Vitamin D supplement intake in elderly fallers.

To the Editor: Approximately 30% of ambulatory older adults fall yearly; 5% to 10% are seriously injured. Vitamin D deficiency increases body sway and decreases muscle mass and strength, increasing falls risk. Vitamin D supplementation reduces falls by 11% to 22%. To our knowledge, no studies have been conducted that report characteristics of ambulatory fallers associated with meeting the recommended adequate intake (RAI) of vitamin D. Patient characteristics associated with vitamin D intake in a falls study are reported.