OE Journal

ORIGINAL ANALYSIS

Vitamin D: Why is the ‘Sunshine Vitamin’ Getting So Much Shade?

Vitamin D is critical for calcium metabolism, immune regulation, and musculoskeletal health, yet clinical evidence supporting its broader use remains inconclusive. While observational studies link low vitamin D levels to various conditions, randomized trials often show little to no benefit—especially for musculoskeletal outcomes like pain, function, or fracture prevention. There remains a disconnect between correlation and causation, observed by highlighting ongoing orthopaedic trials and presenting meta-analytic findings showing no significant benefit of vitamin D in osteoarthritis patients. Though supplementation remains important to prevent deficiency, routine use for orthopaedic outcomes lacks strong support.