Increasing data suggest that many or most adults in the United States and Europe 
would benefit from vitamin D supplements. This review summarizes the benefits of 
vitamin D with the strongest evidence today from randomized controlled trials 
for fall and fracture prevention. Beyond fall and fracture prevention, vitamin D 
may also reduce overall morbidity by multiple mechanisms. Prospective 
epidemiological studies supported by strong mechanistic evidence suggest a 
reduction of cardiovascular disease (incident hypertension and cardiovascular 
mortality) and colorectal cancer, extending to weaker evidence on 
immune-modulatory and anti-inflammatory benefits of vitamin D.