Vitamin Therapy in JGH Patients

There is a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis C and D in our hospital and other acute-care hospitals. Since the correction of these presumed deficiency states is simple, safe and inexpensive, their documented or suspected presence would normally be considered sufficient indication to correct them. However, the common practice is to ignore them. Identification of specific measurable medical consequences of hypovitaminosis C or D would provide a stronger case to treat or prevent in-hospital vitamin deficiency states. Biochemical deficiencies of vitamin C and D have both been linked to mood disturbance, and hypovitaminosis C reportedly increases blood histamine concentrations. We recently found that the provision of vitamin C (500 mg twice daily) but not vitamin D (1000 IU twice daily) promptly improved the average mood score of acutely hospitalized patients. We will now conduct a closely similar randomized clinical trial using a more adequate dose of vitamin D, namely 5000 IU/day for up to 10 days.