Effects of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on falls: a randomized controlled trial.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

In an intention to treat analysis, a Poisson regression model was used to compare falls after controlling for age, number of falls in a 6-week pretreatment period, and baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D serum concentrations.

Why It Was Studied

Specific receptors for vitamin D have been identified in human muscle tissue.

The number of falls per person (0, 1, 2-5, 6-7, >7 falls) was compared between the treatment groups.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 122 women were involved.

PubMed indexes the participants as middle-aged adults, older adults and people over 80, women only.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized and double-blind study.

Because people in this Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

Blinding on both sides kept the women and researchers unaware of who received Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

Change in musculoskeletal function (summed score of knee flexor and extensor strength, grip strength, and the timed up&go test) was measured as a secondary outcome.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Accidental Falls, Age Factors, Bone and Bones, Calcifediol, Calcium, Dietary Supplements and Fractures, Bone.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized and double-blind study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 122 women.

The publication is from 2003 (Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research), a journal based in England.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.