Vitamin D deficiency among children cannot be improved by supplements; Here’s why – Life News

Vitamin D has many benefits and it is extremely important for the bone health of the human body. It is important to highlight that childhood fractures are a major public health challenge globally.

According to experts, childhood fractures can potentially cause long-term disability or reduced quality of life. Although vitamin D is important for stronger bones, a new study has revealed that vitamin D supplements do not improve bone strength or prevent fractures in children with vitamin D deficiency.

The study conducted by the researchers of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Queen Mary University of London reveals that supplements may not be the solution to strengthen bones in children.

Interestingly, the study contradicts the common belief about vitamin D’s benefits for bone health.

To understand the benefits of vitamin D supplements and their role in reducing the risk of bone fractures or increasing bone strength in schoolchildren, the team of scientists collaborated with partners in Mongolia. The country has a high fracture burden and a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency.

“The absence of any effect of sustained, generous vitamin D supplementation on fracture risk or bone strength in vitamin D deficient children is striking. In adults, vitamin D supplementation works best for fracture prevention when calcium is given at the same time – so the fact that we did not offer calcium alongside vitamin D to trial participants may explain the null findings from this study,” Dr Ganmaa Davaasambuu, Associate Professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said, as quoted by ANI.

The researchers also revealed that children with rickets were excluded from the trial for ethical reasons.

“Thus, our findings only have relevance for children with low vitamin D status who have not developed bone complications. The importance of adequate vitamin D intake for prevention of rickets should not be ignored, and UK government guidance recommending a daily intake of 400 IU vitamin D remains important and should still be followed,” he added.

According to the researchers, over the course of three years, 8,851 schoolchildren aged 6-13 living in Mongolia received a weekly oral dose of vitamin D supplementation.

“95.5 per cent of participants had vitamin D deficiency at baseline, and study supplements were highly effective in boosting vitamin D levels into the normal range. However, they had no effect on fracture risk or bone strength, measured in a subset of 1,438 participants using quantitative ultrasound,” the study found.

The findings of the study were published in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal recently.