There is high quality evidence that vitamin D plus calcium is associated with a statistically significant reduction in incidence of new non-vertebral fractures .
Vitamin D alone is unlikely to prevent fractures in the doses and formulations tested so far in older people .
Supplements of vitamin D and calcium may prevent hip or any type of fracture .
There was a small but significant increase in gastrointestinal symptoms and renal disease associated with vitamin D and calcium .
This review found that there was no increased risk of death from taking calcium and vitamin
BACKGROUND Vitamin D and related compounds have been used to prevent  osteoporotic fractures in older people .
This is the third up date of a Cochrane review first published in 1996 .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of vitamin D or related compounds , with or without calcium , for preventing  fractures in post-menopausal women and older men .
A randomized, controlled trial of quadriceps resistance exercise and vitamin D in frail older people: the Frailty Interventions Trial in Elderly Subjects (FITNESS).
OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness of vitamin D and home-based quadriceps resistance exercise on reducing falls and improving the physical health of frail older people after hospital discharge . DESIGN Multicenter , r and omized , controlled trial with a factorial design . SETTING Five hospitals in Auckl and , New Zeal and , and Sydney , Australia . PARTICIPANTS Two hundred forty-three frail older people . INTERVENTIONS Patients were r and omized to receive a single dose of vitamin D ( calciferol , 300,000 IU ) or placebo tablets and 10 weeks of high-intensity home-based quadriceps resistance exercise or frequency-matched visits . MEASUREMENTS The primary endpoints were physical health according to the short-form health survey at 3 months and falls over 6 months . Physical performance and self-rated function were secondary endpoints . Assessment s took place in the participants ' homes at 3 and 6 months after r and omization and were performed by blinded assessors . RESULTS There was no effect of either intervention on physical health or falls , but patients in the exercise group were at increased risk of musculoskeletal injury ( risk ratio = 3.6 , 95 % confidence interval = 1.5 - 8.0 ) . Vitamin D supplementation did not improve physical performance , even in those who were vitamin D deficient ( < 12 ng/mL ) at baseline . CONCLUSION Neither vitamin D supplementation nor a home-based program of high-intensity quadriceps resistance exercise improved rehabilitation outcomes in frail older people after hospitalization . There was no effect of vitamin D on physical performance , and the exercises increased the risk of musculoskeletal injury . These findings do not support the routine use of these interventions at these dosages in the rehabilitation of frail older people
There is high quality evidence that vitamin D plus calcium is associated with a statistically significant reduction in incidence of new non-vertebral fractures .
Vitamin D alone is unlikely to prevent fractures in the doses and formulations tested so far in older people .
Supplements of vitamin D and calcium may prevent hip or any type of fracture .
There was a small but significant increase in gastrointestinal symptoms and renal disease associated with vitamin D and calcium .
This review found that there was no increased risk of death from taking calcium and vitamin
BACKGROUND Vitamin D and related compounds have been used to prevent  osteoporotic fractures in older people .
This is the third up date of a Cochrane review first published in 1996 .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of vitamin D or related compounds , with or without calcium , for preventing  fractures in post-menopausal women and older men .