A pilot study of vitamin D and balance characteristics in middle-aged, healthy individuals

Abstract

Objective: To examine what relationship exists between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels and postural competency in the middle-aged, healthy individual.

Design: A community convenience sample.

Setting: Major medical center employees.

Subjects: Thirty-five healthy individuals older than 40 years of age who demonstrated appropriate cognition and physical stability. Specific exclusion criteria included any prior history of hip, knee, or ankle fracture or surgery.

Methods: Questionnaire regarding exercise and sun exposure, vitamin D blood level, followed by computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) assessment of balance.

Main outcome measurements: CDP scores of individuals with normal and subnormal vitamin D levels.

Results: Thirteen male and 22 female subjects had a mean age of 56.0 years (standard deviation, 7.6; range, 42-77). Self-reported, retrospective mean weekly sun exposure was 7.36 hours (standard deviation, 6.4 hours). Twenty-six subjects (76.5%) described themselves as regular exercisers. Mean 25-OHD level for the sample was 21.5 ng/mL (standard deviation, 12.1 ng/mL). When subjects were divided into those with low and high 25-OHD levels, there was no significant difference in composite limits of stability reaction time scores (mean, 0.98 seconds and 0.84 seconds; P = .23), composite maximal velocity scores (4.2 degrees /second and 5.5 degrees /second; P = .08), composite end point excursion (70.3% and 70.1%; P = .95), and directional control composite scores (71.0% and 71.4%; P = .93). The two groups also showed no significant differences in rhythmic weight shifting left and right as well as forward and backward.

Conclusions: Unlike studies involving elderly subjects, this study of younger, healthy subjects did not demonstrate a relationship between vitamin D and balance.