Too Much Vitamin A Boosts Risk of Broken Bones

[Guest guest]

> Too Much Vitamin A Boosts Risk of Broken Bones

> Wed January 22, 2003 06:04 PM ET

>

> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Men in their 40s and 50s

> who have the highest

> blood levels of vitamin A are more likely to break a

> bone in their old age

> than their peers with lower levels, according to a

> Swedish study released

> Wednesday.

> The results--which confirm two other studies in

> women--suggest that some

> people may be getting too much of a good thing via

> supplements and fortified

> food, the study's authors say.

>

> They believe that " current levels of vitamin A

> supplementation and food

> fortification in many Western countries may need to

> be reassessed, "

> according to the report.

>

> Dr. Karl Michaelsson of University Hospital in

> Uppsala, Sweden and

> colleagues looked at 2,322 men aged 49 to 51 and

> followed them for 30 years.

> Men with the highest blood levels of vitamin A at

> the beginning of the study

> were 1.6 times as likely to break a bone as men with

> an average amount of

> vitamin A in their blood. When it came to breaking a

> hip, those with

> elevated vitamin A had a 2.5-fold greater risk than

> men with lower levels of

> vitamin A. Overall, 266 men broke a bone during the

> study.

>

> There was no link between blood levels of

> beta-carotene, a compound that is

> converted to vitamin A in the body, and fracture

> risk, according to the

> report in the January 23rd issue of the New England

> Journal of Medicine.

>

> Vitamin A is found in fish liver oils, liver, kidney

> and milk. It is

> sometimes added to dairy products, which in Sweden

> includes margarine and

> low-fat dairy products.

>

> While vitamin A is necessary for growth, vision,

> reproduction and a healthy

> immune system, too much vitamin A has long been

> known to be dangerous.

> Taking too much vitamin A (25,000 IU to 50,000 IU

> per day or more) over long

> periods can cause bone and joint pain, loss of

> appetite, nausea, vomiting

> and weight loss.

>

> And a single extremely high dose can cause

> drowsiness, irritability,

> headache, vomiting and widespread peeling off of the

> skin.

>

> In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Paul Lips of Vrije

> Universiteit Medical

> Center in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, notes that

> blood levels of vitamin A

> tend to increase with age, probably because it takes

> longer to clear from

> the body.

>

> The risk of too little vitamin A is greatest in

> malnourished children and

> the risk of too much is greatest for

> adults--especially older people, Lips

> notes.

>

> The current study " suggests that vitamin A

> supplementation and fortification

> of food with vitamin A may be harmful in Western

> countries, where the life

> expectancy is high and the prevalence for

> osteoporosis is increasing. "

>

> SOURCE: The New England Journal of Medicine

> 2003;348:287-294,347-349.

>

>

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

*****Allison posted.....

> Too Much Vitamin A Boosts Risk of Broken Bones

> Wed January 22, 2003 06:04 PM ET

>

> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Men in their 40s and 50s

> who have the highest blood levels of vitamin A are

> more likely to break a bone in their old age

> than their peers with lower levels, according to a

> Swedish study released Wednesday.

 

In reviewing this study, I find several areas to offer comment. While I

have no direct info to question any of these findings, it looks to me like

the issue is a bit larger than what's expressed as defined by this study.

 

To monitor this number of men for 30 yrs, I'd expect that more common

characteristics might have been identified, and they might have provided

further insights into the conclusions that have been made.

 

 

> ...had a 2.5-fold greater risk

> than men with lower levels of

> vitamin A. Overall, 266 men

> broke a bone during the study.

 

This is a " worthless statement " because a lot of other contributory factors

here are not explained. The statistics of risk are poorly understood by the

layperson and the proper perspective for thinking about it is not usually

available.

 

On the other hand, much useful info can be conveyed using statistics

properly, along with some of the biggest " lies " ever told.

 

Dave

[Guest guest]

This is great! I'm so happy there is someone on this

list to dissect these studies. I will continue to

post them as I receive them in hopes that you will

continue to comment. I love it:)

Warmly,

Allison

Whose last two posts used the words love and hate.

Gosh...I must be emotional today.

 

--- daveo <daveo wrote:

> *****Allison posted.....

> > Too Much Vitamin A Boosts Risk of Broken Bones

> > Wed January 22, 2003 06:04 PM ET

> >

> > NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Men in their 40s and

> 50s

> > who have the highest blood levels of vitamin A are

>

> > more likely to break a bone in their old age

> > than their peers with lower levels, according to a

> > Swedish study released Wednesday.

>

> In reviewing this study, I find several areas to

> offer comment. While I

> have no direct info to question any of these

> findings, it looks to me like

> the issue is a bit larger than what's expressed as

> defined by this study.

>

> To monitor this number of men for 30 yrs, I'd expect

> that more common

> characteristics might have been identified, and they

> might have provided

> further insights into the conclusions that have been

> made.

>

>

> > ...had a 2.5-fold greater risk

> > than men with lower levels of

> > vitamin A. Overall, 266 men

> > broke a bone during the study.

>

> This is a " worthless statement " because a lot of

> other contributory factors

> here are not explained. The statistics of risk are

> poorly understood by the

> layperson and the proper perspective for thinking

> about it is not usually

> available.

>

> On the other hand, much useful info can be conveyed

> using statistics

> properly, along with some of the biggest " lies " ever

> told.

>

> Dave

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

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