Vitamin D supplementation in fractured patient: how, when and why.

Vitamin D, through its action on calcium metabolism, is essential for bone physiology. It's also required in a wide range of biological systems to act modulating the proliferation and inducing terminal differentiation of a variety of normal cells. Actually vitamin D deficiency can impact muscle function and increases fall risk in elderly, while severe vitamin D deficiency (< 30 nmol/L) is common in patients with fragility fractures. Vitamin D and calcium supplementation, in addition to antiosteoporosis treatment after surgery or conservative treatment, can ensure optimal recovery and survival, especially in hip fractured patients.