Effects of vitamin D supplementation on musculoskeletal health: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis.

What It Covers

This meta-analysis looks at Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

The researchers aimed to determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on fractures, falls, and bone density.

Who the Included Studies Covered

Trials with multiple interventions (eg, co-administered calcium and vitamin D) were eligible if the study groups differed only by use of vitamin D.

Eligible studies included outcome data for total or hip fractures, falls, or bone mineral density measured at the lumbar spine, total hip, femoral neck, total body, or forearm.

How the Review Was Done

In this systematic review, random-effects meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis, the researchers used findings from literature searches in previously published meta-analyses.

The researchers updated these findings by searching PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central on Sept 14, 2017, and Feb 26, 2018, using the search term "vitamin D" and additional keywords, without any language restrictions.

The researchers excluded trials of hydroxylated vitamin D analogues.

The researchers extracted data about participant characteristics, study design, interventions, outcomes, funding sources, and conflicts of interest.

The co-primary endpoints were participants with at least one fracture, at least one hip fracture, or at least one fall; the researchers compared data for fractures and falls using relative risks with an intention-to-treat analysis using all available data.

What Was Measured

The secondary endpoints were the percentage change in bone mineral density from baseline at lumbar spine, total hip, femoral neck, total body, and forearm.

The subject headings attached to it are Accidental Falls, Bone Density, Dietary Supplements, Fractures, Bone and Vitamin D.

What This Means in Plain Language

This is a meta-analysis of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

Results are reported in around 11 sentences of the abstract; we leave them to the paper itself rather than summarise them.

The publication is from 2018 (The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology), a journal based in England.

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