The calcium and vitamin D not always useful for the prevention of fractures

jakubzak92/epictura

Published the 27.12.2017 at 17h01

A A

Keywords :

Ostéoporosecalciumvitamine D

The falls remain concerned about the social environment of elderly persons. The risk of fractures are more common in this population. It is recommended that they sometimes increase their consumption of vitamin D and calcium. Vitamin D allows the calcium to bind to bones, any deficiency thus causes a weakening.
However, researchers have shown that supplements of calcium and/or vitamin D, employees in a systematic way, had no effect on the reduction of fractures in the elderly. The results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

An analysis of more than 51 000 patients

Scientists have performed a meta-analysis of 33 clinical studies on more than 51,000 patients. These people were aged at least fifty years. A party of them took vitamin D, others calcium or a combination of the two, some taking that of the placebo, and some nothing at all.
Researchers have not found any positive effect of vitamin D or calcium on the risk of hip fracture. The combination of these two supplements had no effect either. Vertebral fractures and non-vertebral were not less frequent for patients taking supplements.

This study calls into question the indiscriminate use of vitamin D and calcium in prevention of fractures among older persons, and calls into question their daily consumption by this population.