Exercise, not vitamin D, recommended to prevent falls
Staff Writer |
Falls and fractures are a major cause of disability in old age. An influential U.S. medical task force is recommending exercise and, in some cases, medical evaluation to help seniors stay on their feet.
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But the new draft recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) say there isn't enough evidence at this time to either endorse or advise against taking vitamin D or calcium supplements to prevent broken bones.
And based on current evidence, the panel recommends against taking vitamin D solely to prevent falls.
For Americans 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of injuries and injury-related deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On average, one older person falls every second in the United States, the CDC says.
"Fortunately, there are things we can do to help prevent falls," said Dr. Alexander Krist, a task force member.
However, "we found that it is unclear whether vitamin D and calcium can help prevent fractures at higher doses," said Krist, an associate professor of family medicine and population health at Virginia Commonwealth University. "They do not prevent fractures at lower doses."
More research is needed to evaluate the potential benefit of high-dose calcium and vitamin D supplementation for fracture prevention after menopause, the task force noted.
"We hope that you talk to your primary care provider about exercise to prevent falls if you have any concerns about falling, as well as vitamin D or calcium supplementation if you have any questions about your personal risk of fractures," Krist added.
The USPSTF, an independent panel of experts, provides guidance to physicians about how to prevent medical problems.
The proposed guidelines are intended to help prevent falls and fractures in generally healthy adults aged 65 and older who live at home and don't have medical problems such as osteoporosis, vitamin D deficiency, Parkinson's disease or dementia. ■