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 .
Effects of calcitriol or calcium on bone mineral density, bone turnover, and fractures in men with primary osteoporosis: a two-year randomized, double blind, double placebo study.
Osteoporosis in men is an emerging public health problem . As calcitriol reduces the rate of vertebral fractures in osteoporotic postmenopausal women , we conducted a prospect i ve study of this treatment in men with primary osteoporosis . Our study was a 2-yr , r and omized , double masked , double placebo-controlled trial of calcitriol ( 0.25 microg twice daily ) or calcium ( 500 mg twice daily ) in 41 men with primary osteoporosis and at least 1 baseline fragility fracture . Thirty-three men ( 85 % ) completed the study . There were no differences in baseline characteristics . Spinal and femoral neck bone mineral densities at 2 yr were unchanged in both groups . Serum osteocalcin decreased in both groups by 30 % ( P < 0.05 ) , whereas urine N-telopeptide cross-links decreased only in the calcium group by 30 % ( P < 0.05 ) . After 2 yr , fractional calcium absorption increased by 34 % ( P < 0.01 ) in the calcitriol group . Nineteen incident fragility fractures occurred ( 14 vertebral and 5 nonvertebral ) in 7 men . Over 2 yr , the number of men with vertebral fractures ( 6 vs. 1 ; P = 0.097 ) was similar in both groups . In conclusion , the efficacy of calcitriol remains unproven as a single agent for the treatment of osteoporosis in men
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 .