Efeitos da suplementação com Vitamina D sobre a força muscular, o equilíbrio e o desempenho funcional de idosas

Abstract

Much has been studied about Vitamin D in the last years and the latest discoveries indicates that in addition to participate of the bone metabolism, wich effect is already well established, the Vitamin D is involved directly or indirectly with others organic functions. In this context, the evidences are growing about the existence of receptors of Vitamin D in many extraskeletal tissues like the endocrine, immune, cardiocirculatory, muscle and others. Regarding the muscle functions, far from the 20 consensus, many studies have proved that among elderly, low levels of Vitamin D are tightly associated with muscle weakness, worse functional performance, growing the risk of falls and fractures and, consequently,influenced too much the functional independence and quality of life of this population. Evidences show hight prevalence of failure anda deficiency of Vitamin D mainly in the elderly population that, in addition to lower sun exposure, present others factors to contribute to grow the risk of Vitamin D hypovitaminosis. Before the fact that among the possible variables connected with levels of Vitamin D, the duration of sun exposure in one of the main, contrary to what one might imagine, in Brazil, where in some regions like Northeast, the sun shines in all days of the year, the scarces researches investigating the levels of Vitamin D seems relevant. Aiming contribute to this relevant fact, this dissertation is composed by one chapter one revision of Vitamin D, connected with the components of physical activity and by one article of results that shown using one trial with elderly of three sample groups, wtith different levels of physical activity: institutionalized, socially active and physically active, failure and deficient of Vitamin D, with have been given supplementation of Vitamin during eight weeks, the effects of this supplementation about muscle strength, balance and functional performance. The levels of Vitamin D after supplementation became much better in the three groups, however, only the variables FPM e TUGT shown correlation with this improvement.The functional performance became better relatively in isolated variables, in the social active and physically active group and the balance have improved in the institutionalized group.