EFFECTS OF VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION ON MOTOR SYMPTOMS OF PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE Open Access

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and it disproportionally affects older populations. There is biological plausibility for the hypothesis that vitamin D may offer neuroprotective benefit for patients with PD or could improve clinical PD symptoms. This study aims to examine whether high dose vitamin D supplementation, over the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), has a significant effect on motor symptoms in patients with PD. A randomized, active placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel group pilot clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the association of oral Vitamin D supplementation with PD-related motor symptoms. Thirty patients with PD and low levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D ≤ 30 ng/ml] were randomly assigned to either high dose vitamin D supplement (50,000 IU weekly dose plus 600 IU/day) or to low dose supplement (weekly placebo plus 600 IU/day). Three motor outcomes of primary interest were assessed at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of treatment with vitamin D supplement. When mean scores for these motor assessments were plotted over time, there were no consistent patterns of improvement in the treatment group as compared to the active placebo group for most outcomes. However, the mean time to complete the Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) during the "off" medication state decreased over time for the treatment group (mean change = -1.4 seconds), but increased for the placebo group (mean change = 2.7 seconds). Despite the diverging trends for this motor test, results from repeated measures ANOVA analysis indicated no statistically significant improvement for the treatment group over placebo group for any of the motor outcomes over time. These preliminary results suggest that vitamin D supplementation had minimal impact on PD-related motor symptoms.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................... 1

METHODS .....................................................................................................................10

RESULTS .......................................................................................................................17

DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................21

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 26

TABLES .........................................................................................................................30

FIGURES .......................................................................................................................38

APPENDIX .....................................................................................................................43

About this Master's Thesis

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School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Epidemiology
Degree	MPH
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Public Health Health Sciences, Epidemiology
Keyword	Parkinson's disease Vitamin D supplementation motor symptoms
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Mink, Pamela, Emory University
Committee Members	Evatt, Marian L, Emory University
Partnering Agencies	Emory University schools, faculty or affiliated programs

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