Impact of vitamin D and calcium on falls and fractures in older adults.

Abstract

The objective of this review is to explore the evidence linking both low and high circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D to risk of falls and/or fractures in older adults. The important role of calcium intake in this context is also described. The quality of evidence, related to participant characteristics, methods of fall and fracture assessments, biomarker assays employed, and other factors are considered. There is growing evidence that both low intakes of vitamin D and calcium and excess intake of vitamin D have untoward effects of risk of falls and fractures. Verification of the 25(OH)D range that currently appears to minimize risk of falls and fractures, 20 to 40 ng/ml, is important, because it will have obvious implications for devising optimal supplementation strategies in large parts of the global population that is dually deficient in calcium and vitamin D.