Vitamin D Supplementation and Physical Function in Older Adults

Physical Function Clinical Trial

Official title: Vitamin D Supplementation, Skeletal Muscle Gene Expression, and Physical Performance in Older Adults

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

A growing body of evidence suggests that vitamin D status is important in biologic processes involved in the maintenance of physical function. To advance the investigators understanding of the role of vitamin D in physical function, the investigators will conduct a feasibility pilot study to collect key information to help design a full-scale randomized trial to determine whether vitamin D supplementation will delay declines in physical function. The primary goals of the pilot study are to determine cost-effective strategies for identifying persons at high risk for functional decline with insufficient vitamin D levels, determine the serum vitamin D response to a vitamin D supplementation regimen designed to attain sufficient vitamin D levels, and provide preliminary data of key functional measures (balance, physical performance and muscle power) for the future larger study design. A secondary goal is to begin to examine potential mechanisms by which vitamin D supplementation may enhance physical performance by exploring the effects of vitamin D supplementation on changes in skeletal muscle gene expression.

Clinical Trial Description

A growing body of evidence suggests that vitamin D status is important in biologic processes involved in the maintenance of physical function. However, whether remediation of vitamin D insufficiency will improve physical function and the potential mechanisms involved are unclear. Previous vitamin D supplementation trials have produced mixed results with respect to physical function; however, most trials did not specifically recruit individuals who were vitamin D insufficient nor is the potential mechanism of action understood well enough to appropriately select those individuals most likely to benefit. To advance our understanding of the role of vitamin D in physical function, the investigators will conduct a feasibility pilot study to collect key information to help design a full-scale randomized trial to determine whether vitamin D supplementation will delay declines in physical function. The primary goals of the pilot study are to determine cost-effective strategies for identifying persons at high risk for functional decline with insufficient vitamin D levels, determine the serum vitamin D response to a vitamin D supplementation regimen designed to attain sufficient vitamin D levels, and provide preliminary data of key functional measures (balance, short physical performance battery (SBBP) and muscle power) for the future larger study design. A secondary goal is to begin to examine potential mechanisms by which vitamin D supplementation may enhance physical performance and muscle contractility by exploring the effects of vitamin D supplementation on changes in skeletal muscle gene expression using microarrays. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Physical Function
• Vitamin D Insufficiency

• NCT number: NCT01179503
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Early Phase 1
• Start date: January 2010
• Completion date: May 2011