Two regimens , each represented by one large trial , which showed limited evidence of efficacy in reducing the incidence of hip or other appendicular skeleton fractures were : 1 ) Oral Vitamin D when accompanied by calcium supplementation .
2 ) 1,25 dihydroxy Vitamin D ( calcitriol ) .
This appeared more effective than calcium in a direct comparison .
Hypercalcaemia and gastro-intestinal symptoms , reported in less than 5 % of participants , were slightly more common when Vitamin D analogues were taken .
However , the risk of death was marginally less .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS Uncertainty remains about the efficacy of regimens which include Vitamin D or its analogues in fracture prevention .
Particularly if co-supplementation of calcium is required , significant cost differences are likely to exist between regimens .
BACKGROUND Due to their known effects on bone metabolism , Vitamin D and related compounds have been proposed for the prevention of osteoporosis and fractures .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of supplementation with Vitamin D or a Vitamin D analogue in the prevention of fractures of the axial and appendicular skeleton in elderly men or women with involutional or post-menopausal osteoporosis .
The necessity and safety of calcium and vitamin D in the elderly.
The necessity and safety of an oral calcium ( Ca ) and vitamin D regimen was evaluated in a population of 66 independently living and 73 institutionalized elderly women over an 11-week winter period . The members of both groups were r and omly assigned into trial and control groups . Serum Ca , creatinine , and calcidiol levels were measured before and after the trial . The regimen consisted of 1.558 g of Ca and 45 micrograms ( equal to 1,800 IU ) of vitamin D administered daily in addition to the normal diet . The controls received no treatment . A majority of the elderly subjects living independently had ensured their Ca , and a quarter of them also their vitamin D intake on their own initiative . The mean serum calcidiol concentration before the trial was 24.1 nmol/L in the institutionalized and 38.5 nmol/L in the elderly subjects living independently ( P less than .001 ) . After the trial , serum calcidiol was 10.4 nmol/L in the institutionalized control subjects and had decreased ( P less than .001 ) in both control groups , but increased ( P less than .001 ) in both treatment groups . The safety indicators , serum Ca , creatinine , and calcidiol , did not indicate any group or individual side effect
Two regimens , each represented by one large trial , which showed limited evidence of efficacy in reducing the incidence of hip or other appendicular skeleton fractures were : 1 ) Oral Vitamin D when accompanied by calcium supplementation .
2 ) 1,25 dihydroxy Vitamin D ( calcitriol ) .
This appeared more effective than calcium in a direct comparison .
Hypercalcaemia and gastro-intestinal symptoms , reported in less than 5 % of participants , were slightly more common when Vitamin D analogues were taken .
However , the risk of death was marginally less .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS Uncertainty remains about the efficacy of regimens which include Vitamin D or its analogues in fracture prevention .
Particularly if co-supplementation of calcium is required , significant cost differences are likely to exist between regimens .
BACKGROUND Due to their known effects on bone metabolism , Vitamin D and related compounds have been proposed for the prevention of osteoporosis and fractures .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of supplementation with Vitamin D or a Vitamin D analogue in the prevention of fractures of the axial and appendicular skeleton in elderly men or women with involutional or post-menopausal osteoporosis .