clinical trial
Vitamin D Deficiency in Lunar Residents: Paradox, Mechanism, and Supplementation Protocol
Dr. Kwame Asante
· Tycho Crater Teaching Hospital
Lunar Nutrition and Metabolism · Vol. 1, No. 2 · September 30, 2028
Abstract
Vitamin D deficiency is paradoxically prevalent in lunar residents despite the surface receiving unfiltered solar UV. The paradox resolves on examination: residents spend essentially no time on the surface without full-body EVA suits, and habitat UV lighting is calibrated for eye safety, not skin synthesis. We evaluate supplementation protocols against the lunar dietary baseline.
The Moon receives abundant unfiltered ultraviolet radiation. A lunar resident might reasonably expect no vitamin D deficiency. The paradox: residents spend an average of 4.2 EVA hours per week on the surface, in full suits that exclude all UV. The remaining 163+ hours per week are spent in habitats lit for eye safety at wavelengths that do not stimulate skin D synthesis.
Our survey of 156 residents found 68% with serum 25-OH-D below 30 ng/mL (deficiency threshold), and 31% below 20 ng/mL (severe deficiency). The hydroponics-based diet provides essentially no dietary vitamin D.
A three-arm supplementation trial (placebo, 2000 IU/day, 4000 IU/day) over 6 months showed that 4000 IU/day normalized serum levels in 94% of deficient residents.
Recommendation: Universal vitamin D supplementation at 4000 IU/day for all lunar residents. This should be standard in the medical formulary, with serum monitoring every 6 months.
Our survey of 156 residents found 68% with serum 25-OH-D below 30 ng/mL (deficiency threshold), and 31% below 20 ng/mL (severe deficiency). The hydroponics-based diet provides essentially no dietary vitamin D.
A three-arm supplementation trial (placebo, 2000 IU/day, 4000 IU/day) over 6 months showed that 4000 IU/day normalized serum levels in 94% of deficient residents.
Recommendation: Universal vitamin D supplementation at 4000 IU/day for all lunar residents. This should be standard in the medical formulary, with serum monitoring every 6 months.
Keywords
vitamin D, deficiency, supplementation, hydroponics, diet, bone health