Can vitamin D help in old age?

As we age, it becomes increasingly important to take care of ourselves. The risk of falls can rise with old age, which can lead to injuries like broken bones. Walking sticks and Zimmer frames are some external solutions that can help minimise falls, but what other options are out there?

Vitamin D has attracted much media coverage recently and, in The British Medical Journal’s meta-analysis, was found to reduce the risk of falling and fracture in 65+ year olds by 29%. (This was found when vitamin D doses of at least 700iu -1000iu were present; lower doses were proven to be ineffective.)

Vitamin D then may hold the answers to preventing falls in the elderly — but what is it and how do we get more of it? Pharma Nord explains more:

What is vitamin D?

As a fat-soluble nutrient, vitamin D is essential for strengthening our immune system, muscle function and bone health. The sun is the main way we get vitamin D — provided enough UVB light is present, vitamin D can be produced from cholesterol.

There are a number of factors that can impact the amount of vitamin D our bodies are able to produce. Age is a key factor, as our ability to convert UVB light to vitamin D weakens as we age. Seasonality is also an issue—in winter, when less light is available, we are unable to make as much of the vitamin.

Skin pigmentation, sunscreen use and sun avoidance can all impact our production of vitamin D too.

Despite being essential to human health, the UK’s average dietary intake of vitamin D is around 126iu each day — for most people, this amount isn’t enough. However, not everyone is vitamin D deficient—in the majority of cases, individuals simply have insufficient levels, resulting in many turning to vitamin D supplements.

Vitamin D supplements

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommends receiving 10μg/400iu of vitamin D per day in autumn and winter months. However, this recommendation is to prevent deficiency, with many experts agreeing that it is still an insufficient amount.

There are two varieties of vitamin D supplements, including D2 an D3. D2 is an isomer formed in human skin and normally extracted from sheep’s wool, while D3 is plant-derived and usually extracted from fungi.

In general, D3 is the preferred vitamin D supplement as it is normally less toxic than D2. It is the most commonly researched type of vitamin D.

If you think you could benefit from taking vitamin D supplements, speak to your doctor or health advisor for professional advice.