Vitamin D supplementation may decrease the rate of osteoporosis and risk of hip fractures and increase survival. In epidemiologic studies, vitamin D supplementation was associated with impaired glucose tolerance. Elderly persons at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency may benefit from ingestion of 600 to 800 IU of vitamin D daily, particularly during the winter. Melatonin levels peak during early childhood and then decrease throughout life until they become negligible in the elderly. Melatonin has been shown to increase cortisol in older but not in younger women.
Insufficient evidence exists to support routine use of melatonin in the elderly.
The causes of age-related decline in GH are multifactorial. Secretion of somatostatin, a neuropeptide that inhibits GH release, increases with age. Unlike in younger adults, GH supplementation in the elderly produces only a slight increase in muscle mass, with no increase in muscle strength. It decreases adipose tissue stores and increases skin thickness but does not increase bone mineral density. The effects of GH supplementation on cognitive function are unknown.