Vitamin D + Calcium Reduces Deaths Among Seniors

In the largest study ever performed on effects of calcium and vitamin D on mortality, Lars Rejnmark, from Aarhus University Hospital (Denmark) utilized pooled data from eight randomized controlled trials involving over 1,000 participants, median age 70 years, each.  During the three-year study, death was reduced by 9% in those treated with vitamin D with calcium, with the reduced mortality not solely due to a lower number of fractures, but represents a beneficial effect beyond the reduced fracture risk. The lead author observed that: “we found that calcium with vitamin D supplementation to elderly participants is overall not harmful to survival, and may have beneficial effects on general health.”