Do high doses of vitamin D increase falls risk in the elderly?

Conclusion This trial aimed to assess whether giving high-dose vitamin D to older adults with a high risk of falls increased their blood vitamin D levels to above 30ng/ml, as well as improving their leg function. Vitamin D levels of 20ng/ml or more are generally considered adequate for bone health. But many people are deficient in vitamin D, with the elderly being particularly at risk. Current UK recommendations say people aged over 65 should take a daily supplement of 10mcg. This is the equivalent of 400 IU a day – a lower level than the lowest dose used in this study (800 IU a day). This study looked at taking two higher doses – with vitamin D alone or combined with its breakdown product, calcifediol – compared with the 800 IU a day control group. As would be expected, those in the higher dosage treatment groups had higher levels of vitamin D in their blood compared with controls. Although the higher doses led to improved leg function, they were in fact linked to a greater number of falls than seen in the control group. The trial has many strengths, including its double-blind design, the analysis of all 200 people enrolled, the relatively long duration of one year, and the use of valid assessment scales. It provides good evidence that high-dose vitamin D – alone or with calcifediol – does not benefit older adults with a prior history of falls. Taking high doses of vitamin D may also increase the risk of further falls, but this result should be interpreted...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Older people Medication Cancer Source Type: news