Sarcopenia (Sp) is the loss of skeletal muscle mass associated with aging that results in
an involution of muscle function and strength. Vitamin D deficiency is a common health problem
worldwide, especially among the elderly, and hypovitaminosis D leads to musculoskeletal disorders.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact and presence of a possible linkage between Single
Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) CYP2R1 (rs10741657), GC (rs2282679), and VDR (rs2228570),
serum 25-OH/D concentrations and the link with the degree of sarcopenia in 19 institutionalized
elderly men not supplemented with vitamin D. Levels of 25-OH vitamin D were quantified with
a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit and 3 SNPs were genotyped with KASPar
assays. Significant differences in 25-OH/D concentration were determined between the bi-allelic
combinations of rs228679 and rs228570. We detected statistically significant weak positive correlations
between the AA (rs10741657 and rs228570) and TT (rs228679) and alleles and 25-OH/D and the
probability of having higher 25-OH/D concentrations was 2- to 3-fold higher. However, the GG
alleles of the 3 SNPs showed that the probability of having optimal 25-0H/D concentrations decreases
by 32% for rs10741657, 38% for rs228679, and 74% for rs228570, showing a strong negative correlation
between the degree of sarcopenia and 25-OH/D levels. Allelic variations in CYP2R1 (rs10741657),
GC (rs2282679), and VDR (rs10741657) affect vitamin D levels and decisively influence the degree of
sarcopenia in institutionalized elderly people.
