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Among older people, falls are among the leading causes of severe injury and death. Official numbers tell us that back in 2014, falls had to do with about 33,000 deaths of older adults. So, if you are worried about falling in old age, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has released a list of recommendations which the journal JAMA recently published. So, for older people who may want to decrease the risk of falling, it seems that regular exercise might be the way.
In order to reach this conclusion and come up with these recommendations, the group analyzed evidence from 20 studies. They all included adults aged 65 or even older. Upon combining the data from all of these studies, the team found that regularly exercising might drastically reduce the risk of falling. The team also studied a wide range of exercise programs which seemed to be effective. They were mostly focused on resistance training and strength, as well as gait and balance.
Regular exercise might be the key to avoid falls in older age
According to the paper, when it came to the Vitamin D supplementations, it seems that they did not help at all against falls in older age. According to the team who wrote the editorial, it seems that there will most probably be more evidence regarding this issue in the near future. The Vitamin D issue is still undecided, as some studies showed that it might help against fractures and falls. However, other studies claim that it does not help with anything, in fact.
Currently, there are two clinical trials in both the United States and Europe that are testing the effects of 2,000 IU daily vitamin D versus a placebo. The conclusion of the editorial is that soon, these results will establish a clear situation. Until then, regular exercise is the key, especially in older age.
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