Here's some important news on promoting healthy bones.
When it comes to fractures, supplements of calcium and vitamin D cut the risk in both men and women of all ages - even if they've had a fracture before according to a massive new study published online in BMJ on January 12, 2009.
Vitamin D alone just doesn't offer the same protection.
This finding comes from an analysis of data from 68,517 subjects, average age 70, who were part of seven major randomized trials investigating vitamin D and vitamin D plus calcium and fracture risk.
Fractures are a major cause of trouble for older people, leading to disability, loss of independence and sometimes death.
The fractures are often the result of osteoporosis (porous bones) which usually brings low bone mass and fragile bones.
The latest numbers from the National Osteoporosis Foundation have 10 million Americans (80% of them women) dealing with this condition. Some estimates suggest that if nothing is done to prevent them, the number of hip fractures worldwide could rise to about 2.6 million by 2025, 4.5 million by 2050.
"What is important about this very large study is that goes a long way toward resolving conflicting evidence about the role of vitamin D, either alone or in combination with calcium, in reducing fractures," explains study co-author John Robbins, a professor of internal medicine at the University of California, Davis who took part in the work led by researchers at Copenhagen University in Denmark.
Vitamin D alone in doses of 10 to 20 micrograms a day was found to have no preventative effect on fractures. When calcium was added to the mix (along with the 10 micrograms of vitamin D), the risk of hip fractures, total fractures and vertebral factures was reduced, even after factoring out things like age, sex or earlier fractures.
There does seem to be a growing consensus among experts that the combination of vitamin D and calcium is more effective than the vitamin alone.
Calcium supports bone formation and repair, and is essential when it comes to healthy bones.
National surveys on nutrition show that most of us aren't getting the calcium we need to grow or maintain strong bones. Many studies have found that a low calcium intake all through life is associated with lower bone mass and a high fracture rate.
If you have trouble getting enough calcium in your diet through natural food sources, there are supplements that you can take, but these are best absorbed when taken in small (500mg or less) doses, and for many people, taking them with food works best.
Vitamin D + Calcium Reduce Fractures Continued...
As to vitamin D, we need this nutrient to absorb calcium, and without enough in our bodies, we aren't able to absorb the calcium that comes from the foods we're eating. You can get vitamin D naturally in one of three ways...
- From the sun: 15 minutes in the sun a few times each week, without sunscreen which blocks the natural absorption of vitamin D, will give your body all it needs.
- From your food: 400-600 IU of vitamin D each day from foods like egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver and fortified milk is a good start. Per the Institute of Medicine, the upper limit for vitamin D intake is 2000 IU per day, and more is NOT better.
- From supplements: Shop carefully and check labels for the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) standards. Talk with your doctor before beginning your program, and be sure to take only the recommended amount, no more.
The study authors called for more research of vitamin D given at higher doses but without calcium.
More work will help find out the most effective dose, the duration of treatment and the best ways to take the calcium/vitamin D combination.
This article is courtesy of:
Kirsten Whittaker
Daily Health Bulletin Editor
