Rethinking the Sunshine Vitamin

I'm speechless! Apparently Vitamin D isn't as important as we thought it was...

A new study published in July in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) found ZERO or no effect:

  • on the frequency of fracture

  • on the frequency of falls

  • no effect when Vitamin D levels were low

  • no effect in patients with osteoporosis

  • no effect in patients without osteoporosis

Along with these findings, previous analyses of the data have shown that Vitamin D did not:

  • Prevent cancer or

  • Prevent cardiovascular disease

  • Prevent falls

  • Improve cognitive function

  • Reduce atrial fibrillation

  • Change body composition

  • Reduce migraine frequency

  • Improve stroke outcomes

  • Decrease age-related macular degeneration, or

  • Reduce knee pain

However, it's still recommended for people with gut conditions (celiac, Crohn’s, etc.) who do not absorb Vitamin D properly and those who never get any sunlight.

So, I guess I'm not recommending Vitamin D anymore??

Science...So confusing!!

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1. LeBoff, Meryl S., Sharon H. Chou, Kristin A. Ratliff, Nancy R. Cook, Bharti Khurana, Eunjung Kim, Peggy M. Cawthon, et al. “Supplemental Vitamin D and Incident Fractures in Midlife and Older Adults.” New England Journal of Medicine 387, no. 4 (July 28, 2022): 299–309. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2202106.

2. Cummings, Steven R., and Clifford Rosen. “VITAL Findings — A Decisive Verdict on Vitamin D Supplementation.” New England Journal of Medicine 387, no. 4 (July 28, 2022): 368–70. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMe2205993.

3. Vitamin D Supplements Don’t Help Another Condition, Study Finds - The New York Times – 27July2022 - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/27/health/vitamin-d-bone-fractures.html