Will vitamin D help our bones as we age?
Peer-reviewed: This work was reviewed and scrutinised by relevant independent experts.
Randomised controlled trial: Subjects are randomly assigned to a test group, which receives the treatment, or a control group, which commonly receives a placebo. In 'blind' trials, participants do not know which group they are in; in ‘double blind’ trials, the experimenters do not know either. Blinding trials helps removes bias.
People: This is a study based on research using people.
Randomised controlled trial: Subjects are randomly assigned to a test group, which receives the treatment, or a control group, which commonly receives a placebo. In 'blind' trials, participants do not know which group they are in; in ‘double blind’ trials, the experimenters do not know either. Blinding trials helps removes bias.
People: This is a study based on research using people.
Research out of the US suggests that, contrary to popular recommendations, taking vitamin D supplements did not lower the risk of breaking bones among generally healthy midlife and older adults. The team administered either a vitamin D supplement or a placebo to a group of close to 26,000 participants aged 50 and above, and checked back in with them after a little over five years. The team says that, in regards to bone fractures, there were no substantial differences between the groups.
Journal/conference: The New England Journal of Medicine
Research: Paper
Organisation/s: Harvard Medical School, USA
Funder: Supported by grants (R01 AR060574, R01 AR070854, and R01
AR059775, to Dr. LeBoff ) from the National Institute of Arthritis
and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. The VITAL parent
trial is supported by grants (U01 CA138962, R01 CA138962, and
R01AT011729, to Drs. Manson and Buring) from the National
Cancer Institute, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute,
the Office of Dietary Supplements, the National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the National Center for
Complementary and Integrative Health.
From: Massachusetts Medical Society
