FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Taking activated vitamin D may cut the risk of death for people with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease by about one quarter, a new study suggests.
During a two-year study of more than 1,400 patients, those being treated with calcitriol, an oral form of activated vitamin D, had their overall risk of death lowered by 26 percent when compared with those not on the drug. Those taking calcitriol were also less likely to develop end-stage renal disease, which requires dialysis to replace lost kidney function.