Treatment with high-dose oral vitamin D2 in patients with jejunoileal bypass for morbid obesity. Effects on calcium and magnesium metabolism, vitamin D metabolites, and faecal lag time.

Calcium and magnesium balance, 47Ca turnover studies, and measurements of vitamin D metabolites were performed before and after 7-10 months of vitamin D2 treatment (36,000 IU/day) in eight patients bypass-operated 3-6 years earlier for gross obesity. All patients had received a daily supplementation of calcium (27 mmol/day) since operation. Before treatment the net calcium absorption and calcium balance were normal compared with that of nine normal controls. Vitamin D metabolites were within normal limits. The endogenous faecal calcium level was increased and the faecal lag time shortened. Bone biopsies revealed osteomalacia in three of the patients. Vitamin D2 treatment induced an increase in calcium absorption and renal excretion of calcium, a reduced bone resorption rate, a more positive calcium balance, and healing of osteomalacia. Moreover, the vitamin D2 treatment induced a prolongation and normalization of faecal lag time, an increase in magnesium absorption, and a more positive magnesium balance. The effect might be mediated through 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), which increased, whereas serum levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-(OH)2D) and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (24,25-(OH)2D) were unchanged. The results indicate that in some bypass-operated patients high-dose vitamin D2 has a beneficial effect on calcium and magnesium metabolism.