Effectiveness of Vitamin D Supplements in Reducing the Risk of Falls among Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

Background The role of vitamin D in reducing the risk of falls in older adults has not been clearly demonstrated. This study examined the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in reducing the risk of falls in older adults. Methods Four databases (Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, and CINAHL) were searched without language restrictions or time limitations. These articles were comprehensively screened using EndNote version 20.1 software. A manual search of the reference lists of the identified studies was also performed. The analysis was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta–Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The pooled evidence was analyzed using RevMan software version 5.4. Results Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria among 550 potentially relevant studies. The pooled analysis of 38,598 older adults showed that vitamin D supplementation decreased the odds of having at least one fall by 1% (odds ratio [OR]=1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.92–1.11; p=0.86); however, the difference was not statistically significant. Of eight studies with 19,946 older adults, the pooled analysis showed a 12% (OR=1.12; 95% CI, 0.97–1.29; p=0.11) decrease in the odds of having at least one fracture among older adults; however, the difference was also not statistically significant. Pooled subgroup analysis showed that neither low (<2,000 IU/day) nor high (≥2,000 and <4,000 IU/day) doses of vitamin D supplementation had any significant effect on the incidence of falls and fractures. Conclusion Vitamin D supplementation had no beneficial effect in reducing fall and fracture incidence among older adults.

Keywords

• accidental falls
• bone fractures
• frail elderly
• meta-analysis