Vitamin D supplementation reduces falls in the elderly by 19%

Can taking vitamin D prevent falls? Apparently so: these researchers set out to “test the efficacy of supplemental vitamin D … in preventing falls among older individuals” and found that a “high dose” (700-1000 IU a day) actually reduced falling by a whopping 19%. That’s quite a significant effect! It’s also a rare example of research actually confirming that vitamin supplementation does something helpful — most similar research in the last decade has come up quite empty-handed.

More to the point for SaveYourself.ca: how does vitamin D reduce falls? The authors explain: “Vitamin D has direct effects on muscle strength modulated by specific vitamin D receptors present in human muscle tissue.” Muscles like vitamin D, and “these benefits translated into a reduction in falls.”

Fascinating.

But the real question for me (and most of my readers) is whether the effect of vitamin D on “strength and function” has anything to do with muscle pain? Perhaps. Or perhaps not. I’m afraid it’s just unknown. But given that vitamin D supplementation is safe and inexpensive, it certainly seems worth experimenting with.