Vitamin D Plus Calcium May Help Prevent Fractures

But they work in combination with other factors.

A new study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) demonstrated that daily supplementation with calcium and vitamin D helped to reduce the risk of fractures in both men and women of various ages, even in those who've had previous fractures.

However, the authors conclude that the vitamin D alone fails to provide substantial guard in and of itself.

An analysis of seven studies with over 68,000 people of average age 70, was performed by researchers looking at the effect vitamin D or vitamin D plus calcium had on reducing fractures.

Their conclusion indicates that vitamin D given alone in doses of 10 micrograms to 20 micrograms per day does not prevent fractures. However, calcium and vitamin D taken together appeared to reduce the risk of hip fractures, total fractures and potentially spinal fractures.

Their conclusion corroborates contemporary that a combination of calcium and vitamin D is more effective than vitamin D alone in preventing nonvertebral fractures, according to an opinion leader in the scientific community.

However, as we've seen in other reports we give you, the researchers state that "further research is needed".   More specifically, doctors would like to know how to determine the most effective dose, treatment duration and method of taking the calcium/vitamin D combination in order to make useful clinical judgments.

Of note, this is yet another study touting the benefits of vitamin D.  See our other articles on the topic here, and here (breast cancer).