Vitamin D supplementation does not improve muscle health, study suggests

Denmark: A recent study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research has reported that there is no beneficial effect of vitamin D supplementation on muscle health. In fact, in some cases, vitamin D was shown to have adverse effects on muscle health that needs to be considered while recommending vitamin D supplementation.

The objective of the study by Lise Sofie Bislev, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark, and colleagues was to investigate the effects of vitamin D supplementation versus placebo on muscle health in a systematic review and trial-level meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials. 

For this purpose, the researchers conducted a systematic search of randomized controlled trials published until October 2020. The studies in humans on supplementation with vitamin D2 or D3 versus placebo regardless of administration form (daily, bolus, and duration) with or without calcium co-supplementation were considered for inclusion. 

The predefined endpoints were physical performance reported as timed up and go test (TUG; seconds), chair rising test (seconds), 6-minute walking distance (m), and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB; points).  Furthermore, endpoints were maximum muscle strength (Newton) measured at handgrip, elbow flexion, elbow extension, knee flexion, and knee extension, as well as muscle (lean tissue) mass (kg). Falls were not included in the analysis. In total, 54 randomized controlled trials involving 8747 individuals were included.