Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that daily vitD3 supplementation increases neuromuscular motor skills, jump power, jump energy, muscular force, and muscular strength.
Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of 12-months of oral 7,000 IU/day vitD3 supplementation or placebo among 56 persons living with HIV aged 9-25 years. Neuromuscular motor skills were quantified using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. Power was quantified using peak jump power, and energy was quantified using peak jump height. Muscular force was quantified using isometric ankle plantar- and dorsiflexion, isokinetic knee flexion and extension. Muscular strength was quantified using isometric handgrip strength.
Results: After 12-months, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was higher with supplementation versus placebo (β=12.1 ng/mL; P<0.001). In intention-to-treat analyses, supplementation improved neuromuscular motor skills versus placebo (β=1.14; P=0.041). We observed no effect of supplementation on jump power, jump energy, muscular force, or muscular strength outcomes versus placebo.
Conclusions: Among HIV-infected children and young adults supplementation with daily high-dose vitD3 increased concentration of serum 25(OH)D and improved neuromuscular motor skills versus placebo.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01475890.