Abstract

The effect of calcium and vitamin D alone and combined on applicable variables in menopausal women participants with initial serum 25OHD levels lower 60nmol/L. Participants were assigned randomly to two groups. Group I received one week of calcium 1000mg, followed by seven weeks with additional vitamin D 1000mg i.e. every day, group II received seven weeks of vitamin D 1000 i.e. every day, followed by one week with additional calcium 1000 mg. We determined serum calcium, PTH, phosphate, CTX, ALP and 25OHD at baseline and after one and eight weeks in group I and after seven and eight weeks in group II. There was no correlation modification in ALP from either calcium or vitamin D. Calcium produced significant increment of serum 25OHD also mostly suppressed serum CTX that could not easily be accounted for PTH suppression. Vitamin D produced no remarkable modification in any variables except increment of serum 25OHD. The calcium suppressive effect on serum CTX was threefold higher compared to vitamin D, though their suppressive effect on serum PTH was similar. Vitamin D and calcium caused higher and more remarkable effects on all variables than either treatment alone. This conclude that calcium may increased serum 25OHD by prolonging its half-life and it may have an inhibitory effect on resorption of bone independent or addition to its PTH suppression.