MS LeBoff et al. NEJM 2022; 387: 299-309. Supplemental Vitamin D and Incident Fractures in Midlife and Older Adults
SR Cummings, C Rosen. NEJM 2022; 387: 368-370. VITAL Findings — A Decisive Verdict on Vitamin D Supplementation
In an ancillary study of the Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL), the investigators tested whether supplemental vitamin D3 would result in a lower risk of fractures than placebo. Design: VITAL was a two-by-two factorial, randomized, controlled trial with 25,871 participants with a median followup of 5.3 years.
Key findings:
- Supplemental vitamin D3, as compared with placebo, did not have a significant effect on total fractures (hazard ratio, 0.98), nonvertebral fractures (hazard ratio, 0.97), or hip fractures (hazard ratio, 1.01).
From the editorial:
- This study reinforces a recent trial which found that Vitamin D supplementation did not significantly improve bone mineral density/structure with high-resolution CT.
- “There is no justification for measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the general population or treating to a target serum level.” Exceptions may include some patients at high-risk for deficiency like persons living in residential settings with little sunlight exposure and those with malabsorptive conditions (eg. celiac disease, cholestatic liver disease).
- “Providers should stop screening for 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels or recommending vitamin D supplements and people should stop taking vitamin D supplements to prevent major diseases or extend life.”
NY Times (7/27/22): Study Finds Another Condition That Vitamin D Pills Do Not Help
“The first part of VITAL, previously published, found that vitamin D did not prevent cancer or cardiovascular disease in trial participants. Nor did it prevent falls, improve cognitive functioning, reduce atrial fibrillation, change body composition, reduce migraine frequency, improve stroke outcomes, protect against macular degeneration or reduce knee pain. Another large study, in Australia, found that people taking the vitamin did not live longer.”
My take: This should be the end of the Vitamin D epidemic. Will it?
Related blog posts:
- What is Driving the Vitamin D Epidemic? (More Testing)
- Why I Don’t Check Vitamin D Levels During IBD Flareups
- How Important Is It to Correct Vitamin D Deficiency in a Critically-Ill Patient?
- What happens to micronutrient levels in the hospital setting? When CRP concentration is >20 mg/L (>2 mg/dL), “plasma concentrations of selenium, zinc, and vitamins A, B-6, C, and D are clinically uninterpretable.
- Common to be “D-ficient” | gutsandgrowth
- Explaining the Vitamin D Paradox | gutsandgrowth
- Why Adding Vitamin D May Not Help IBD | gutsandgrowth
- Understanding Why Vitamin D Deficiency is Not So Common Afterall | gutsandgrowth
- Single High-Dose Oral Vitamin D Therapy … – gutsandgrowth
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