Vitamin D

Aka: Vitamin D, Vitamin D Replacement, Cholecalciferol, Ergocalciferol, Dihydrotachysterol

1. See also
   1. Vitamin D Deficiency
   2. Bone
2. Physiology
   1. Step 1a: Start with 7-Dehydrocholesterol
      1. Skin exposure to sunlight or other ultraviolet light (290-315 nm of UV-B radiation)
      2. This pathway represents 90% of Vitamin D synthesis in humans
   2. Step 1b: Start with Dietary Vitamin D2 or D3
      1. Proceed to step 2 (bypasses sunlight-mediated synthesis pathway)
      2. Typically represents only 10% of Vitamin D source (unless specifically supplemented)
   3. Step 2: Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3)
      1. Metabolized in liver by Vitamin D3-25 hydroxylase
   4. Step 3: Calcidiol
      1. Metabolized in Kidney by 25-OH-D3-1a hydroxylase
   5. Step 4: Calcitriol (active form of Vitamin D)
3. Pathophysiology
   1. See Serum Calcium for calcium metabolism
   2. Sources
      1. Vitamin D synthesized in skin after exposed to sun
      2. Absorbed from Small Intestine
   3. Vitamin D circulates in blood as Calcidiol
   4. Vitamin D Deficiency seen in:
      1. Homebound elderly
      2. Inhabitants of Northern States
   5. Vitamin D Deficiency related conditions
      1. Children: Rickets
      2. Adults: Osteoporosis
4. Indications: Vitamin D Supplementation or Replacement
   1. Osteoporosis Prevention
   2. Vitamin D Deficiency
5. Contraindications: Vitamin D Supplementation
   1. Granulomatous disease (e.g. Tuberculosis, Sarcoidosis)
   2. Metastatic bone disease
   3. Williams Syndrome
6. Preparations: Dietary and Supplement Sources
   1. Fatty Fish (Vitamin D3)
      1. Salmon
      2. Sardines
      3. Fish oils
   2. Eggs
   3. Butter
   4. Liver and other organ meats
   5. Vitamin D Fortified Milk (USA) contains 100 IU per cup
   6. Multi-Vitamin Contains 400 IU Vitamin D per tablet
7. Signs: Vitamin D Deficiency
   1. See Vitamin D Deficiency
   2. Osteomalacia
   3. Muscular hypotonia
8. Signs: Vitamin D Toxicity (related to Hypercalcemia)
   1. Headache
   2. Metallic Taste
   3. Vascular calcinosis or nephrocalcinosis
   4. Pancreatitis
   5. Nausea or Vomiting
9. Dosing (higher than current RDA)
   1. Children and Adolescents: 400 IU per day
   2. Adults Age 18-50 years: 400-800 IU per day
   3. Adults Age >50 years or Osteoporosis:
      1. Southern regions: 800-1000 IU per day
      2. Northern climates: 2000 IU per day may be required
   4. Expect a 0.4 ng/ml increase for every 40 IU daily of Vitamin D
      1. Expect 4 ng/ml increase from 400 IU daily
      2. Expect 40 ng/ml increase from 4000 IU daily
   5. Vitamin D is fat soluble and is best absorbed with fat in the meal
10. Dosing: Supplementation in Infants and Children under age 2 years
    1. Indications
       1. See Vitamin D Deficiency for risk factors
       2. Breastfed Infants
       3. Children and adolescents consuming <1 Liter (34 oz) Vitamin D Fortified milk daily
    2. Supplements with daily dose of 1 drop (equivalent to 400 IU) for age under 2 years
       1. Carlson Baby D Drops
    3. Supplements with daily dose of 1 ml (equivalent to 400 IU) for age under 2 years
       1. Enfamil Poly-Vi-Sol Multivitamin Supplement drops
       2. Enfamil Poly-Vi-Sol Vitamins A, C and D with Iron
       3. Sunlight Vitamins Just D Infant Vitamin Drops
       4. Twinlab Infant Care Multivitamin Drops with DHA
    4. References
       1. Casey (2010) Am Fam Physician 81(6): 745-50
11. Dosing: Children with Vitamin D Deficiency (Rickets)
    1. Ergocalciferol (D2, Calciferol)
       1. Dose: 25-125 mcg (1-5000 IU) PO/IM for 6-12 weeks
    2. Cholecalciferol (D3, 40,000 IU/mg)
       1. Option 1: 125-250 mcg (5-10,000 IU) PO for 3 months
       2. Option 2: 15,000 mcg (600,000 IU) divided qid x1 day
    3. Dihydrotachysterol (DHT, 120,000 IU/mg)
       1. Option 1: 500 mcg (0.5 mg) for single dose or
       2. Option 2: 13-50 mcg PO per day until resolved
    4. References
       1. Khatib (2005) Consultant Pediatrician 4:33-9
12. Dosing: Adults with Vitamin D Deficiency
    1. Mild (Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 8-15 ng/ml)
       1. Vitamin D options
          1. First line: Vitamin D 50,000 IU PO weekly for 8 weeks (repeat another course if Vitamin D <30 ng/ml)
          2. Parenteral: Vitamin D 20-25 IU/kg IV daily
          3. Maintenance after acute replacement: Vitamin D 800-1000 IU PO daily
       2. Calcium 1200 to 1500 mg orally daily
    2. Severe (Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D <8 ng/ml)
       1. Vitamin D 50,000 IU orally daily for 1-3 weeks
       2. Then maintain as mild deficiency doses above
    3. Monitoring Vitamin D level at 2 months after starting therapy
       1. Goal 25-Hydroxyvitamin D >30-40 ng/ml
       2. Storage of Vitamin D does not start until 40 ng/ml
13. Efficacy: Vitamin D in Osteoporosis Prevention
    1. Dutch Study of 348 women over age 70 years
       1. Given Vitamin D 400 IU or Placebo
       2. Vitamin D Group had greater BMD at 2 years
          1. Greater femoral neck Bone Mineral Density
          2. Placebo group had decreased Bone Mineral Density
       3. No change in femoral trachanter or distal radius BMD
    2. References
       1. Ooms (1995) J Clin Endocrinol Metab 80:1052-8
14. References
    1. Holick (2007) N Engl J Med. 357(3):266-81
    2. Schneider (2006) Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes 13(6): 483-90
    3. Norman (2007) J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 103(3):204-5