Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Vitamin D and Bone Health

Will taking high doses of vitamin D help maintain bone health?

More than 200 post-menopausal women took part in a new study that looked at the benefits of high-dose vitamin D supplementation. At the start, none had osteoporosis, but all had vitamin D blood serum levels considered insufficient by some experts. The researchers divided participants into three groups. One group received placebo pills, another low-dose supplementation and the third, high-dose supplementation. Calcium absorption decreased in women taking placebo and low-dose vitamin D. And while it increased 1 percent in the high-dose group, that small change was not associated with any beneficial effects. The authors found no difference between the three groups when it came to bone mineral density, muscle function, muscle mass or falls. According to the study authors these results do not justify the practice of administering high-dose vitamin D to older adults to maintain high blood levels. I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV your source for ideas to protect your health.

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