In subgroup analyses , all cause mortality was significantly lower in trials with vitamin D3 supplementation than in trials with vitamin D2 supplementation ( P for interaction=0.04 ) ; neither vitamin D3 nor vitamin D2 was associated with a statistically significant reduction in all cause mortality .
CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D supplementation alone was not associated with  all cause mortality in adults compared with placebo or no treatment .
Vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of cancer death by 16 % .
Additional large clinical studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D3 supplementation is associated with lower all cause mortality .
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether vitamin D supplementation is associated with lower mortality in adults .
Effects of large doses of calciferol on patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A double-blind clinical trial.
In a double-blind clinical trial on 49 patients with rheumatoid arthritis , calciferol was given in a dose of 100 000 IU per day for 1 year to 24 patients , while the remaining 25 received placebo .  Objective and subjective improvement was noted in 67 % of the calciferol group and in 36 % of the control group , while objective and subjective deterioration was noted in 4 % of the calciferol group and in 32 % of the control group . The mean values for sedimentation rate and a2-globulin decreased and the mean hemoglobin level increased in the calciferol group . The consumption of analgesics and antiinflammatory medicines  decreased significantly in the calciferol group and after 1 year morning stiffness had eased and h and strength had increased in this group
In subgroup analyses , all cause mortality was significantly lower in trials with vitamin D3 supplementation than in trials with vitamin D2 supplementation ( P for interaction=0.04 ) ; neither vitamin D3 nor vitamin D2 was associated with a statistically significant reduction in all cause mortality .
CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D supplementation alone was not associated with  all cause mortality in adults compared with placebo or no treatment .
Vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of cancer death by 16 % .
Additional large clinical studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D3 supplementation is associated with lower all cause mortality .
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether vitamin D supplementation is associated with lower mortality in adults .