Association Between Vitamin D Supplementation and Fall Prevention.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to assess the efficacy of vitamin D, with or without calcium supplements, in preventing falls among older adults.
Results Summary
High-dose vitamin D (≥700 IU) was associated with a lower risk of falls, while low-dose vitamin D (<700 IU) showed no significant effect. Subgroup analysis indicated that supplemental calcium influenced the effectiveness of vitamin D in fall prevention.
Population
Adults older than 50 years, including ambulatory and institutionalized individuals.
Effective Dosage
700 IU to 2000 IU of vitamin D per day (calcium dosage not specified).
Duration
Not specified in the abstract.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
high-dose vitamin D (≥ 700 IU) | decrease | falls | adults older than 50 years | RR, 0.87 (95% CI 0.79 to 0.96); ARD, -0.06 (95% CI, -0.10 to -0.02) | can prevent | #1 |
low-dose vitamin D (<700 IU) | no change | falls | adults older than 50 years | - | was not significantly associated with | #2 |
vitamin D | decrease | falls | adults older than 50 years | - | prevented | #3 |
the active form of vitamin D | decrease | falls | adults older than 50 years | - | prevented | #4 |
doses of 700 IU to 2000 IU of supplemental vitamin D per day | decrease | falling | ambulatory and institutionalized older adults | - | were associated with a lower risk of | #5 |
BACKGROUND: Falls occur frequently among older individuals, leading to high morbidity and mortality. This study was to assess the efficacy of vitamin D in preventing older individuals from falling. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases systematically using the keywords "vitamin D" and "fall" for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of vitamin D with or without calcium supplements with those of a placebo or no treatment on fall incidence in adults older than 50 years. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate risk ratios (RRs), absolute risk differences (ARDs) and 95% CIs with random-effects models. RESULTS: A total of 38 RCTs involving 61 350 participants fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Compared with placebo, high-dose vitamin D (≥ 700 IU) can prevent falls [RR, 0.87 (95% CI 0.79 to 0.96); ARD, -0.06 (95% CI, -0.10 to -0.02)]. Low-dose vitamin D (<700 IU) was not significantly associated with falls. Subgroup analysis showed that supplemental calcium, 25(OH) D concentration and frequency influenced the effect of vitamin D in preventing falls. Sensitivity analysis showed that vitamin D prevented falls, which was consistent with the primary analysis. In addition, the active form of vitamin D also prevented falls. CONCLUSION: In this meta-analysis of RCTs, doses of 700 IU to 2000 IU of supplemental vitamin D per day were associated with a lower risk of falling among ambulatory and institutionalized older adults. However, this conclusion should be cautiously interpreted, given the small differences in outcomes. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42020179390.