Vitamin D and calcium to prevent fractures

[Guest guest]

Calcium and vitamin D linked to cutting fractures

 

By Alex McNally

 

24/08/2007 - A new meta-analysis on calcium and vitamin D

supplementation in cutting osteoporotic fractures in people aged over

50 could quell concerns over conflicting outcomes of previous studies.

 

Researchers writing in this week's The Lancet identified 29 randomised

trials featuring 63, 897 people over the age of 50, and found that

where people were sticking to a prescribed dose of the two, fraction

risk was reduced.

 

The combination of vitamin D and calcium has long been recommended to

reduce the risk of bone fracture for older people, and this study adds

to that ever increasing body of evidence, particularly those at risk

of or suffering from osteoporosis, which is estimated to affect about

75m people in Europe, USA and Japan.......

 

.......The teams' meta-analysis found that treatment effect in

individuals was better with calcium doses of 1200 mg or more, than

with doses less than 1200 mg, and with vitamin D doses of 800 IU or

more, than with doses less than 800 IU.

 

Lead author Dr Benjamin Tang, from the University of Sydney in

Australia, said: " Evidence supports the use of calcium, or calcium in

combination with vitamin D supplementation, in the preventive

treatment of osteoporosis in people aged 50 years or older. For best

therapeutic effect, we recommend minimum doses of 1200 mg of calcium,

and 800 IU of vitamin D (for combined calcium plus vitamin D

supplementation . "

 

The researchers found that supplementation is effective in the

preventive treatment of osteoporotic fractures by up to 24 per cent.

They added that over an average treatment duration of three to five

years, the risk of fracture was reduced and was accompanied by a

reduction of bone loss at the hip and spine. ........

 

.......The researchers also pointed out that on the basis of their

recommended minimum dose of 1200 mg of calcium or 800 IU of vitamin D,

many

formulations of calcium or combined calcium with vitamin D tablets

that are available contain insufficient quantities of the active

ingredients .....

 

http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=79234-the-lancet-

osteoporosis-vitamin-d-calcium

 

 

Source: The Lancet

Vol 370 August 25, 2007

Use of calcium or calcium in combination with vitamin D

supplementation to prevent fractures and bone loss in

people aged 50 years and older: a meta-analysis

Authors: Benjamin Tang, Guy Eslick, Caryl Nowson, Caroline Smith, Alan

Bensoussan

 

Thanks Vince