Supplementation in vitamin D and calcium in the elderly

In persons older than 70 years, mostly women, after a traumatic fracture, a daily supplementation with vitamin D3, 800 international units, or with calcium, 1000 mg daily, or both, compared to placebo, in a follow-up of more than three years, has not changed all-cause mortality, neither cardiovascular mortality, neither cancer mortality, nor cancer incidence. However, non significant trends for reduced mortality with vitamin D and increased mortality with calcium were observed. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism of February 2012.