Low Vitamin D Raises Women's Hip Fracture Risk

[Hemidakota]

Too many Americans aren't getting enough of the sun-sourced nutrient, researchers say

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay News) -- Low levels of vitamin D can boost older women's risk for hip fracture by more than 70 percent, University of Pittsburgh researchers report.

The finding adds weight to the recommendation that people maintain adequate intake of vitamin D, which is primarily made by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight.

The fracture-vitamin D link "has been observed for 15 years," noted Dr. Michael F. Holick, director of the Vitamin D Skin and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University. "The good news is it's consistent, the higher your vitamin D status, the lower the risk of your developing a hip fracture."

The new report appears in the Aug. 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Hip fractures can be devastating for older individuals. In fact, 50 percent of older people who suffer a hip fracture will end up in a nursing home and 20 percent will die within the first year due to complications such as a pulmonary embolism resulting from the fracture, Holick said.

For this study, a research team led by Jane A. Cauley from the University of Pittsburgh collected data on 800 women aged 50 to 79. Researchers followed the women for up to nine years to determine their risk for hip fractures.

They found that the risk of hip fracture rose 33 percent with every 25 nanomoles per liter drop in vitamin D levels. Women with the lowest levels of vitamin D had a 71 percent increase risk for hip fractures compared with women with the highest levels of vitamin D, the researchers report.

"We conclude that low serum vitamin D concentrations are associated with an increased risk for hip fracture in community-dwelling women. The mechanism of association is unclear," the authors wrote.

Holick notes that vitamin D is essential for the body's absorption of calcium, a key component of bone health. "If you don't have adequate vitamin D, you cannot efficiently absorb calcium," he said. "Vitamin D also helps maintain bone health by keeping bone cells active."

According to the U.S. Institute of Medicine, people should get between 200 and 400 international units of vitamin D a day. The best way to get vitamin D, naturally, is by being out in the sun.

As little as 10 to 15 minutes of sun a day can give you all a vitamin D you need. Vitamin D is also available in small quantities in foods such as fish and milk.

Preventing hip fracture is another good reason to keep your vitamin D levels up, Holick said. "To get vitamin D levels to where they need to be to reduce the risk of hip fracture, you need to be taking at least 1,000 international units of vitamin D a day from a supplement," he advised.

Dr. John Jacob Cannell, executive director of the nonprofit Vitamin D Council, agreed that most people are not getting enough of the nutrient.

"Women need to know their vitamin D status," Cannell said. "They need to ask their doctor for the right test," known as the 25 hydroxy D test. "Women should strive to keep your vitamin D levels above 125 nanomoles per liter, year round. To do that, they are going to require supplements."

Cannell recommends that before they get a blood test for vitamin D, women take 2,000 international units of vitamin D a day for three months.

More information

For more about vitamin D, visit the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

SOURCES: John Jacob Cannell, M.D., executive director, Vitamin D Council, Atascadero, Calif.; Michael F. Holick, M.D., Ph.D., director, Vitamin D Skin and Bone Research Laboratory, Boston University; Aug. 19, 2008, Annals of Internal Medicine

[Fiannan]

Sunlight (in moderation of course) aslo reduces risk of developing colon cancer, breast cancer and some of the more dangerous forms of skin cancer. As for hip fractures people need to exercise, eat diets high in calcium as well as put weight on the joints (stress on bones make them stronger and more dense -- you can dig up a man from several hundred years ago and identify if he was an archer or not by whether there are dense areas in parts of the arm where an archer placed stress on it). So really skinny people need to work on leg weights as well.

[havejoy]

Anyone know if bicycling is considered weight bearing exercise?

[WANDERER]

Some milk and dairy products are fortified with vitamin D (contain extra). Milk and egg yolk are good natural sources of vitamin D. A multivitamin may also assist if you are having problems.

Depending on your location you don't have to be in the sun all that long to get the benefits...vitamin D from sunlight needs direct sunlight...not through a window. It's absorbed through the skin...so wearing long sleeves and long pants is kind of counter productive...I know we've been told to cover up and wear hats and sunscreens and that we do it automatically so I thought I would point out that this is one of the problems. I'm not saying don't be sunsmart but to consider limited exposure when getting your daily dose of vitamin D. Yep, weight bearing exercise also helps with calcium absorption.

Here, 10 minutes in morning or afternoon sunlight is enough...but this would change in colder places. Winter sunlight isn't that effective. Not sure...in some places half an hour is recommended...in others longer.

Also be aware that you need to increase calcium intake as you get older. But that this without sunlight and exercise is not enough. Caffeine, high protein and vitamin A (not beta caretine) can decrease calcium uptake.

[funkymonkey]

Vitamin D is very important to consume in moderation...

My doctor put me on a vitamin D supplement and I got really bad heart palpitations. Apparently if you have too much vitamin D, it will cause hyper-calcemia (too much calcium in your blood) and can do some really scary things to your heart.

Just a heads up. :)

Also, in order to absorb calcium correctly, your body also needs the other necessary electrolytes (potassium, magnesium). People often forget about these two elements that are essential for calcium absorption.

[RobertP]

Just out of curiosity, what form of vitamin D caused those problems? Cholecalciferol is the one I pay attention to for now, but you could change that. I was taught it could be toxic, but that seemed to be more in theory to me before that post. What dose were you taking? How often? I have heard up to 1000 IU is good from sources I have come to trust. I am wondering if you are in that range or even higher than that?

[funkymonkey]

I was put on cholecalciferol for a low D-3 level. I was originally taking 2,000 IU and then tried 1,000 IU and still ended up with the same issue.

I later found out that to truly find a vitamin D deficiency...all of the vitamin D levels needed to be added together, instead of individually calculated and treated.

[lillywilliam]

I never mind about the diet what i have to eat or not what the doctor says i ll follow them ,,,, its very necessary for women,,,,,