Osteosarcopenia 4.5X more likely if low vitamin D - Dec 2023

Osteosarcopenia is a syndrome that occurs when someone has both osteoporosis and sarcopenia.
Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and bone tissue deterioration.
Sarcopenia is characterized by a loss of muscle mass, strength, and function.


Osteosarcopenia later in life: Prevalence and associated risk factors

Clin Nutr ESPEN 2023 Dec:58:213-220. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2023.08.030
Erika A Silveira 1, Guilherme Vinícius-Souza 2, Cristina Camargo Pereira 2, Cesar de Oliveira 3, Matias Noll 4, Valéria Pagotto 5

Background and aims: The identification of risk factors for osteosarcopenia in older adults is important for planning preventative strategies in clinical practice. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with osteosarcopenia in older adults using different diagnostic criteria.

Methods: The sample included 171 community-dwelling older adults with a mean age of 79.4 ± 5.9 years and mean body mass index of 25.67 ± 4.70 kg/m2. We analyzed sociodemographic, biomarkers, lifestyle, and health condition data from participants of the "Projeto Idosos - Goiânia" cohort study. The outcome osteosarcopenia was defined as the simultaneous occurrence of sarcopenia and osteopenia. Osteopenia was diagnosed by low lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Sarcopenia was diagnosed using handgrip dynamometry and appendicular skeletal mass index assessed by DEXA following the criteria of the two European consensuses on sarcopenia (2010 and 2018). Two osteosarcopenia outcome variables were evaluated: OsteoSarc1 and OsteoSarc2 using the 2010 and 2018 European sarcopenia consensus criteria, respectively. Multivariate Poisson regression analysis was used to calculate the prevalence ratios (PRs).

Results: The prevalence of OsteoSarc1 and OsteoSarc2 were 12.8% and 7.2%, respectively, with no significant gender differences. OsteoSarc1 was associated with

  • low potassium (PR: 3.39, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.10-10.43) and
  • malnutrition (PR: 3.84, 95% CI: 1.78-8.30).

OsteoSarc2 was associated with

  • being ≥80 years (PR: 7.64, 95% CI: 1.57-37.07),
  • >4 years of education (PR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.03-10.22),
  • alcohol consumption (PR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.01-5.77),
  • low potassium (PR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.45-6.87),
  • low serum vitamin D (PR: 4.47, 95% CI: 1.68-11.88), and
  • malnutrition (PR: 5.00, 95% CI: 1.06-23.51).

Conclusions: OsteoSarc1 had a higher prevalence. The risk factors associated with the two outcomes were malnutrition and potassium level, as well as other risk factors, such as alcohol consumption and low vitamin D level. These findings may contribute to the prevention or treatment of this health condition in older adults.
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VitaminDWiki – Overview Osteoporosis and vitamin D contains

  • FACT: Bones need Calcium (this has been known for a very long time)
  • FACT: Vitamin D improves Calcium bioavailability (3X ?)
  • FACT: Should not take > 750 mg of Calcium if taking lots of vitamin D (Calcium becomes too bio-available)
  • FACT: Adding vitamin D via Sun, UV, or supplements increased vitamin D in the blood
  • FACT: Vitamin D supplements are very low cost
  • FACT: Many trials, studies. reviews, and meta-analysis agree: adding vitamin D reduces osteoporosis
  • FACT: Toxic level of vitamin D is about 4X higher than the amount needed to reduce osteoporosis
  • FACT: Co-factors help build bones.
  • FACT: Vitamin D Receptor can restrict Vitamin D from getting to many tissues, such as bones
  • It appears that to TREAT Osteoporosis:
  •        Calcium OR vitamin D is ok
  •        Calcium + vitamin D is good
  •        Calcium + vitamin D + other co-factors is great
  •        Low-cost Vitamin D Receptor activators sometimes may be helpful
  • CONCLUSION: To PREVENT many diseases, including Osteoporosis, as well as TREAT Osteoporosis
  • Category Osteoporosis has 218 items
  • Category Bone Health has 311 items

Note: Osteoporosis causes bones to become fragile and prone to fracture
  Osteoarthritis is a disease where damage occurs to the joints at the end of the bones


VitaminDWiki – Osteoporosis category contains


18+ VitaminDWiki pages have SARCOPENIA in the title

This list is automatically updated

Items found: 18
Title Modified
Sarcopenia (muscle loss) is reduced by vitamin D and many other supplements - July 2023 27 Aug, 2023
Sarcopenia (muscle loss) fought by Vitamin D, exercise and protein - many studies 11 Jul, 2023
Sarcopenia with obesity is more likely if dark skin, diabetes, OR COPD (all associated with low vitamin D) 16 Oct, 2021
Severe sarcopenia (loss of muscle) 6 X more likely in women with rheumatoid arthritis having low vitamin D – Oct 2021 16 Oct, 2021
Loss of muscle strength –sarcopenia – one of the suspects is vitamin D – Aug 2012 16 Oct, 2021
Sarcopenia (muscle loss) is 1.6X more likely if poor Vitamin D receptor – July 2020 23 Jul, 2020
Sarcopenia reduction: Protein, Leucine, Omega-3, Vitamin D, and exercise - hypothesis Aug 2018 30 Jan, 2020
Muscle loss (sarcopenia) may be both prevented and treated by Omega-3 – Feb 2019 23 Feb, 2019
Seniors can restore lost muscle (Sarcopenia) – first restore vitamin D, then exercise – July 2018 13 Jul, 2018
Sarcopenia does not officially exist in Australia, but 1 in 3 of their seniors have it - July 2018 03 Jul, 2018
Sarcopenia: Nutrition and physical activity – systematic review – Jan 2017 10 Mar, 2017
Added 1 lb of muscle to sarcopenia adults in 13 weeks with just 800 IU vitamin D and protein – RCT Jan 2017 31 Jan, 2017
Hypothesis: Sarcopenia and other senior problems are related to low gastic acid 12 May, 2015
Sarcopenia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (vitamin D not mentioned) – Sept 2013 07 Mar, 2015
Hypothesis: Sarcopenia and other senior problems are related to low gastric acid 01 Feb, 2015
Vitamin D is one of the treatments for sarcopenia – Nov 2012 31 Jan, 2015
No correlation found between vitamin D and sarcopenia – German dissertation Jan 2013 22 Jan, 2013
Novel treatment approaches to cachexia and sarcopenia: 13 Apr, 2010


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