Vitamin D Supplements not Beneficial to Over 70s

Old age is a very sensitive phase of life where we need to be really serious about our health and  Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common problem.  So to increase  bone strength and reducing the risk of falls and fractures  Vitamin D supplements are preferred. But recently a study by Dr. Terry Aspray , Honorary clinical senior lecturer at Newcastle University’s Institute of Cellular Medicine has made a surprising revelation about it.

Source- Dr. Weil

He organized research to analyze the benefits and effects of these add-ons on the Bone Mineral Density (BMD) so the team recruited 379 adults over the age of 70 and randomly allocated them to take one of three doses of vitamin D given once a month for a year. The finding showed that there was no change in BMD over 12 months between the three doses, supporting results from previous studies which show that there is no benefit for older people taking vitamin D.

Lead author Dr Terry Aspray, commented on the findings saying, “Vitamin D deficiency is common in older people, and it may lead to bone loss, impairment of muscle function and an increased risk of falls and fractures. The results from previous studies assessing the effect of vitamin D on bone mineral density have yielded conflicting results, and our study is a significant contribution to the current debate.”

“While our findings do not support evidence of the benefit of high dose vitamin D supplements, at least on bone mineral density, we do, however, identify that higher doses of the vitamin may have beneficial effects on bone metabolism and that they are safe for older people.”

“I would suggest that older people should focus on maintaining a healthy, balanced diet, adequate sun exposure and take regular exercise to keep their bones as strong as possible.