Vitamin D Supplementation Doesn't Prevent Falls in Older Adults

The effect of vitamin D supplementation on fall risk in older adults has been uncertain, but in the recently published VITAL trial, which involved 26,000 participants, 2000 IU daily of vitamin D₃ did not prevent falls (NEJM JW Gen Med Oct 15 2020 and J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020; 105:2929). This randomized trial involved a two-stage design to determine the effect of three different doses of vitamin D on fall risk.

Researchers enrolled 688 community-dwelling older adults (age, ≥70) with elevated fall risk (i.e., history of falls, balance problems, or use of an assistive device) and baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels between 10 and 29 ng/mL. In the first stage, participants were assigned to take 1000, 2000, or 4000 IU/day of vitamin D₃ or to …