Falls in the Elderly: Prevention Possible by Combining Vitamin D and Moderate Physical Activity

Light physical exercise and supplementation with high doses of vitamin D reduce the risk of falls by over 70% in frail elderly individuals—those with unstable health and multiple chronic conditions. Combining physical activity with vitamin supplements is therefore a very simple strategy to improve quality of life and, above all, to reduce the likelihood of fractures and bruises in old age.

The results, published in the Journal of Gerontology, come from a study conducted by researchers at Osaka University (Japan) among elderly residents of a care facility.

Falls among the Elderly: a Widespread Problem with Many Consequences

Falls among the elderly are a serious health issue, especially among those living in nursing homes, where the risk is 2 to 3 times higher than in others. Falls can cause bruises, head trauma, fractures—particularly femoral fractures—and sometimes death. Furthermore, individuals who have experienced a fall often limit their daily activities due to fear of falling again, becoming increasingly less self-sufficient.

Previous research has indicated that risk factors for falls include several conditions, such as muscle weakness and gait problems. It also appears that the risk of recurrent falls is associated with depression. Vitamin D supplementation has proven to be one of the most effective interventions for preventing falls among frail elderly people, i.e., those with unstable health status and frequent disabilities and illnesses.

One study showed that increasing daily vitamin D intake in elderly individuals living in care facilities reduced the rate of falls by 22%, and increased vitamin D blood levels were associated with a significant reduction in death rates due to falls. Vitamin D deficiency is very common in those over 60 years old.

Older adults often follow poor diets, have reduced intestinal function, and limited exposure to daylight; for this reason, they often fail to reach the recommended level (30 ng/mL) of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the blood. This molecule is a precursor to the active form of vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D) and is the molecule usually measured in blood tests. Vitamin D is essential for bone growth and health and mainly regulates mineral levels in the body, especially calcium and phosphorus, through various mechanisms:

• regulating calcium reabsorption at the kidney level,
• intestinal absorption of phosphorus and calcium,
• bone mineralization processes.

High doses of Vitamin D and Physical Activity Reduce Falls by 72.4%

Given the link between vitamin D levels and fall risk, Japanese researchers led by Masakazu Imaoka compared the fall frequency of 91 elderly residents in a care institution who had followed different treatments randomly assigned to each. One group participated only in a personalized light physical activity program, twice a week; the second group received supplementation with 900 IU (about 22 micrograms) of vitamin D daily, while another group followed both interventions.

The control group did not receive any treatment. Statistical analysis revealed that falls decreased by 52.5% among elderly who performed light physical activity and by 42.5% in the group that took vitamin D supplements. Remarkably, those who followed both interventions showed a 72.4% reduction in falls compared to controls. These data suggest that in care facilities, preventive strategies for falls among frail elderly should include a regulated low-frequency exercise program and vitamin D supplementation in the diet.

A Simple Strategy to Improve Quality of Life

According to the researchers, the combination of high-dose vitamin D supplementation and light exercise is the most effective intervention to reduce falls among frail elderly. Limiting falls means prolonging life expectancy, improving quality of life, and reducing medical and nursing care costs.

Source: Masakazu Imaoka, et al. “Low-frequency Exercise and Vitamin D Supplementation Reduce Falls Among Institutionalized Frail Elderly”, International Journal of Gerontology.