Vitamin D & Children’s Fractures: Study Findings
- A large-scale clinical trial has cast doubt on the effectiveness of vitamin D supplements for improving bone health in children.
- Researchers focused on Mongolia, where fracture rates are high and vitamin D deficiency is common.
- The findings, published in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, may prompt a reassessment of the role of vitamin D supplements in pediatric bone health.
Vitamin D supplements don’t guarantee stronger bones for kids. A groundbreaking study, published in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, reveals vitamin D deficiency supplements failed to boost bone strength or reduce fracture risk in children. Over 8,800 children in Mongolia participated in the three-year clinical trial. Despite the supplements raising vitamin D levels, no bone health improvements were observed. Researchers are now questioning the effectiveness of vitamin D in pediatric bone health. Dr. Ganmaa Davaasambuu suggests the absence of calcium could play a role. read on for a closer look at the study’s findings and implications. News Directory 3 keeps you informed. Discover what’s next in pediatric bone health research.
Vitamin D Supplements Fail to Improve Bone Health in Children
Updated June 24,2025
A large-scale clinical trial has cast doubt on the effectiveness of vitamin D supplements for improving bone health in children. The study, conducted by Queen Mary University of London and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, revealed that vitamin D deficiency supplements did not increase bone strength or reduce fracture risk in children lacking the vitamin.
Researchers focused on Mongolia, where fracture rates are high and vitamin D deficiency is common. For three years, more than 8,800 schoolchildren, ages 6 to 13, received weekly doses of vitamin D. While the supplements successfully raised vitamin D levels, thay did not improve bone strength, measured via ultrasound in a subset of participants, nor did they lower the incidence of fractures.
The findings, published in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, may prompt a reassessment of the role of vitamin D supplements in pediatric bone health.
Dr. Ganmaa Davaasambuu, an associate professor at Harvard, noted the surprising lack of effect. “The absence of any effect of sustained, generous vitamin D supplementation on fracture risk or bone strength in vitamin D deficient children is striking,” Davaasambuu said. She suggested that the lack of calcium supplementation alongside vitamin D might explain the results, as calcium is known to enhance vitamin D’s effectiveness in adults.
Professor Adrian Martineau of Queen Mary University of London emphasized that the study excluded children with rickets. “Thus,our findings only have relevance for children with low vitamin D status who have not developed bone complications,” Martineau said. He added that the UK government’s recommendation of 400 IU of vitamin D daily remains meaningful for preventing rickets.
What’s next
Further research is needed to determine the optimal strategies for promoting bone health in children, especially those with vitamin D deficiency. The role of calcium supplementation alongside vitamin D also warrants further examination.