title: [Active vitamin D3 analog].
abstract: Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and exerts effects on skeletal and extraskeletal health in children and adults of all ages. Vitamin D insufficiency is related to low muscle strength, increasing body sway, falls in the elderly. Supplementation with vitamin D reduces risk of osteoporotic fracture, and improves muscle strength and postural balance to prevent the elderly from fall. The preferred vitamin D analog for daily supplementation is cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). The active form of vitamin D3 is 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3. Alfacalcidol, calcitriol and eldecalcitol are used to treat osteoporosis in Japan. Randomized placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial for osteoporotic subjects showed that eldecalcitol is more efficacious to increase bone mineral density and prevent vertebral and wrist fractures in osteoporotic patients with vitamin D sufficiency than alfacalcidol.
authors.forename: Shinjiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takata
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D014807:Vitamin D