Vitamin D & Balance
These new findings from Johns Hopkins come from a study showing that taking 1,000 or more international units of vitamin D was not associated with a lower risk of falling among seniors age 70 and older, compared to those on a lower daily dose. Researchers were investigating whether the high doses would prevent falls after earlier studies suggested that “D” could increase muscle strength and improve balance. They tested doses of 2,000 and 4,000 IU of “D” per day and compared the risk of falls with a daily 1,000 IU dose and a control dose of 200 IU. The investigators reported that serious falls and falls that required hospitalization occurred more often in seniors who took 1,000 IUs or more per day than in those who took 200 IU daily (about half the typical dose found in multivitamins). Bottom line: the team concluded that seniors should talk to their doctors about their risk of falling and their vitamin D intake in order to determine whether or not taking supplements of “D” would be beneficial.
My take? As you may know, I recommend that everyone take 2000 IU of vitamin D daily for its many positive health effects. Even if further research suggests that it doesn’t have a benefit in fall prevention for the elderly, there are other important reasons to continue taking vitamin D. It helps strengthen the immune system, protects against a number of serious diseases, and may help reduce incidence of:
Source:
Lawrence J. Appel, MD et al, “The Effects of four Doses of Vitamin D Supplements on Falls in Older Adults,” Annals of Internal Medicine, December 8, 2020, doi.org/10.7326/M20-3812
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