Vitamin D Levels And Bone Fractures

More and more every day I have been reading about clinical trials have questioned the benefits of vitamin D in helping to prevent fractures. Other studies tell us to use it. Most recently a statistical review study sought to clarify this dichotomy.

The researchers carefully sorted the data according to the vitamin D dosages used in these trials. The new study found that the success of fracture prevention with vitamin D supplements depends on how much vitamin D is used.

Oral supplements of more than 400 international units (IU) per day reduce the risk of nonvertebral bone fractures in older adults. ( Nonvertebral fractures are broken bones in places other than the spine.)

Taken as a whole the clinical trials concerning vitamin D and fracture prevention represent a great amount of effort in the public health arena. In medical research rankings, the “randomized controlled clinical trial” is at the top. It gives us the best and most reliable data in humans as compared to other types of studies. A randomized controlled clinical trial goes beyond the limits of lesser studies. It tries to find what causes something. These trials can be enormous projects, with thousands of participants involved for several years or longer.

Through a systematic review of the medical literature and an analysis of high quality, randomized controlled clinical trials, the new study assessed the efficiency of oral vitamin D supplementation in persons 65 years or older to prevent fractures. Twelve previously reported randomized controlled clinical studies, including eight studies specifically for hip fractures, were included.

When the fracture data was pooled, no fracture reduction was observed for people who received dose of 400 IU per day or less. However, a higher dose of 482 to 770 IU per day of supplemental vitamin D did reduce nonvertebral fractures by 20% and hip fractures by 18%.

The researchers concluded from the combined clinical trials that nonvertebral fracture prevention with vitamin D is dose dependent. An appropriate dose should reduce nonvertebral fractures by at least 20% for individuals aged 65 years or older.