Basic treatment

Basic treatment means supplementation with 500 mg calcium and 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day.

The first choice is a calcium rich diet. There is evidence from some trials that oral intake of calcium by nutrition is not sufficient, particularly in older adults. Therefore, calcium supplementation should be recommended. However, a very high calcium supplementation (more than 1000 mg) might lead to a higher risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. Evidence that calcium supplements prevent fractures is weak and inconsistent. General recommendation of vitamin D is 800 to 1,000 IU per day. Because of the fact that the main proportion of older adults shows a vitamin D deficiency, we recommend a higher supplementation up to 2,000 IU per day. There is also some evidence in the literature, that high single dose of vitamin D increases the risk of falls. The reason for this observation is still unclear and needs further investigation.

Literature