Skip to main content
Log in

Relations between calcidiol serum levels and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with low bone density

  • Clinical Investigations
  • Published:
Calcified Tissue International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The relationship between vitamin D and bone density was studied in 150 selected, mature (45–74), postmenopausal women with a lumbar spine Z score below 0. Vitamin D status was evaluated using calcidiol serum levels. Serum calcitriol and parathyroid hormone (PTH) values were also evaluated in some subjects. Bone mass was evaluated by ascertaining bone density and Z and T scores in the lumbar spine and femur region. The reference group consisted of 25 premenopausal women. The postmenopausal group was divided into subgroups according to age, i.e., under or over 60 years old. Additionally, the whole group was also subdivided according to their lumbar spine Z scores into group I (Z>-1), group II (Z<-1; >-2), and group III (Z<-2). Group III of postmenopausal women had higher PTH and lower calcitriol levels than premenopausal women. Calcidiol serum levels were lower in postmenopausal women groups II or III than in the group I and premenopausal women. Calcidiol serum levels and the bone mass values for the lumbar spine were correlated positively in all the postmenopausal women; in the women over 60 years of age, calcidiol levels also correlated with the bone mass values expressed as the bone density in three femur regions: femoral neck, trocanter, and Ward's triangle. In conclusion, mature postmenopausal woman showed high PTH levels and low calcidiol and calcitriol values. Calcidiol status is significantly related to bone mineral density in the lumbar spine and in women over 60 years, calcidiol levels also correlated with bone density in the femur regions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gallagher JC, Riggs BL, Eisman J, Hamstra A, Arnaud SB, DeLuca HF (1979) Intestinal calcium absorption and serum vitamin D metabolism in normal subjects and osteoporotic patients. Effects of age and dietary calcium. J Clin Invest 64:729–736

    Google Scholar 

  2. Prince R, Dick I, Boyd F, Kent N, Garcia-Webb P (1988) The effect of dietary calcium deprivation on serum calcitriol levels in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Metabolism 37: 727–731

    Google Scholar 

  3. Sagiv P, Lidor C, Hallel T, Edelstein P (1992) Decrease in bone level of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in women over 45 years old. Calcif Tissue Int 51:24–26

    Google Scholar 

  4. Gallagher JC, Riggs BL, De Luca HF (1980) Effect of estrogen on calcium absorption and serum vitamin D in postmenopausal osteoporosis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 51:1359–1364

    Google Scholar 

  5. Zerwekh JE, Sakhaee K, Glas K, Pack CYC (1983) Long-term 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 therapy in postmenopausal osteoporosis: demonstration of responsive and nonresponsive subgroups. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 56:410–413

    Google Scholar 

  6. Lawoyin S, Zerwekh JE, Glass K, Pack CYC (1979) Hability of 25 hydroxyvitamin D therapy to augment serum 1,25 and 24,25-hydroxyvitamin D in postmenopausal osteoporosis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 50:593–596

    Google Scholar 

  7. Krall EA, Sahyoum N, Tannenbaum S, Dallal GE, Dawson-Hughes B (1989) Effect of vitamin D intake on seasonal variations in parathyroid hormone secretion in postmenopausal women. N Engl J Med 321:1777–1783

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dawson-Hughes B, Dallal GE, Krall EA, Harris S, Sokol LJ, Falconer G (1991) Effect of vitamin D supplementation on wintertime and overall bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women. Ann Int Med 115:505–512

    Google Scholar 

  9. Lukert B, Higgins J, Stoskopf M (1992) Menopausal bone loss is partially regulated by dietary intake of vitamin D. Calcif Tissue Int 51:173–179

    Google Scholar 

  10. Khaw KT, Sneyd MJ, Compston J (1992) Bone density parathyroid and 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in middle-aged women. B M J 305:273–277

    Google Scholar 

  11. Orwoll ES, Meier DE (1986) Alterations in calcium, vitamin D, and parathyroid hormone physiology in normal men with aging: relationship to the development of senile osteopenia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 63:1261–1269

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sherman SS, Hollis BW, Tobin JD (1990) Vitamin D status and related parameters in a healthy population: the effects of age, sex, and season. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 71:(2):405–413

    Google Scholar 

  13. Villareal DT, Civitelli R, Chines A, Avioli LV (1991) Subclinical vitamin D deficiency in postmenopausal women with low vertebral bone mass. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 72(3):628–634

    Google Scholar 

  14. Gallagher JC (1990) The pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Bone Miner 9:215–220

    Google Scholar 

  15. Falch JA, Oftebro H, Haug E (1987) Early postmenopausal bone loss is not associated with a decrease in circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, or vitamin D-binding protein. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 64:836–839

    Google Scholar 

  16. Hartwell D, Rodbro P, Jensen SB, Thomsen K, Christiansen C (1990) Vitamin D metabolites' relation to age, menopause and endometriosis. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 50:115–121

    Google Scholar 

  17. Sowers MR, Wallace RB, Hollis BW, Lemke JH (1986) Parameters related to 25-OH-D levels in a population-based study of women. Am J Clin Nutr 43:621–628

    Google Scholar 

  18. Webb AR, Pilbeam C, Hanafin N, Holick MF (1990) An evaluation of the relative contributions of exposure to sunlight and of diet to the circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in an elderly nursing home population in Boston. Am J Clin Nutr 51:1075–1081

    Google Scholar 

  19. Fonseca V, Afnew JE, Nag D, Dandona P (1988) Bone density and cortical thickness in nutritional vitamin D deficiency effect on secondary hyperparathyroidism. Ann Clin Biochem 25:271–274

    Google Scholar 

  20. Sherman SS, Tobin JD, Hollis BW, Gundberg CM, Roy TA, Platon ChC (1992) Biochemical parameters associated with low bone density in healthy men and women. J Bone Miner Res 7(10):1123–1130

    Google Scholar 

  21. Tsai KS, Wahner HW, Offord KP, Melton LJ, Kumar R, Riggs BL (1987) Effect of aging on vitamin D stores and bone density in Women. Calcif Tissue Int 40:241–243

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Martínez, M.E., del Campo, M.T., Sánchez-Cabezudo, M.J. et al. Relations between calcidiol serum levels and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with low bone density. Calcif Tissue Int 55, 253–256 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00310401

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00310401

Key words

Navigation