For decades, calcium and vitamin D supplements have been among the most widely recommended interventions for bone health in older adults. The biggest systematic review of the evidence ever conducted says most people taking them are not getting meaningful protection from fractures or falls.
A meta-analysis published in The BMJ on June 15, 2026, examining 69 randomized controlled trials involving 153,902 adults, found that calcium alone, vitamin D alone, or both combined offered little to no clinically meaningful reduction in fracture risk or fall risk for most older adults living independently.
