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The Effects of Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation on Blood Glucose and Markers of Inflammation in Nondiabetic Adults

Response to Pittas et al.

¹ Laboratory for Research of Musculoskeletal System "Theodoros Garofalidis," KAT Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
² Endocrine Unit, Aretaieion Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

Address correspondence to Symeon Tournis, MD, Laboratory for Research of Musculoskeletal System "Th. Garofalidis", KAT Hospital, University of Athens, 10 Athinas Str., Kifissia, PC: 14561, Athens, Greece. E-mail: stournis{at}med.uoa.gr

In their recent article, Pittas et al. (1) reported on the effect of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on glycemic status in nondiabetic elderly subjects. Because vitamin D supplementation, though mainly in subjects with relatively low vitamin D levels, improves muscle function (2), it is possible that some of the favorable effects on fasting glucose levels in the impaired fasting glucose group might be related to changes in physical activity. Furthermore, the authors state that while they adjusted the end points (e.g., percentage change in fasting plasma glucose [FPG]) for baseline values, there was still interaction between the baseline FPG and treatment groups. Thus, they examined the treatment effect according to established criteria of glucose tolerance and not according to median FPG levels or tertiles of baseline FPG, an approach that would be more physiologically relevant because the risk of future diabetes increases at lower FPG levels (3). Finally, because vitamin D appears to exert a threshold effect, it would be interesting to examine whether there was an association of attained vitamin D levels and glycemia or insulin sensitivity. We believe that these are critical issues for future trials that examine the effect of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on the progression or prevention of diabetes.

References

1. Pittas AG, Harris SS, Stark PC, Dawson-Hughes B: The effects of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on blood glucose and markers of inflammation in nondiabetic adults. Diabetes Care 30:980–986, 2007[Abstract/Free Full Text]
   
2. Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Dietrich T, Orav EJ, Hu FB, Zhang Y, Karlson EW, Dawson-Hughes B: Higher 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentrations are associated with better lower-extremity function in both active and inactive persons aged 60 y. Am J Clin Nutr 80:752–758, 2004[Abstract/Free Full Text]
   
3. Kanaya AM, Wassel CL, De Rekeneire N, Shorr RI, Schwartz AV, Goodpaster BH, Newman AB, Harris T, Barret-Connor E: Predicting the development of diabetes in older adults: the derivation and validation of a prediction rule. Diabetes Care 28:404–408, 2005[Abstract/Free Full Text]
   

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				A. G. Pittas and B. Dawson-Hughes The Effects of Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation on Blood Glucose and Markers of Inflammation in Nondiabetic Adults: Response to Tournis and Mitrakou Diabetes Care, July 1, 2007; 30(7): e82 - e82. [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Extract Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tournis, S. Articles by Mitrakou, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tournis, S. Articles by Mitrakou, A. Social Bookmarking                What's this?