title: Dietary vitamin D3 supplementation at 10× the adequate intake improves functional capacity in the G93A transgenic mouse model of ALS, a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties, and may mitigate amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of dietary vitamin D(3) (D(3)) at 10-fold the adequate intake (AI) on functional and disease outcomes and lifespan in the transgenic G93A mouse model of ALS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Starting at age 40 days, 32 G93A mice (21 M, 11 F) were provided ad libitum with either an adequate (AI; 1 IU/g feed) or high (HiD; 10 IU/g feed) D(3) diet. Differences were considered significant at P≤ 0.10, as this was a pilot study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For paw grip endurance, HiD mice had a 7% greater score between 60-133 d versus AI mice (P= 0.074). For motor performance, HiD mice had a 22% greater score between 60-133 days (P= 0.074) versus AI mice due to changes observed in male mice, where HiD males had a 33% greater score (P= 0.064) versus AI males. There were no significant diet differences in disease onset, disease progression, or lifespan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although disease outcomes were not affected, D(3) supplementation at 10-fold the AI improved paw grip endurance and motor performance in the transgenic G93A mouse model of ALS, specifically in males.
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Alexandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gianforcaro
authors.forename: Mazen J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hamadeh
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D012737:Sex Factors; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002762:Cholecalciferol; C109415:SOD1 G93A protein; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase