Bigger Vitamin D Dose May Lower Fractures

Taking larger doses of vitamin D may reduce the risk of hip fractures in older women by 30%, a new study finds. The study combined the results of 11 prior studies. They included a total of 31,022 people. More than 90% were women. All were 65 or older. People were randomly assigned to take vitamin D pills or placebo (fake) pills. The new analysis found that the risk of hip fracture was 10% lower for those assigned to receive the real vitamin D pills. That difference was so small it could have been caused by chance. But the researchers also looked at measurements of how much vitamin D people actually took. This included extra vitamin D that people took on their own. Hip fracture risk was 30% lower in those who took at least 800 international units a day. The New England Journal of Medicine published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it July 4.