[PHNUTR-L] Vitamin D supplementation and total mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

[Kathrynne Holden]

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	Vitamin D Intake May Reduce the Rate of Mortality
http://www.vitasearch.com/CP/weeklyupdates/

Reference: 	"Vitamin D supplementation and total mortality: a 
meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials" Autier P, Gandini S, 
Archives of Internal Medicine, 2007; 167(16): 1730-7. (Address: 
International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150 cours Albert Thomas, 
F-69372 Lyon, France. E-mail: Philippe Autier, MD, autierp at iacr.fr ).

Summary: 	In a review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials 
examining the impact of vitamin D supplementation on risk of dying from 
any health condition, supplementation with ordinary doses of vitamin D 
was found to be associated with reduced rates of total mortality. 
Eighteen independent, randomized, controlled trials involving a total of 
57,311 subjects were identified through searches of PubMed, ISI Web of 
Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for studies in any language. 
Supplementation with vitamin D (either vitamin D2 or D3) ranged in 
dosage from 300 to 2000 IU/day, depending on the study. The trial 
size-adjusted mean daily dose was 528 IU/d. A total of 4,777 deaths from 
any cause were found during a trial size-adjusted mean duration of 5.7 
years. Significant differences in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D were found 
between the control and intervention groups in 9 of the studies (ranging 
from a 1.4- to a 5.2-fold difference). The summary relative risk for 
mortalit y from any cause was found to be 0.93. This risk did not change 
regardless of whether calcium supplements were taken or not. These 
results suggest that vitamin D supplementation in even ordinary doses 
may help to reduce the risk of mortality. The authors conclude, 
"Population-based, placebo-controlled randomized trials with total 
mortality as the main end point should be organized for confirming these 
findings."
-- 
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD < fivestar at nutritionucanlivewith.com >
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