Can You Prevent Fall Injuries by Taking Vitamins?

There has been an explosion of research around vitamin D - more than 2,000 studies in the past seven years. One of the interesting ideas around vitamin D coming to light is the proposition that it can prevent fall injuries.

There is enough evidence in support of this benefit that multiple guidelines now recommend vitamin D supplements as part of fall-injury rehab plans.

However, this idea is not without controversy. Some experts have asserted that vitamin D supplements only prevent falls and fractures in specific target groups, not the population as a whole. They question whether untargeted recommendations are a good idea given the possibility of adverse cardiovascular effects and of overdosing.¹

Fortunately, Professor Marlene Chakhtoura and colleagues, writing for the World Health Organization Collaboration Center for Metabolic Bone Disorders, recently conducted a study to pull all the research together. The peer-reviewed journal Bone published their results earlier this year.² Due to differences in the way various studies were conducted, as well as seemingly conflicting results, the data does not go together neatly. Nevertheless, researchers were able to confidently draw some important conclusions based on all the research out there.

Supplementation of vitamin D with calcium significantly reduces fracture rates. The effect on fall rates is less clear. Researchers conclude that supplementation with vitamin D3 in combination with calcium is prudent. The most significant effect will be seen among people age 70 plus and who are already at a high risk for accidental falls. Daily supplementation at doses ranging between 800 and 1,000 IU seems more effective than intermittent dosing.

With the combined services of physiotherapy and exercise physiology, fall injury prevention programs at Advanced Physiotherapy can include therapeutic exercise, nutrition, activities modifications, and much more. If you or someone you care for has gait limitations and has experienced an accidental fall, there is an increased risk for future falls and injuries. Please call (02) 4954 5330 to discuss services.

References

Lewis JR, Sim M, Daly RM. The vitamin D and calcium controversy: an update. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 2019 Mar 1;31(2):91-7.
Chakhtoura M, Chamoun N, Rahme M, Fuleihan GE. Impact of vitamin D supplementation on falls and fractures—A critical appraisal of the quality of the evidence and an overview of the available guidelines. Bone. 2020 Feb 1;131:115112.