Vitamin D and falls--are intermittent, high doses better?

摘要

The prevalence of falls increases dramatically with age and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among community-living elderly individuals. Numerous interventions to reduce falls have been tried, but few have shown efficacy. A recent meta-analysis by the US Public Health Service Task Force concluded that vitamin D supplementation might be a cost-effective tool for reducing falls in the elderly.1 However, supplementation in one study consisted of calcitriol (also known as 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3), and in another study, included calcium supplementation plus vitamin D. In a second meta-analysis, Bischoff-Ferrari determined that at least 700IU of vitamin D are necessary to reduce falls, provided a threshold serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 60 nmol/1 is attained.