BMJ: Vitamin D benefits unconfirmed – even bone density

A summary of 100s of systematic reviews and meta-analyses examined vitamin D’s role in health and disease. The researchers stated, “universal conclusions about its [vitamin D’s] benefits cannot be drawn”​ in calling for more and better designed trials.

In regard to bone health, the researchers found vitamin D, “might not be as essential as previously thought in maintaining bone mineral density.”​

That said, they found a “probable”​ association between vitamin D levels and birth weight, dental caries in children, maternal vitamin D levels at term, and parathyroid hormone levels in patients with chronic kidney disease who required dialysis.

An editorial​ advised doctors to avoid measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D in asymptomatic patients without bone disease.

“Supplementation with vitamin D may seem like a cheap, better than nothing attempt at helping people improve health, but it may also harm, by increasing the risk of hypercalcaemia, and providing false reassurance of a prescription prevention pill, making it easier for people to lead poorer lifestyles.”​

Responding to the research, Graham Keen, the executive director of the UK Health Food Manufacturers’ Association (HFMA) said: “This latest research from the BMJ raises concerns over the merits of vitamin D supplementation, which arguably runs the risk of adding confusion over existing robust public health guidelines.​

"Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies not only advises that all children should be offered vitamin supplements - specifically vitamin D, to safeguard their health - but also notes that these measures will save money for the UK National Health Service which is obviously an important public health consideration and message.​

"In addition, the HFMA and other organisations have been actively working with the Department of Health (DoH) on messaging on vitamin D products targeting other vulnerable at-risk groups like the elderly, pregnant and breast-feeding women and those of ethnic origin.”​

Look for more reaction to this research on NutraIngredients in the coming days.

Source:

British Medical Journal​

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g2280 (Published 1 April 2014)

‘Vitamin D and chronic disease prevention’ (editorial)

Authors: Paul Welsh, ​Naveed Sattar