Vitamin D improved child muscle mass even without varying dose with weight – RCT

Vitamin D supplementation trial in infancy: body composition effects at 3 years of age in a prospective follow-up study from Montréal

T. J. Hazell1, S. Gallo2, C. A. Vanstone3, S. Agellon3, C. Rodd4 andH. A. Weiler3,

Pediatric Obesity, Article first published online: 4 FEB 2016. DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.12105

Background: The impact of vitamin D status on body composition is not well understood.

Objectives: Evaluate how vitamin D supplementation in infancy affects body composition at 3 years of age.

Methods: Double-blind randomized trial of 132, 1-month-old healthy, breastfed infants randomly assigned to receive oral vitamin D3 supplements of 400, 800, 1200 or 1600 IU d−1 for 11 months. In the present analysis, 87 (66%) returned at 3 years of age. Body composition was measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Results: Anthropometry, body composition, diet, activity and demographics were similar across dosage groups at 3 years. Mean 25(OH)D concentration from 1 month to 3 years was higher (P < 0.001) in the 1200 IU group than 800 and 400 IU groups. Children with 25(OH)D concentrations above 75 nmol L−1 had lower fat mass (~450 g; P = 0.049). In multiple linear regression, mean 25(OH)D was associated with lean mass percent (β = 0.06; CI: 0.00, 0.12; P = 0.042), fat mass (β = −11.29; CI: −22.06, −0.52; P = 0.048) and body fat percent (β = −0.06; CI: −0.12, −0.01; P = 0.045).

Conclusions

Higher vitamin D status from infancy through to 3 years of age associates with leaner body composition.

📄 Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life

* Nice results* Would have had far better results if they had varied the vitamin D dose size with weight* 100 IU per kg of infant July 2011, Poland etc.* * Also would have had better results if had continued the vitamin D supplementation from age 1 to age 3

From the PDF: 1600 IU tallest, most active, leanest

Response to constant amount of vitamin D

1600 IU is too much at 1 month but too little at 12 months

Dose should not be constant, but be proportional to weight

See also Vitamin D Life

• Infants getting up to 1600 IU did not increase blood level of vitamin D – RCT March 2016

  • A later publication on this same study by many of the same authors

  Intervention AND Infant/Child

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Infant-Child category starts with

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