Vitamin D supplementation of post-menopausal women in Curacao, and pre- and post-menopausal women in the Netherlands - abstract

ABSTRACT

Pre- and post-menopausal white women living in The Netherlands in late winter/early spring and black and white post-menopausal women living in Curacao were supplemented with either 400,800 and 2x400 IU vitamin D (3)/day or placebo for 4, 5, or 9 weeks. Baseline plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] of Dutch women was lower than that of Curacao women. Post-menopausal Dutch women had higher parathyroid hormone (PTH) than pre-menopausal Dutch and post-menopausal Curacao women. There were no differences in 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D]. Vitamin D supplementation increased 25(OH)D levels in all groups, PTH and 1,25(OH)2D in post-menopausal Curacao women, and PTH in pre-menopausal Dutch women. Serum and urinary calcium and phosphate did not change. There were no response differences between 400 and 800 IU daily doses, or 800 and 2x400 IU doses. Oral vitamin D supplementation raises late winter/early spring plasma 25(OH)D of women living at high latitudes to baseline levels encountered in the tropics (AU)