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 .
Vitamin D3 supplementation has no effect on conventional cardiovascular risk factors: a parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT.
CONTEXT Observational studies show an association between low vitamin D status assessed by circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and cardiovascular events and mortality . Data from r and omized controlled trials are limited . OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to test whether daily doses of vitamin D(3 ) at 400 or 1000 IU/d for 1 yr affected conventional markers of cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) risk . DESIGN We conducted a parallel-group , double-blind , placebo-controlled r and omized controlled trial . R and omization was computer generated . Participants and study investigators were blinded to intervention groupings throughout the trial . SETTING The study was conducted at the Clinical Research Facility , University of Aberdeen , United Kingdom . PARTICIPANTS A total of 305 healthy postmenopausal women aged 60 - 70 yr were recruited for the study . INTERVENTION Each woman received a daily capsule of 400 or 1000 IU vitamin D(3 ) or placebo r and omly allocated . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcomes were serum lipid profile [ total , high-density lipoprotein , and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ; triglycerides ; and apolipoproteins A-1 and B100 ] , insulin resistance ( homeostatic model assessment ) , inflammatory biomarkers ( high-sensitivity C-reactive protein , IL-6 , soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 ) , and blood pressure . RESULTS A total of 265 ( 87 % ) participants completed all study visits . Small differences between groups for serum apolipoprotein B100 change [ repeated measures ANOVA , P=0.04 ; mean ( sd ) , -1.0 ( 10.0 ) mg/dl ( 400 IU ) ; -1.0 ( 10.0 ) mg/dl ( 1000 IU ) ; and + 0.02 ( 10.0 ) mg/dl ( placebo ) ] were not considered clinical ly significant . Other systemic markers for CVD risk remained unchanged . There was significant seasonal variation in systolic and diastolic blood pressure independent of vitamin D dose ( P<0.001 , linear mixed model ) . Mean ( sd ) reduction in systolic blood pressure from winter to summer was -6.6 ( 10.8 ) mm Hg . CONCLUSIONS Improving vitamin D status through dietary supplementation is unlikely to reduce CVD risk factors . Confounding of seasonality should be recognized and addressed in future studies of vitamin
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 .