clinical trial
Vitamin D Deficiency in Lunar Residents: Paradox, Mechanism, and Supplementation Protocol: A Pilot Study
Dr. L. Martinez
· Lunar Medical Research Cooperative
Lunar Nutrition and Metabolism · Vol. 3, No. 2 · July 29, 2023
Abstract
Follow-up investigation building on prior work. 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 sy...
Extended analysis and updated findings. 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 supplementatio...
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 supplementatio...
Keywords
vitamin D, deficiency, supplementation, hydroponics, diet, bone health