Older adults who are not deficient in vitamin D may be able to walk better after hip fracture surgery, and supplementing with 800 IU of vitamin D daily may prevent deficiency. Hip fractures are one of the most serious injuries from falls and are difficult to recover from.
Vitamin D deficiency and malnutrition are common disorders in elderly patients.
Vitamin D is also essential for the proper absorption and use of calcium in the body. It promotes the absorption of calcium from the intestine into the blood. Without enough vitamin D, the body cannot effectively absorb calcium from the diet, resulting in a decrease in the amount of calcium available for bone mineralization.
Vitamin D also plays a role in regulating blood calcium levels, maintaining the balance between the amount of calcium stored in the bones and the amount of calcium circulating in the body.
Therefore, the elderly should supplement this vitamin through certain foods, exposure to sunlight and vitamin pills.
