Description Module

Description Module

The Description Module contains narrative descriptions of the clinical trial, including a brief summary and detailed description. These descriptions provide important information about the study's purpose, methodology, and key details in language accessible to both researchers and the general public.

Description Module path is as follows:

Study -> Protocol Section -> Description Module

Description Module


Ignite Creation Date: 2025-12-24 @ 7:38 PM
Ignite Modification Date: 2025-12-24 @ 7:38 PM
NCT ID: NCT01179503
Brief Summary: A growing body of evidence suggests that vitamin D status is important in biologic processes involved in the maintenance of physical function. To advance the investigators understanding of the role of vitamin D in physical function, the investigators will conduct a feasibility pilot study to collect key information to help design a full-scale randomized trial to determine whether vitamin D supplementation will delay declines in physical function. The primary goals of the pilot study are to determine cost-effective strategies for identifying persons at high risk for functional decline with insufficient vitamin D levels, determine the serum vitamin D response to a vitamin D supplementation regimen designed to attain sufficient vitamin D levels, and provide preliminary data of key functional measures (balance, physical performance and muscle power) for the future larger study design. A secondary goal is to begin to examine potential mechanisms by which vitamin D supplementation may enhance physical performance by exploring the effects of vitamin D supplementation on changes in skeletal muscle gene expression.
Detailed Description: A growing body of evidence suggests that vitamin D status is important in biologic processes involved in the maintenance of physical function. However, whether remediation of vitamin D insufficiency will improve physical function and the potential mechanisms involved are unclear. Previous vitamin D supplementation trials have produced mixed results with respect to physical function; however, most trials did not specifically recruit individuals who were vitamin D insufficient nor is the potential mechanism of action understood well enough to appropriately select those individuals most likely to benefit. To advance our understanding of the role of vitamin D in physical function, the investigators will conduct a feasibility pilot study to collect key information to help design a full-scale randomized trial to determine whether vitamin D supplementation will delay declines in physical function. The primary goals of the pilot study are to determine cost-effective strategies for identifying persons at high risk for functional decline with insufficient vitamin D levels, determine the serum vitamin D response to a vitamin D supplementation regimen designed to attain sufficient vitamin D levels, and provide preliminary data of key functional measures (balance, short physical performance battery (SBBP) and muscle power) for the future larger study design. A secondary goal is to begin to examine potential mechanisms by which vitamin D supplementation may enhance physical performance and muscle contractility by exploring the effects of vitamin D supplementation on changes in skeletal muscle gene expression using microarrays.
Study: NCT01179503
Study Brief:
Protocol Section: NCT01179503