It seems that there’s not too much justification in using vitamin D supplements if you want to maintain or enhance the musculoskeletal health, according to experts.
Researchers claim that taking supplements is only useful for high-risk groups who want to prevent health conditions such as rickets and osteomalacia. These can occur due to vitamin D deficiency.
The study was published in the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal, and it has also found that there are no differences in the effects of higher versus lower doses of vitamin D.
Department of Health current recommendations
The Department of Health recommended that children under five years of age, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and older people should take a daily supplement. It’s important to consider the supplement if you are not a person who goes out in the sun a lot.
Getting sunlight on the skin is essential, and supplements could also be useful during autumn and winter.
Between April and the end of September, we can get all the vitamin D that our organisms needs by just going out in the sunlight and having a balanced diet that includes eggs, oily fish, and red meat.
The authors of the study say that clinical guidelines that recommend vitamin D supplementation for bone health should be changed in a way in which they can reflect the best available evidence.
The largest meta-analysis study ever
It seems that this was the largest meta-analysis study that has ever been performed with data coming from 81 randomized controlled trials.
Lead author Dr. Mark Bolland, of the University of Auckland, New Zealand, said: “Since the last major review of the evidence in 2014, more than 30 randomized controlled trials on vitamin D and bone health have been published, nearly doubling the evidence base available.
“Our meta-analysis finds that vitamin D does not prevent fractures, falls or improve bone mineral density, whether at a high or low dose,” he continued.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D from natural sources such as sunlight and diet.
Rada attended the courses in the Faculty of Letters, Romanian-English section, and finished the Faculty of Theatre and Television, Theatrical Journalism section, both within the framework of Babeş-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. Up ’til now, she reviewed books, movies, and theatre-plays, enjoying subjects from the cultural niche. Her experience in writing also intersects the IT niche, given the fact that she worked as a content editor for firms that produce software for mobile devices. She is collaborating with online advertising agencies, writing articles for several websites and blogs.