not as agile, weaker muscles; frail, no longer enjoy hot temperatures
6. Seniors wear more clothing outdoors than when younger
   Seniors also are told to fear skin cancer & wrinkles
7. 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
8. Seniors often have one or more diseases that consume vitamin D
   osteoporosis, diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer, ...
9. Seniors generally put on weight as they age - and a heavier body requires more vitamin D
10. Seniors often (40%) have fatty livers – which do not process vitamin D as well
11. Reduced stomach acid means less Magnesium is available to get vitamin D into the cells
12. Vitamin D is not as bioavailable in senior intestines
13. Seniors with poorly functioning kidneys do not process vitamin D as well
       Seniors category has 428 items

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See also Nursing homes and Vitamin D - many studies 24+ studies