The Effects of Vitamin D on Skeletal Muscle Strength, Muscle Mass, and Muscle Power: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

• Published in: The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 99; no. 11; pp. 4336 - 4345
• Main Authors: Beaudart, Charlotte, Buckinx, Fanny, Rabenda, Véronique, Gillain, Sophie, Cavalier, Etienne, Slomian, Justine, Petermans, Jean, Reginster, Jean-Yves, Bruyère, Olivier
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Oxford University Press 01.11.2014; Copyright by The Endocrine Society; Endocrine Society
• Subjects: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical trials; Dietary Supplements; Endocrinopathies; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General & internal medicine; Human health sciences; Humans; Literature reviews; Medical sciences; Meta-analysis; Middle Aged; Muscle strength; Muscle Strength - drug effects; Muscle Strength - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Musculoskeletal system; Médecine générale & interne; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sciences de la santé humaine; Skeletal muscle; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - administration & dosage; Obesity; Nutrition; Nutrition disorder; Metabolic diseases; Systematic review; Striated muscle; Randomized controlled trial; Metaanalysis; Mass; Randomization; Vitamin D; Clinical trial; Endocrinology; Nutritional status; Power; Strength
• ISSN: 0021-972X; 1945-7197; 1945-7197
• DOI: 10.1210/jc.2014-1742

Context:There is growing evidence that vitamin D plays a role on several tissues including skeletal muscle.Objective:The aim was to summarize with a meta-analysis, the effects of vitamin D supplementation on muscle function.Data Sources:A systematic research of randomized controlled trials, performed between 1966 and January 2014 has been conducted on Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematics Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled and completed by a manual review of the literature and congressional abstracts.Study Selection:All forms and doses of vitamin D supplementation, with or without calcium supplementation, compared with placebo or control were included. Out of the 225 potentially relevant articles, 30 randomized controlled trials involving 5615 individuals (mean age: 61.1 years) met the inclusion criteria.Data Extraction:Data were extracted by two independent reviewers.Data Synthesis:Results revealed a small but significant positive effect of vitamin D supplementation on global muscle strength with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of 0.17 (P = .02). No significant effect was found on muscle mass (SMD 0.058; P = .52) or muscle power (SMD 0.057; P = .657). Results on muscle strength were significantly more important with people who presented a 25-hydroxyvitamin D level <30 nmol/L. Supplementation seems also more effective on people aged 65 years or older compared to younger subjects (SMD 0.25; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.48 vs SMD 0.03; 95% CI −0.08 to 0.14).Conclusions:Vitamin D supplementation has a small positive impact on muscle strength, but additional studies are needed to define optimal treatment modalities, including dose, mode of administration, and duration.