Vitamin D blood level for reducing major medical risks in older adults identified, study suggests

Over about an 11-year follow-up, researchers looked at the association between each individual's Vitamin D test results and the time that a first defining medical event occurred. Among the participants, 1,018 had such an event. There were 137 hip fractures, 186 heart attacks (myocardial infarctions), 335 incidents of cancer, and 360 deaths. Through their statistical analysis, the researchers concluded that the risk of these disease events rose when the concentration of 25(OH)D fell below 20 ng/milliliter or 50 nmol/liter. "Our results," de Boer said, "lend support to the threshold level recently recommended by the Institute of Medicine, a national, independent government advisory group."He added, "This target level for adults is considerably lower than that set by other expert panels.'