Vitamin D supplements do not prevent osteoporosis

Taking vitamin D supplements does not improve bone mineral density, a study involving more than 4,000 healthy adults published in The Lancet has found.

With almost half of adults aged 50 and older in the US using vitamin D supplements, the authors conclude that continuing widespread use of these supplements to prevent osteoporosis in healthy adults is needless.

Professor Ian Reid from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and study leader explains:

"Most healthy adults do not need vitamin D supplements. Our data suggest that the targeting of low-dose vitamin D supplements only to individuals who are likely to be deficient could free up substantial resources that could be better used elsewhere in healthcare."

Prof. Reid and colleagues from the University of Auckland conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of all randomized trials examining the effects of vitamin D supplementation on bone mineral density in healthy adults up to July 2012.

Measuring bone density