Everstack Evidence

Vitamin D: what the largest trials found

Strong evidence from very large randomized trials, mostly showing no benefit for these outcomes in people who were not deficient.

Published 2026-10-15Sources checked 2026-10-153 sourcesEverstack research teamHow we work

Editorial section. Research summaries are not product claims and contain no product links or offers. A summary is never proof that any product works.

The question

In adults who are not deficient, does vitamin D supplementation reduce fractures, mortality or functional decline?

Study design

VITAL fracture analysis (25,871 US adults, 2,000 IU per day), D-Health (21,315 Australians, 60,000 IU monthly) and DO-HEALTH (2,157 Europeans 70 and older, 2,000 IU per day). ^[1][2][3]

What they found

Vitamin D did not lower fracture risk in VITAL, did not lower all-cause mortality in D-Health, and did not improve blood pressure, physical performance, fractures or infections in DO-HEALTH. ^[1][2][3]

Limitations

Most participants had adequate vitamin D levels. People with deficiency, little sun or certain conditions may respond differently.

What this does not mean

Vitamin D is still an essential nutrient. This is why we grade our own vitamin D claim modestly and suggest testing your level.

Sources

1. LeBoff MS et al. N Engl J Med. 2022;387:299-309. doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2202106
2. Neale RE et al. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2022;10(2):120-128. doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(21)00345-4
3. Bischoff-Ferrari HA et al. JAMA. 2020;324(18):1855-1868. doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.16909

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