A sweeping review of data from more than 153,000 adults has found that calcium and vitamin D supplements, whether taken alone or together, do little to prevent fractures or falls in most older people. The results directly challenge the common practice of recommending these supplements for bone health and injury prevention.
The researchers behind the review say the findings point away from routine supplementation as a preventive strategy. Instead, they suggest that efforts to reduce fractures and falls in older adults may need to focus on other approaches, though the source does not specify which ones.
Because this is a single review, there are no conflicting sources to compare. The conclusions are presented as a broad reassessment of widely used supplements, and the authors frame the evidence as insufficient to support routine use for most older people.