We all know how devastating this virus has been for our folks living in nursing homes. So I thought I would do my own research on the vitamin D status of this group. Although I have assumed, and said I was willing to bet on it, that they were, on a whole, extremely low. Unless they had those rare doctors(or maybe family members) who would check on that and give them supplements. ( or maybe get them out in the sun when possible? )
https://www.managedhealthcareconnect.com/article/5478"Vitamin D deficiency is common in residents of long-term care facilities. Sixty percent of female residents of a nursing home in Wisconsin were found to have levels of vitamin D low enough to cause secondary hyperparathyroidism, and only 4% of the 49 women studied had vitamin D levels above 30 ng/mL, a level considered optimal.1 Many of these female residents were taking a daily multivitamin. Skin exposure to the sun—something in short supply for most residents of long-term care facilities—is necessary for the endogenous production of vitamin D. While vitamin D is present in small amounts in some foods, in the absence of adequate sun exposure it is difficult to avoid vitamin D deficiency without nutritional supplementation..........."
https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-017-0622-1"Results
Blood samples were obtained from 545 of 901 residents of 22 nursing homes. Mean age 86 years (SD 6.9), 68% were women. Prevalence of vitamin D supplementation 17%, dementia 55%, lack of appetite ≥3 months 45% and any antibiotic treatment during the last 6 months 30%. Serum 25OHD concentrations: mean 34 nmol/L (SD 21, median 27, range 4–125), 82% (448/545) had 25OHD < 50 nmol/L and 41% (224/545) had 25OHD < 25 nmol/L."
BB adds: That is in nmol/L. Convert to ng/ml: "mean 34 nmol/L (13.6 ng/ml)(SD 21, median 27/10.8ng/ml!...............................82% (448/545) had 25OHD < 50 nmol/L/20 ng/ml! deficient!
and 41% (224/545) had 25OHD < 25 nmol/L. = 10 ng/ml! Severely deficient. Pathetic.
In this one, a bit better, probably some enlightened MD or family members have been supplementing. But still, the mean was <30ng/ml. Personally, I consider 30 an absolute minimum for optimal health including the ability to fight infections. Hence the previously quoted study where only 4% of critical CV-19 cases were "sufficient" at 30 or greater.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/s1525861006005068"Results
The mean 25-OH-D level was 28.6 +/- 9.2 ng/mL; 6.6% of subjects had values of 16 ng/mL or below. Thirty-two percent of participants had 25-OH-D levels below 30 ng/mL and PTH elevation based on stage of kidney disease, evidence that the suboptimal 25-OH-D level had physiologic consequences. Residents unable to transfer independently had 25-OH-D levels 1.6 ng/mL lower than those able to transfer independently. A regression analysis performed in residents unable to transfer independently (less likely to be exposed to the sun) demonstrated that the average increase in 25-OH-D level per 100 IU of D3 in a 70-kg resident was 2.1 ng/mL versus 1.8 ng/mL for vitamin D2.
Conclusion
Nursing home residents should receive at least 800–1000 IU of D3 per day in an effort to maintain optimal vitamin D levels..................... ".
So, among the population well known to be the most severely deficient in vitamin D, apparently little effort has been made in most places to correct that, which could have been done safely and cheaply. Then this very population just so happens to be the group far and away most devastated by the CV-19 virus. Well, if that a'int something.
Do any of Y'all have any loved ones in nursing homes? Do you know their vitamin D status? Have their doctors looked into this? Will our governmental/medical authorities ever inform us about
these things?
Post Edited (BillyBob@388) : 5/9/2020 8:39:49 AM (GMT-6)