Falls reduction in elderly
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Short-term supplementation with vitamin D and calcium may prevent falls and subsequent non-vertebral fractures in elderly women, German investigators report in a poster presented at the World Congress on Osteoporosis 2000 in Chicago June 15-18. H.W. Minne, Bad Pyrmont, Germany, et al., examined the effects of eight-week supplementation with calcium 1,200 mg plus vitamin D 800 IU per day, or calcium alone, on body sway, blood pressure and biochemical measures of bone metabolism in 148 women. The researchers conclude the combination therapy improves body sway, normalizes blood pressure and reduces secondary hyperparathyroidism. The mean number of falls per subject during a one-year follow-up period was .45 for the calcium group and .24 for the combination group