A Randomized Controlled Trial to Examine the Effect of 2-Year Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid Supplementation on Physical Performance, Strength, and Falling: Additional Findings from the B-PROOF Study

Elevated homocysteine concentrations are associated with a decline in physical function in elderly persons. Homocysteine-lowering therapy may slow down this decline. This study aimed to examine the effect of a 2-year intervention of vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation on physical performance, handgrip strength, and risk of falling in elderly subjects in a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. Participants aged ≥65 years with elevated plasma homocysteine concentrations [12–50 µmol/L (n = 2919)] were randomly assigned to daily supplementation of 500 µg vitamin B12, 400 µg folic acid, and 600 I

Low vitamin D status is associated with more depressive symptoms in Dutch older adults

Purpose: The existence of vitamin D receptors in the brain points to a possible role of vitamin D in brain function. We examined the association of vitamin D status and vitamin D-related genetic make-up with depressive symptoms amongst 2839 Dutch older adults aged ≥65 years. Methods: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured, and five ‘vitamin D-related genes’ were selected. Depressive symptoms were measured with the 15-point Geriatric Depression Scale. Results were expressed as the relative risk of the score of depressive symptoms by quartiles of 25(OH)D concentration or number of affected alleles, using the lowest quartile or minor allele group as reference. Results: A clear cross-sectional and pr

Associations between statin use and physical function in older adults from the Netherlands and Australia: longitudinal aging study Amsterdam and Australian longitudinal study on women’s health

Background: Statin therapy may cause myopathy, but long-term effects on physical function are unclear. Objective: We investigated whether statin use is associated with poorer physical function in two population-based cohorts of older adults. Methods: Data were from 691 men and women (aged 69–102\ua0years in 2005/2006) in the LASA (Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam) and 5912 women (aged 79–84\ua0years in 2005) in the ALSWH (Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health). Statin use and dose were sourced from containers (LASA) and administrative databases (ALSWH). Physical function was assessed using performance tests, questionnaires on functional limitations and the SF-12 (LASA) and SF-36 (ALSWH) questionnaires. Cross-sectional (both studies) and 3-year prospective associations (ALSWH) were analysed for different statin dosage using linear and logistic regression. Results: In total, 25\ua0% of participants in LASA and 61\ua0% in ALSWH used statins. In the cross-sectional models in LASA, statin users were less likely to have functional limitations (percentage of subjects with at least 1 limitation 63.9 vs. 64.2; odds ratio [OR] 0.6; 95\ua0% confidence interval [CI] 0.3–0.9) and had better SF-12 physical component scores (mean [adjusted] 47.3 vs. 44.5; beta [B]\ua0=\ua02.8; 95\ua0% CI 1.1–4.5); in ALSWH, statin users had better SF-36 physical component scores (mean [adjusted] 37.4 vs. 36.5; B\ua0=\ua00.9; 95\ua0% CI 0.3–1.5) and physical functioning subscale scores (mean [adjusted] 55.1 vs. 52.6; B\ua0=\ua02.4; 95\ua0% CI 1.1–3.8) than non-users. Similar associations were found for low- and high-dose users and in the prospective models. In contrast, no significant associations were found with performance tests. Conclusions: Two databases from longitudinal population studies in older adults gave comparable results, even though different outcome measures were used. In these two large cohorts, statin use was associated with better self-perceived physical function