ZURICH, Switzerland, Mar 25, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Swiss researchers say
higher doses of vitamin D daily may reduce bone fracture risk for the elderly.
Their analysis of research studies, published in the Archives of Internal
Medicine, found doses higher than 400 international units per day reduced
non-vertebral fractures by 20 percent and hip fractures by 18 percent.
Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari of the University of Zurich Hospital in Switzerland
and colleagues performed a meta-analysis on 12 previously published clinical
trials of oral vitamin D supplements among adults age 65 and older. These
double-blind randomized controlled trials involved non-spinal fractures in
42,279 participants -- including eight trials of 40,886 participants
specifically studying hip fractures.
When the researchers studied the results of the trials, vitamin D supplements
doses of 400 international units per day or lower did not reduce non-spinal or
hip fracture risks. The greater reduction in risk was seen among trial
participants whose blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D -- a measure of blood
vitamin D levels -- achieved a greater increase.
"Higher doses of vitamin D should be explored in future research to optimize
anti-fracture efficacy," the study authors said in a statement. "Our results do
not support use of low-dose vitamin D with or without calcium in the prevention
of fractures among older individuals."
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