For over 30 years, the medical community has prescribed vitamin D to patients with kidney disease in order to help maintain strong bones. But a new meta-analysis of many different studies concludes that this practice doesn't really help in achieving the goal it's supposed to.

The whole reason why this is prescribed was because diseased kidneys can't remove excess phosphorous from the body. Blood calcium drops due to the fact that phosphorous keeps building up. As a result, calcium is removed from the bones, hence the reason they become so weakened. This is how vitamin D became so prevalent, but the fact of the matter is that they really don't know if it helps their condition at all.

Risk of death, bone problems and other issues did not consistently change over time, even when they took the supplement compounds. In an editorial with the analysis, one associate professor of medicine out of Canada states this is evidence enough to challenge "many of our common practices." He continues by conceding that more research still needs to be done. Even so, the researchers say patients should continue following prescriptions, and more importantly pay attention to preventive measures.