Background: The improvement of muscular strength is a well-known extra-skeletal effect of Vitamin D. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the calcifediol supplementation compared to various cholecalciferol administration schedules in increasing 25(OH)D serum levels and improving muscular function.
Methods: 107 post-menopausal women with hypovitaminosis D were assigned to receive Vitamin D supplementation according to four different regimens: colecalciferol single, monthly, or weekly oral dose and calcifediol weekly oral dose. Serum levels of 25(OH)D and muscular function of lower limbs (Sit-to-Stand test and Timed-Up-and-Go test) were evaluated at baseline and during 6 months follow-up.
Results: Calcifediol and weekly cholecalciferol induced a greater and faster increase of serum 25(OH)D, compared to monthly or single-dose cholecalciferol administration. The 25(OH)D increase was associated with an improvement of muscle function of lower limbs. The larger increase of serum 25(OH)D observed with calcifediol and with weekly cholecalciferol was associated with a concomitant greater improvement of muscle strength.
Conclusions: Supplementation with calcifediol is more effective and faster compared to cholecalciferol in increasing 25(OH)D serum levels and is associated with a greater improvement of muscular function, thus representing a therapeutic alternative for treatment of hypovitaminosis D.
Keywords: Vitamin D; Vitamin D supplementation; calcifediol; cholecalciferol; hypovitaminosis D; muscle strength.