A large study released last week might have you thinking you don’t need to take vitamin D to support bone health. Researchers from the University of Auckland analyzed 23 studies involving just 4000 adults and reported that vitamin D supplements do not improve bone mineral density in healthy adults. However, if you are a post-menopausal woman, especially one on hormone replacement therapy, there is a large body of evidence supporting the role of vitamin D in healthy bones.
In a study released in June of 2013 and published in the journal, Menopause, women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) who also took daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D saw a more than 50 percent reduction in their rate of hip fractures compared to women who took placebo supplements.
“We found that women who were on hormones had less hip fractures, and women who were on hormones and calcium and vitamin D supplements had even fewer hip fractures,” said study author Dr. John Robbins, a professor of medicine at the University of California at Davis.
According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), as many as half of all women over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Osteoporosis is a condition caused by a loss of bone mass and density, which leaves bones fragile and more susceptible to fractures. Calcium is an important component in bone growth, and vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium.
The study included data from the Women’s Health Study on roughly 30,000 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79. Many of the women were taking hormone replacement therapy — either estrogen alone or a combination of estrogen and progesterone.
Just over 16,000 women participated in the calcium and vitamin D portion of the study. They were randomly selected to receive either a placebo or 1,000 milligrams of calcium and 400 international units of vitamin D each day. The average follow-up time was about seven years.
The hormone therapy and the supplements together were the most effective treatment for reducing hip fracture risk. Researchers found that the combination reduced the risk of hip fracture by 57 percent.
CalMax Plus from Dr. Newton’s Naturals is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D. With the same doctor recommended ratio of calcium to magnesium and vitamin C for a healthy immune system, CalMax Plus now comes with 2000 IUs of vitamin D! Reduce your risk of hip fractures and support your bone health with CalMax Plus.