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Efficacy of vitamin D loading doses on serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in school going adolescents: an open label non-randomized prospective trial

  • M.K. Garg , Raman K. Marwaha EMAIL logo , Rajesh Khadgawat , Rekha Ramot , Avneet Kaur Obroi , Neena Mehan , Nandita Gupta and Renu Madan
Published/Copyright: March 18, 2013
Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
From the journal Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism Volume 26 Issue 5-6

Abstract

Aim: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) among adolescents is a major health problem in India. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of therapeutic/loading doses of vitamin D supplementation on serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD) levels in vitamin D deficient adolescents.

Methods: A total of 482 out of the 511 subjects recruited for the study were divided into three groups, each group receiving 60,000 IU of vitamin D3 weekly for 4, 6 and 8 weeks followed by 600 IU daily for 12 weeks, respectively. Clinical evaluation was followed by estimation of biochemical markers and serum 25OHD levels.

Results: VDD was observed in 94.8% of adolescents. All three vitamin D loading doses were equally efficacious in achieving vitamin D sufficiency >75 nmol/L (>30 ng/mL) in more than 90% subjects in the three groups. Mean 25OHD levels in groups 2 and 3 following maintenance therapy were 67.5±16.5 nmol/L (27.0±6.6 ng/mL) and 70.0±21.8 nmol/L (28.0±8.7 ng/mL), respectively.

Conclusion: Supplementing 60,000 IU of vitamin D3 per week for 4–8 weeks, followed by 600 IU daily through fortified milk, is an effective strategy for achieving vitamin D sufficiency in Indian adolescents.

Keywords: adolescents; vitamin D deficiency; vitamin D supplementation
Corresponding author: Raman K. Marwaha, Flat No 17, Gautam Apartments, Gautam Nagar, New Delhi 110049, India, Phone: +91-9810296820, Fax: +91-1126523477

We are grateful to Mr D. H. Pai Panandiker, Chairman and Ms Rekha Sinha, CEO, International Life Sciences Institute (India), and Wg Cdr (Dr) Anjali Gautam for their administrative and tactical support. We also acknowledge help rendered by Gopaljee Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, in production of fortified milk. We are also thankful to Ms Pamela Marwaha for supervision of the project. We highly appreciate the support of the school authorities, staff, parents and the adolescents for their active participation. We would like to put on record our appreciation for the help rendered by Ms. Nazmeen, Mr. Anthresh Back, Ms. Anjani Bakshi, Mr. Kuntal Bhadra and Ms. Pinky Kaushik in successful completion of the project.

Conflict interest statement

Financial declarations: The project was sponsored by International Life Sciences Institute (India) and DSM nutritional products Ltd, India. Vitamin D3 for milk fortification was provided by DSM Nutritional Products Ltd.

Disclosure statement: The authors have nothing to disclose.

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Received: 2012-12-6
Accepted: 2013-2-4
Published Online: 2013-03-18
Published in Print: 2013-05-01

©2013 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston

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https://doi.org/10.1515/jpem-2012-0390
Keywords for this article
adolescents; vitamin D deficiency; vitamin D supplementation

Articles in the same Issue

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  2. Masthead
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  7. Original Articles
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  10. Application of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in the diagnosis and follow-up of maple syrup urine disease in a Chinese population
  11. The role of uncoupling protein 2 and 3 genes polymorphism and energy expenditure in obese Indonesian children
  12. Thyroid dysfunctions of prematurity and their impacts on neurodevelopmental outcome1)
  13. Frequency of the E23K polymorphism of the KCNJ11 gene in children born small for gestational age and its influence on auxological and metabolic parameters in the prepubertal period
  14. Reference intervals for serum thyroid hormones in preterm hospitalized infants1)
  15. The clinical and biochemical presentation of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in children and adolescents
  16. A risk score for identifying overweight adolescents with dysglycemia in primary care settings1)
  17. Thyroid function and morphology in overweight and obese children and adolescents in a Chinese population
  18. Propionic acidaemia: demographic characteristics and complicationsa
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  22. Characteristics of infants admitted with hypoglycemia to a neonatal unit
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  24. The role of FTO genotype on eating behavior in obese Sardinian children and adolescents
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