Do vitamin D supplements prevent fractures in everyone?
Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption in the intestine and for bone health. However, this does not mean that taking extra vitamin D will reduce fractures in everyone.
The fracture analysis of a large study published in 2022 examined 25,871 middle-aged and older adults. Participants had been assigned to receive either 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily or a placebo. Over approximately five years of follow-up, around 6% of participants in each group experienced a fracture. No significant reduction in fracture risk was demonstrated among those taking the supplement.
There is an important detail here: participants had not been selected because of vitamin D deficiency or osteoporosis. Therefore, this finding does not show that treating a deficiency is unnecessary or that people with osteoporosis can stop their treatment.
Meeting daily requirements is important. Whether supplementation is needed should be assessed alongside age, diet, existing medical conditions and current treatments. This study is not a reason to stop vitamin D recommended by a physician or to start high doses on your own.