USPSTF Recommends Against Vitamin D and Calcium Supplements for Falls Prevention – Underscoring Importance of Exercise Interventions for Older Americans

In a draft statement published in December, the United State Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) determined that vitamin D and calcium supplements no longer have any benefit and/or that the harms outweigh the benefit for preventing falls in older adults.

Specifically, when it comes to minimizing falls and fall-related fractures, the new research from the USPSTF showed no difference among older adults who took supplements compared to those who did not. Moreover, there actually might be a harm in taking supplemental vitamin D and calcium, as they may increase the risk of developing kidney stones.

While supplements lack correlation with falls prevention outcomes, USPSTF published guidance in June 2024 that showed the benefit of exercise interventions for community-dwelling adults 65 years or older who are at increased risk for falls. It also said there may be some benefits of multifactorial interventions such as education and nutrition therapy to help certain individuals avoid falls and fall-related morbidity.

As clinicians work to help patients remain on their feet and avoid costly and debilitating injuries, physical therapy can play an important role. That’s because physical therapists provide fall risk assessments and tailored therapy to help older adults build strength and prevent falls-related injuries or health complications.

Interventions––including structured exercise programs and falls risks assessments that evaluate gait, walking, strength, and resistance––can help reduce the risks for falls among aging adults. This is critical, as falls are the leading cause of injury in adults aged 65 years and older, with more than 14 million older adults reported falling every year, according to the CDC.

With USPSTF underscoring the essential role of exercise in preventing falls, health experts are calling for improved access to effective exercise programs that include multifactorial assessments and interventions for fall prevention.

Congress can act by passing the Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly Act (SAFE), which would integrate physical therapist-provided falls risk assessments into Medicare’s annual wellness visits to help more patients avoid injury-causing and life-threatening falls.

To read the USPSTF draft guidance about vitamin D and calcium supplements, CLICK HERE.

To read the final recommendation by the USPSTF on exercise interventions to help older adults prevent falls, CLICK HERE.