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Evidence-Based Supplement Research
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Vitamin D and Increased Total Hip Bone Mineral Density

Research synthesisLow evidenceMixed effect size3 studies · 2 beneficial · 1 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 3 studies, 2 reported beneficial effects of vitamin D supplementation on total hip bone mineral density, with effect sizes ranging from small to moderate. The evidence is mixed, with one well-designed RCT (evidence score 5) in a clinical population (individuals with chronic spinal cord injury) showing no significant effect, while two reviews/meta-analyses in postmenopausal women found beneficial small-to-moderate effects when vitamin D was combined with calcium and other interventions. Median study duration was 365 days among studies reporting duration.

  • Studied populations: postmenopausal women (with combined calcium/vitamin D supplementation and exercise)

Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. The only RCT (48 weeks, medium-to-high dose vitamin D) in a clinical population (spinal cord injury) found no effect, suggesting the benefit may be specific to populations or intervention combinations (e.g., with calcium and exercise). No form data were extracted from the studies.

Generated Jul 15, 2026
Doses used in studies
  • IU/week: 6,000–12,000 (median 9,000, IQR 6,000–12,000) — 1 study
Time to effect
Median: 12.2 months · IQR 12.2 months–12.2 months · Range 12.2 months–12.2 months — Reported in 1 of 3 studies
3 of 3 papers
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