HealthThe Times of IndiaTaking vitamin D and calcium every day? Doctors reveal why supplements may not protect bones the way many believe
For years, vitamin D and calcium tablets have enjoyed an almost magical reputation. A certain age arrives, knees begin to ache, or a health check-up mentions "weak bones," and the small white tablets often become part of the daily routine. Many people take them without a prescription, assuming they are an insurance policy against fractures and ageing bones.But one of the largest reviews on the subject is now challenging that belief.A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in The BMJ analysed 69 clinical trials involving more than 153,000 adults. The conclusion was surprising: vitamin D supplements, calcium supplements, or even taking both together offered little to no meaningful benefit in preventing fractures or falls in most adults.The findings do not suggest that these nutrients are unimportant. Instead, they reveal something more nuanced and perhaps more powerful: healthy bones cannot be built through pills alone.
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