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 .
Prophylactic vitamin D in the elderly.
A cross-section of an elderly population was assessed in a double-blind trial for the effects of prophylactic vitamin D. The subjects who completed the trial were assessed clinical ly , by physiotherapy tests of muscle function and by biochemical analysis , before and after a course of vitamin D or placebo . A significant fall in serum phosphate was found in the placebo group but not in the vitamin D group . The fall was maximal between the months of October and March which correspond to maximum and minimum amounts of circulating 25-hydroxy-vitamin D during the year . No difference in muscle function between treated and untreated groups was shown . Two out of 63 individuals on vitamin D  developed hypercalcaemia . It is concluded that , although there appears to be improvement in the phosphate status of treated patients over the short term of this trial , hypercalcaemia after vitamin D administration precludes the continuous prophylactic use of vitamin D at the levels employed in this trial
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 .