Vitamin D2 Lowers Risk of Falls

NEDLANDS, Australia—Could the “sunshine vitamin” reduce the risk of falls in older women? A new study out of Australia suggests older women with low blood vitamin D2 levels may be able to lower their risk of falling by correcting their vitamin D levels via vitamin D2 supplementation. Researchers from the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Australia, conducted a year-long clinical trial of 302 women, ages 70 to 90 years, with a history of falling (Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(1):103-8). Because vitamin D is produced by the body in response to sun exposure, the study was conducted in a sunny climate and with women with blood vitamin D levels below the median for the area (24 nanograms per milliliter); all participants had a history of falling in the previous year. Half of the women were given either 1,000 international units (IU) of D2 or an identical placebo. Vitamin D2 therapy reduced the risk of having at least one fall by 19 percent in the study population.