engleski

The importance of adequate vitamin D intake and status in elderly – the results of the study with older women

Introduction: Vitamin D is a major determinant of intestinal calcium absorption and is needed for normal bone metabolism. Low vitamin D status is also associated with chronic diseases such as some types of cancers, type 1 diabetes and heart disease. Vitamin D deficiency is a concern in the elderly for a number of reasons. Intakes of this vitamin are often low in the elderly population. The amount of provitamin D formed in the skin is also reduced in the elderly. This occurs both because the capacity to synthesize provitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight is reduced and because the elderly spend less time outdoors. The only rich dietary sources of vitamin D are fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna, but these are rarely major contributors to the diet. Other useful sources are eggs and, depending on the country, fortified foods such as milk, yoghurts, margarines and breakfast cereals. Subjects and methods: Participants were Croatian older women with mean age 76.0 years (n=105). Vitamin D status was assessed by determining the concentration of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] by enzyme immunoassay. Vitamin D intake was estimated by 24-hour dietary recalls for 3 days. Results: The average level of 25(OH)D was 44.9 nmol/L, which is lower than referent values. Low vitamin D status had 58.1% of the participants (<47.7 nmol/L ; Immunodiagnostic Systems Ltd, Boldon, UK). The group of older women ≥75 years of age had significantly lower levels of vitamin D according to the group of women aged 65-74 years. The average vitamin D intake was only 1.42 µg/day. Conclusion: Suitable measures for prevention of low vitamin D status in older women are moderate exposure to sunlight and increased intake of vitamin D in the form of supplements and/or fortified foods.

older women, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, vitamin D intake

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