Low-dose vitamin D may not prevent fractures in healthy women

Source：University of California, San Fr Release Date：2012-06-20 351

Food & Beverage

Postmenopausal women in good heath don’t need low-dose Vitamin D and calcium, study says

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Vitamin D and calcium are dietary requirements, but it’s unclear how much is best for us. New draft findings by the United States Preventive Services Task Force conclude that for healthy, postmenopausal women, daily supplementation with low levels of vitamin D — up to 400 international units — combined with 1,000 milligrams of calcium, does not reduce fracture risk.

However, this amount of supplementation is associated with a small but significantly increased likelihood of developing painful kidney stones, according to the task force.

Because relatively few, high quality studies have been done, the task force was unable to draw conclusions about the fracture-preventing merits of supplementation in healthy men and in premenopausal women.

Nor did studies offer conclusive evidence regarding vitamin D and cancer prevention, according to the task force. Evidence also was inadequate to draw conclusions about supplementation with higher doses.

The task force did not review studies on supplementation that were focused on individuals who already had osteoporosis or vitamin D deficiencies. Nor did the task force investigate other putative benefits of vitamin D.

However the task force did previously recommend vitamin D supplementation to prevent falls among men and women age 65 and older. Falls are a major cause of hip fracture and early death among the elderly, especially among those with osteoporosis.

Vitamin D benefits, risks, not adequately studied
“We know that vitamin D and calcium are essential for a healthy diet,” said task force member Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, MD, PhD, an epidemiologist and internist at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

. “We’re not making recommendations about the treatment of osteoporosis or of vitamin deficiency. We’re making recommendations that apply to generally healthy women who are seeking to supplement their diets to prevent fractures.”

The task force reviewed already-published studies to draw conclusions. The public comment period for the new draft recommendations runs thSaldos - Entrega gratuita