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 .
The response of elderly veterans to daily vitamin D3 supplementation of 2,000 IU: a pilot efficacy study.
OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D ( serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D<32 ng/mL ; HVD ) in a population of elderly veterans and conduct a preliminary assessment of the efficacy of supplementation with cholecalciferol in correcting HVD . DESIGN R and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled clinical trial . SETTING Geriatric clinic at the Bruce W. Carter Veterans Affairs Medical Center , Miami , Florida . PARTICIPANTS Veterans aged 70 and older . INTERVENTION Oral cholecalciferol 2,000 IU daily or placebo for 6 months . MEASUREMENTS Serum calcium , 25-hydroxyvitamin D , parathyroid hormone , and 24-hour urinary calcium . RESULTS Of the 34 participants who completed the study , 62 % had HVD at baseline . In the treatment group , mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level rose from 28.4±7.9 ng/mL at baseline to 42.7±10.5 ng/mL at the end of the trial , but levels remained less than 32 ng/mL in three of 17 ( 18 % ) of the participants . In the placebo group , the baseline level of 27.7±8.3 ng/mL remained unchanged ( 28.8±8.7 ng/mL ) . Supplementation did not alter serum or urinary calcium levels and did not result in any adverse events . CONCLUSION These initial observations suggest that , in older veterans  , cholecalciferol 2,000 IU daily for 6 months is generally safe and corrects HVD in most but not all individuals
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 .