| Affiliation: | 1.Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics,University of Liège,Liège,Belgium;2.Department of Clinical Chemistry,University of Liège,Liege,Belgium;3.Department of Biology,Paris Descartes University, Necker Hospital,Paris,France;4.Geriatric Clinic,Zurich University Hospital and Center for Aging and Mobility,Zurich,Switzerland;5.Zurich University Hospital and Waid Hospital,Zurich,Switzerland;6.Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics,Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine,Geneva,Switzerland |
| Abstract: | Besides its well-known effect on bone metabolism, recent researches suggest that vitamin D may also play a role in the muscular, immune, endocrine, and central nervous systems. Double-blind RCTs support vitamin D supplementation at a dose of 800 IU per day for the prevention of falls and fractures in the senior population. Ecological, case–control and cohort studies have suggested that high vitamin D levels were associated with a reduced risk of autoimmune diseases, type 2 diabetes, cardio-vascular diseases and cancer but large clinical trials are lacking today to provide solid evidence of a vitamin D benefit beyond bone health. At last, the optimal dose, route of administration, dosing interval and duration of vitamin D supplementation at a specific target dose beyond the prevention of vitamin D deficiency need to be further investigated. |
