Elderly men may benefit from vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a myriad of musculoskeletal disorders in the elderly, including osteoporosis, reduced muscle function, falls and fractures. Recent scientific trials, conducted mostly in elderly or institutionalized women, indicate that supplementation with at least 800 IU/d of vitamin D₃ or a dose required to raise serum 25(OH) D levels to at least 75 nmol/L, and approximately 1200 mg/d of calcium is most effective for improving many of these musculoskeletal and functional performance measures. While further targeted research is still needed in elderly men, vitamin D supplementation should be considered as a safe and low cost strategy to optimize musculoskeletal health and function in both elderly men and women.