Vitamin
D and Preventing Hip Fractures
Article Summary:
A review of a study to further test previous findings on the relationships
between calcium, vitamin D, milk consumption, and hip fractures.
Past trials had shown that calcium supplementation could reduce
bone density loss over short periods; yet longer studies did not
show the same positive results. Vitamin D studies were also few
and inconclusive.
This study was designed to test 72,337 postmenopausal woman over
an 18 year period. Over this period 603 hip fractures were identified.
Results showed that women consuming greater than or equal to 12.5
micrograms of Vitamin D per day had a 37% lower risk of hip fracture
than women consuming less than this amount. Calcium and milk consumption
proved to have no bearing on preventing hip fractures in these women.
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Therefore,
the study shows that in postmenopausal women, there is a definite
advantage to Vitamin D consumption and supplementation on a daily
basis. It is known that these women commonly do not receive the
recommended amount of Vitamin D to promote healthy bone structure.
Thus, it is very important to supplement their daily diet or increase
their dark fish consumption in order to lower the risk of osteoporotic
hip fracture.
Authors:
Feskanich D, Willett WC, Colditz GA.
Institution:
Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's
Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Country of Publication:
United States
Source:
Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Feb;77(2):504-11. NIH.
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