Benefits of Vit-D supplements challenged after a clinical trial found that this is not true

A prevailing notion that Vitamin D supplements play a crucial role in averting bone fractures in children has been contested following a clinical trial that debunked this belief. As disclosed in a study published in Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, the research indicates that even in the presence of Vitamin D deficiency in children, the administration of supplements does not augment bone strength nor act as a deterrent against fractures.

The research, conducted in Mongolia, engaged 8,851 schoolchildren aged 6 to 13, with an overwhelming 95.5% displaying a deficiency in Vitamin D. Over a span of three years, the children were subjected to weekly doses of Vitamin D, successfully normalizing their vitamin levels. Despite this intervention, there was no observable alteration in fracture risk or enhancement in bone strength.

Ganmaa Davaasambuu, an associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, expressed astonishment at the absence of any discernible impact from sustained, generous Vitamin D supplementation on fracture risk or bone strength in vitamin D-deficient children.

It is noteworthy that the research deliberately excluded children afflicted with rickets, a condition arising from severe and prolonged Vitamin D deficiency, making the findings exclusively pertinent to those without rickets.

The implications of this study emphasize the imperative for continuous research and nuanced strategies in addressing Vitamin D deficiency and its ramifications on the skeletal health of children. Given that these findings emanated from a randomized clinical trial, they hold substantial clinical significance.

However, skepticism exists, with experts like Nick Bishop from the University of Sheffield questioning the methodology’s reliance on ultrasound for evaluating bone strength. Bishop contends that while the study’s design and execution are comprehensive, the use of ultrasound for assessing ‘bone strength’ might not be widely accepted, as the speed of sound is influenced by bone size and varies progressively with age.