Vitamin D Might Aid Seniors' Recovery From Hip Fracture: Study

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found seniors who have enough vitamin D have better odds of recovering from hip fractures, according to U.S. News & World Report . About 300 patients undergoing hip fracture surgery were post-surgically evaluated in terms of mobility and vitamin D levels, and those with higher vitamin D levels had higher rates of walking 30 days after the operation. Although poorer nutritional status was linked to less mobility, there was no association between vitamin D levels and mortality rates. Rutgers University Professor Sue Shapses advised that older adults take 800 international units of vitamin D per day to prevent deficiency. "An important next step is learning how vitamin D affects mobility," she added. "For example, it is not clear if severe vitamin D deficiency is associated with direct effects on muscle, cognition, and/or other organ systems."