Supplements for falls prevention: What role can vitamin D and calcium play?

As we move through life, we experience plenty of trips, tumbles, slips, and spills. Be it walking up the stairs with a handful of groceries, rushing out of the door on an icy winter day, or running after our grandchildren, falls can happen at anytime and for a range of reasons (1;2). When we’re younger, the fear of falling and the impact of a fall may not be at the forefront of our thoughts. This is because we’re more likely to bounce back quickly with nothing more than a bruised tailbone and maybe a bruised ego. But, as we age, we’re faced with an increased risk of more serious consequences like emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and even death (1;2).

Worldwide, one in six people will be 60 years old or over by the year 2030. Fast forward to 2050, and the total number of people in this age group is set to jump to 2.1 billion (3). Given that the global population is aging, and falls are an area of major concern for this demographic, it’s important to verify the effectiveness of strategies that aim to help prevent falls.

Supplementation, specifically with vitamin D, calcium, or a combination of the two, is one strategy that has gained both notice and support, while also being surrounded by controversy due to conflicting research findings and potential for harm at certain doses. A recent systematic review summarized the evidence to paint a better picture of where things stand (4).

What the research tells us

The review found several interesting results!

First, it appears that vitamin D supplementation at a dose of 800 -1000 IU per day may decrease the risk of older adults experiencing falls compared to no treatment or placebo. Zooming in on the findings, we see that this strategy is only effective in older adults who are deficient in vitamin D and are taking the above-mentioned dose of vitamin D daily versus occasionally. Notably, higher doses of vitamin D, greater than 1000 IU per day, may raise the risk of falls in older adults.

What about calcium you may ask? Well, when we look at vitamin D alone and vitamin D combined with calcium versus calcium alone, we see that the first two supplementation strategies are superior to calcium on its own (4).

While more research is needed to further support and solidify these results, it doesn’t hurt to speak with your healthcare team about your current risk of falls and if vitamin D supplementation is a safe option for you. Frequency and dosage should be part of this conversation.

References

1. Government of Canada. Falls among older adults in Canada. [Internet] 2023. [cited April 2024]. Available from: https://health-infobase.canada.ca/falls-in-older-adults/
2. Government of Canada. Surveillance report on falls among older adults in Canada. [Internet] 2024. [cited April 2024]. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/surveillance-report-falls-older-adults-canada.html
3. World Health Organization. Ageing and health. [Internet] 2024. [cited April 2024]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health
4. Tan L, He R, Zheng X. Effect of vitamin D, calcium, or combined supplementation on fall prevention: A systematic review and updated network meta-analysis. BMC Geriatrics. 2024; 24(1), 390.

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