Vitamin D supplements, though widely recommended for bone health, don't lower the risk of fractures in healthy adults, a large study has found.
Supplemental vitamin D didn't lower the risk of fractures in healthy U.S. adults, a large study has found. Photo by PublicDomainPictures/Pixabay July 27 (UPI) -- Vitamin D supplements, though widely recommended for bone health, don't lower the risk of fractures in healthy older adults, a large study has found. The analysis was prompted by inconsistent data on whether vitamin D supplements reduce broken bones in the general population, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Boston, said in a news release. Advertisement Their new study was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers found that, compared to a placebo, supplemental vitamin D3 of 2,000 international units per day did not reduce total, non-vertebral or hip fractures, according to the study. Their analysis also showed no effects from supplemental vitamin D3 on major osteoporotic, wrist or pelvic fractures -- and no differences in the response to these supplements by men and women. The results also didn't suggest any differences in the effects of supplemental vitamin D on fracture outcomes according to race or ethnic group, body mass index or age. Advertisement Men participating in the study were 50 years and older; women were 55 and older. RELATED Vitamin D supplements not effective for preventing Type 2 diabetes "Overall, the results from this large clinical trial do not support the use of vitamin D supplements to…