As women age, they are often at risk of falling and causing serious injury to themselves. Aging muscles and bones, and a deteriorating sense of balance are often the culprits behind falls. Many women, especially those suffering from osteoporosis, resort to a more sedentary lifestyle to reduce the risk of falling — unfortunately at the expense of the rest of their bodies. Exercise is very important to the health of your vital organs and your immune system, amongst other things. Many women find themselves stuck in a vicious circle of wanting to “keep safe” and needing exercise for good health.
Well — a study out of Perth, Australia, suggests that there’s help for women who find themselves in this predicament. According to the study, elderly women could significantly reduce their risk of falling by supplementing with vitamin D2.
The study involved 302 women aged 70 to 90 years. All the women had a previous history of falling. The researchers specifically selected women who had blood vitamin D levels below average for the area. The women were divided into two groups, with half receiving 1000 IUs of vitamin D2 daily, while the other half acted as a control group.
After 12 months, 53% of the women in the vitamin D2 group fell at least once, compared to 63% in the control group. Vitamin D supplementation lowered the risk of at least one fall by 19%. And the same amount of vitamin D plus calcium was associated with a 23% reduction of the risk of falling in winter or spring.
The researchers also added that, although vitamin D2 reduced the risk of experiencing one fall, it did not appear to have the same beneficial effect when it came to multiple falls. Lead researcher Dr. Richard L. Prince suggested that this may be because elderly people who fall frequently are likely to have more risk factors for falling, such as a disability or poor physical health.
The RDI for vitamin D for older adults is 600 IU.
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