Vitamin D and calcium may extend life, study says

Vitamin D with calcium has been found to extend the life of elderly people, says a new study.

Researchers at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark found that elderly people who received vitamin D with calcium supplements were nearly 10 percent less likely to die within three years than those who were given placebo pills.

The findings were based on data taken from eight clinical trials, reported BioScholar.

Each study had about 1000 participants, 90 percent of whom were women.

"In my view, a nine percent reduced mortality in the general population of elderly is of major importance," study author Lars Rejnmark told Reuters.

"Except for stopping smoking there are not many other known interventions that are capable (of) such a reduction in the risk of death."

This was the largest study ever done on vitamin D and mortality.

Researchers addressed previous studies that calcium may have negative effects on cardiovascular health.

“Some studies have suggested calcium (with or without vitamin D) supplements can have adverse effects on cardiovascular health,” Rejnmark said, reported Senior Journal.

“Although our study does not rule out such effects, we found that calcium with vitamin D supplementation to elderly participants is overall not harmful to survival, and may have beneficial effects on general health."

Overuse of vitamin D can create toxicity after several months possibly leading to nausea, vomiting and anorexia.