Vitamin D for Longevity
12 years, 8 months ago
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Posted on Jul 27, 2011, 6 a.m.
Among older women, Vitamin D supplementation extends longevity.
Many older women, particularly those in institutionalized care, are vitamin D deficient and at increased risk of falls and fractures. Goran Bjelakovic, from the University of Nis (Serbia), and colleagues completed a meta-analysis of 50 randomized trials that collectively involved 94,148 participants, with a mean age of 74 years. The team’s analysis suggested that vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplementation reduces mortality by about 6%, equating to saving one life for every 200 people given vitamin D3 for two years. The researchers conclude that: “Vitamin D3 seems to decrease mortality in predominantly elderly women who are mainly in institutions and dependent care.”
Goran Bjelakovic, Lise Lotte Gluud, Dimitrinka Nikolova, Kate Whitfield, Jørn Wetterslev, Rosa G Simonetti, Marija Bjelakovic, Christian Gluud. “Vitamin D supplementation for prevention of mortality in adults.” The Cochrane Library, July 2011.