Calcium and vitamin D are widely regarded as necessary for preventing our bones from going brittle as we get older, but researchers are increasingly sceptical of how useful either are for limiting fractures and bad falls in elderly people.
While calcium can benefit some, many ageing people should instead be focusing on strength training and balance, according to an analysis of dozens of studies and records covering around 150,000 people, published in the British Medical Journal in May.
Widely prescribed calcium and vitamin D supplements appear to provide "little to no clinically meaningful benefit on fracture and fall prevention in most older people," the researchers in Canada say.
An estimated one in three over-65s take a serious fall at some point, and many are prescribed calcium supplements in an effort to prevent bone breakages in the case of severe impact.
However the researchers say most cases "do not support routine supplementation with calcium or vitamin D, or combined supplementation to prevent fractures and falls."
The researchers are now calling for doctors and regulators to re-evaluate their general recommendations for calcium and vitamin D supplementation and put more emphasis on "meaningful prevention" of falls, such as through balance and strength training.
However, the role of physical health could be secondary to brain function when it comes to retaining good balance as ageing takes hold.
According to engineers and scientists based at University College Dublin and Free University Brussels, "maintaining balance requires a complex interplay between sensory and motor processes."
"This ability deteriorates with age, impairing daily life activities and contributes to increased fall risks," the researchers said, in a paper published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in the US.
The authors of the British Medical Journal research caution that their finding may not apply to specific bone disorders or people receiving drug treatment for osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a disease marked by a decrease in bone mineral density, with deterioration of bone structure. There are no clear symptoms, but anyone losing a few centimetres of height or developing a stooped posture should be examined by an orthopaedic surgeon, who can measure bone density and prescribe any necessary treatment.
