Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation in Older Adults

Intense interest surrounds the idea that vitamin D supplementation can prevent just about any disease under the sun (no pun intended). To address this issue, U.K. researchers present new findings from a previously published trial of vitamin D and calcium supplementation. Nearly 5300 patients (age, ≥70) with previous fractures were randomized to receive vitamin D₃ (800 IU daily), calcium (1000 mg daily), both, or placebo. During 2 to 5 years of treatment, neither vitamin D nor calcium lowered rates of new fractures (JW Gen Med Jun 10 2005).

Now, these researchers have examined nonfracture outcomes that occurred during the trial plus 3 more years of follow-up; the additional follow-up was added because clinically evident effects on cancer and …