Don't start pushing calcium and vitamin D pills on your older family members for bone strength just yet—at least not if you're trying to prevent falls and fractures. That's because an independent panel of health experts on Tuesday said there's not enough evidence that such supplements are effective for those purposes, and that taking them could even lead to other issues, including kidney stones, reports the Washington Post. "The cream of the crop of research studies were done and examined in this review, and essentially no difference was found between those who took the supplements versus those who didn't," John Ruiz, a task force member, tells the paper of the group's draft recommendation.
The draft recommendation against older adults taking calcium and vitamin D from the US Preventive Services Task Force applies to individuals living at home, including men over 60 and women who've been through menopause. Exempt from the task force's suggestion are people who are taking calcium or vitamin D for other medical issues, as well as those residing in assisted living or at a nursing home, as they may have health problems that make them more prone to falling in the first place. The task force's "D" recommendation against these supplements is due to "moderate or high certainty that they provide no net benefit or that the harms outweigh the benefits," per the Post.
The good news? "There are evidence-based ways for older adults to maintain good bone health," task force member Goutham Rao says in the group's release. "[O]ther effective preventive services related to falls and fractures [include] screening for osteoporosis in women and structured exercise programs to prevent falls in older adults who are at increased risk of falling." Verywell Health notes that the task force's new guidelines can be found on its website, and that public comments on the recommendation are open until Jan. 21. (More discoveries stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
