Prevention: Older Bones See Benefit of Calcium and Vitamin D

A review of 29 randomized trials including more than 63,000 men and women older than 50 found that the risk for fracture could be reduced 12 percent with calcium and vitamin D supplements. The rate of bone loss was reduced by about 0.5 of 1 percent at the hip and 1.9 percent at the spine. Fracture risk was reduced by nearly one-quarter in studies in which people took their supplements conscientiously.
The review, published in the Aug. 25 issue of The Lancet, found that the effect was best with doses of 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 800 international units of vitamin D. The recommended dietary allowance for calcium in people over 50 is 1,200 milligrams, but the recommendation for vitamin D is 400 international units for people 50 to 70 and 600 for those 71 and older.
Adding vitamin D to calcium did not appear to offer increased protection. But the studies lacked enough figures on high doses of the vitamin. Still, the authors recommend that if vitamin D is to be used as an adjunct, it should be in doses that exceed 800 international units.
“For anyone over 50, especially postmenopausal women, you should see your family doctor and address with him the issue of taking calcium supplementation,” said Dr. Benjamin M. P. Tang, the lead author and a researcher at the University of Western Sydney in Australia. “It’s always better to have overall health assessed before undertaking supplements.”