EDMONTON - Researchers at the University of Alberta are suggesting there might not be as much medical benefit to vitamin D supplements as previously thought.
A team led by Michael Allen, director of the Evidence-Based Medicine Department at the faculty of medicine, recently examined the evidence for 10 common beliefs about the pills.
Those range from their touted ability to reduce falls and fractures to their use in preventing rheumatoid arthritis and treating multiple sclerosis.
The professor says his review, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, shows many of the beliefs aren't validated by science.
In fact, he says there's little evidence vitamin D has much effect at all as a nutritional supplement.
Most significantly, he says the team concluded vitamin D pills have only a minor impact in reducing the number of falls among the elderly and reducing fractures.
