Health
leaders discuss importance of calcium and vitamin D
Newswise — The
Society for Women’s Health Research convened experts on Capitol Hill
yesterday to discuss recent results from a federal study to gauge
the ability of calcium and vitamin D supplements to help prevent
broken bones in women over 50. Initial news coverage said the study
found no clear benefits, contradicting long held beliefs and
confusing both patients and doctors. Health experts say the study
results show benefits for some groups and guidelines for the
nutrients remain unchanged.
“The Women’s Health Initiative’s
calcium and vitamin D supplemental trial showed that women over the
age of 60 had a 21 percent reduction in risk for hip fracture,” said
Phyllis Greenberger, president and CEO of the Society. “Women who
took a full dose of calcium, as directed by the study, had a 29
percent decrease in risk.”
Despite these findings, many
headlines about this federally-funded research trial were negative
and misleading.
“It is important to remember that
this was a tremendously complex research study,” Greenberger said.
“Unfortunately, science does not work in sound bites. Headlines that
grab attention rarely tell a story completely or accurately.”
The study’s conclusions suggested
no changes to the recommended daily intake of calcium and vitamin D,
which is 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 800 international units of
vitamin D. Connie M. Weaver, Ph.D., head of the Foods and Nutrition
Department at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., and one of
the briefing’s panelists, said the 2005 U.S. dietary guidelines
recommend three cups of milk products every day. Individuals who do
not get enough calcium and vitamin D through food should talk to
their doctors about taking supplements to address the deficit.
Citing data from the 1999-2000
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Weaver showed that
women on average consume less calcium than men in every age
category. That statistic should be alarming for women, who are at
increased risk for bone fractures especially after menopause. Women
comprise 80 percent of the population that suffers from
osteoporosis.
“There is a need for increased
public education on calcium and vitamin D as they relate to bone
health,” Greenberger said. “A survey the Society conducted last year
found that less than half of women over 50, the population most at
risk for bone disease, think vitamin D is important for maintaining
their bones. Americans seem to know about the value of calcium, but
they underestimate the importance of other nutrients for bone
health, such as vitamin D. Without vitamin D, calcium is not
absorbed by the bone.”
In addition to discussing the role
of calcium and vitamin D in bone health, the Society reminded
federal policy makers at the briefing of the importance of research.
“As policy makers,” Greenberger
told the audience, “it is important for you to understand that the
funding for this and other arms of the WHI was a wise investment. We
have gained a tremendous amount of information, much of which is
still being analyzed. We need to build upon the WHI with research
that further pinpoints the keys to preventing, diagnosing and
treating conditions such as heart disease, fractures, and breast and
colorectal cancer, which increase substantially in women as they
reach their menopausal and postmenopausal years.”
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