Vitamin D Levels And Bone Fractures

More and more every day I have been reading about clinical trials have questioned the benefits of vitamin D in helping to prevent fractures. Other studies tell us to use it. Most recently a statistical review study sought to clarify this dichotomy.

The researchers carefully sorted the data according to the vitamin D dosages used in these trials. The new study found that the success of fracture prevention with vitamin D supplements depends on how much vitamin D is used.

Oral supplements of more than 400 international units (IU) per day reduce the risk of nonvertebral bone fractures in older adults. ( Nonvertebral fractures are broken bones in places other than the spine.)

Taken as a whole the clinical trials concerning vitamin D and fracture prevention represent a great amount of effort in the public health arena. In medical research rankings, the “randomized controlled clinical trial” is at the top. It gives us the best and most reliable data in humans as compared to other types of studies. A randomized controlled clinical trial goes beyond the limits of lesser studies. It tries to find what causes something. These trials can be enormous projects, with thousands of participants involved for several years or longer.

Through a systematic review of the medical literature and an analysis of high quality, randomized controlled clinical trials, the new study assessed the efficiency of oral vitamin D supplementation in persons 65 years or older to prevent fractures. Twelve previously reported randomized controlled clinical studies, including eight studies specifically for hip fractures, were included.

When the fracture data was pooled, no fracture reduction was observed for people who received dose of 400 IU per day or less. However, a higher dose of 482 to 770 IU per day of supplemental vitamin D did reduce nonvertebral fractures by 20% and hip fractures by 18%.

The researchers concluded from the combined clinical trials that nonvertebral fracture prevention with vitamin D is dose dependent. An appropriate dose should reduce nonvertebral fractures by at least 20% for individuals aged 65 years or older.

Survey Sez Supplements Help Diabetes Sugar Control

Every time we read about a new study for diabetes the same supplements seem to be beneficial for helping with blood sugars. Natural ways to help blood sugar health and diabetes include fiber, vitamin B-1, CoQ10, chamomile tea, exercise, addressing depression and L-Carnitine. Now a new study re enforces previous findings that calcium and vitamin D help with blood sugar health.

Since diabetes affects over 24 million Americans it is an important condition to get under control. As we already know this disease can lead to permanent disability, and numerous health complications like heart disease, stroke, blindness, chronic kidney disease, and amputations.

In the latest study, researchers analyzed calcium intake and vitamin D levels of 888 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and 1385 healthy women from the Nurses' Health Study who ranged in age from 40 to 75. They also looked at levels of a protein called C-peptide, since it is believed to be associated with insulin resistance, diabetes, and other chronic diseases that are in part related to diabetes and insulin resistance, including colon adenoma and pancreatic cancer.

In women, the researchers found that those with a total calcium intake greater than 800 mg per day had C-peptide levels that were 11% lower than those with a total calcium intake less than 500 mg per day. No associations between calcium and C-peptide were seen in men. But men had 20% lower C-peptide levels with vitamin D levels of 88 millimoles per liter compared to 38 millimoles per liter. No significant associations were seen between vitamin D levels and C-peptide in women.

But when both calcium and vitamin D intake were looked at together, they found that men with the highest intakes had 35% lower C-peptide levels than those with the lowest calcium/vitamin D intakes. Women with the highest intakes had 12% lower C-peptide levels than those with the lowest intakes.

When looking at how calcium and vitamin D affect insulin function, they cite research showing insulin secretion to be dependent on calcium and that calcium is essential for insulin function in that it affects the sensitivity of muscle and fat cells to insulin. For vitamin D, the researchers suggest it may improve insulin sensitivity by controlling calcium levels both in and out of cells, thereby influencing insulin levels.

For the researchers, "The results suggest that calcium intake or vitamin D [blood levels], after adjustment for intake of dairy products, is associated with decreased insulin secretion."

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Eat More Fruits and Veggies For Stronger Bones

Here is a bit of trivia I ran across this morning. If you eat a lot of protein and cereal grains it causes excess acid production in the body, which could increase calcium excretion and result in weakened bones, and may also lead to osteoporosis.

When we think of taking care of our bones as we age calcium and vitamin D have been stressed, but maybe the acid/base balance of the diet is also important. That is what a new study uncovered. By increasing your alkali levels with a pill or by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables we can strengthen bones.

The study included men and women aged 50 and older who took either a placebo or doses of either potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or potassium chloride for three months. The people who took bicarbonate showed significant reductions in calcium and reduced bone mass.

As we age the diet of many older adults contains more acids but they are less able to excrete the acid. But if we eat more fruits and veggies they add bicarbonate in our system, which is an alkaline compound.

Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes, of Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, noted in Endocrine Society news that "In this study, we demonstrated that adding alkali in pill form reduced bone resorption and reduced the losses of calcium in the urine over a three month period. This intervention warrants further investigation as a safe and well tolerated supplement to reduce bone loss and fracture risk in older men and women."

Keep Your Healthy Habits for the New Year

These days our economy is forcing us to be more frugal than in the past years. With costs like health care and prescriptions rising, along with everything else, it’s good to know that you can still supplement your health without going broke. SupplementsToGo is still providing quality products at prices that allow you to maintain your healthy lifestyle and supplement regimen.



After working so hard to make the right nutrition choices you want to keep the gains you made last year. Getting essential vitamins and minerals is important for a healthy diet. For many of us, our food choices do not always provide enough of the nutrients our bodies need, so adding dietary supplements into the daily routine has become a more popular way to get the nutrients our bodies need.

With so many choices it’s hard to know where to start sometimes. We hear everything from fiber, Vitamin C, the B Vitamins, Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium, multivitamins, and the list goes on depending on the particular needs.

In order to begin the year with healthy habits, here is a short list of popular supplements that others are getting online in order to benefit their healthy lifestyle resolutions. For strong healthy bones Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and/or a Vitamin D supplement. Your immune system gets added support from Vitamin C.

One of my main supplements is Fish Oil which is well known for its ability to help the heart and cardiovascular system, and the B Complex vitamins play an important role in giving us more energy. Lutein is important for clear, healthy vision. These nutrients play different, but essential roles in your well-being.

Keep in mind that even though our country’s financial system is a little out of whack right now, don’t let your healthy lifestyle suffer also. STG can help make your life easier, and a whole lot healthier. Add lots of these essential nutrients to your daily regimen, and enjoy the endless benefits of good health at cheap prices you can live with.

Racial Difference In Vitamin D Levels

While reading about cardiovascular issues and Peripheral Artery Disease, I learned something new from a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition the Department of Epidemiology.

Peripheral Artery disease (PAD) can affect the arteries, the veins or the lymph vessels. PAD, affects about 8 million Americans. It becomes more common as one gets older, and by age 65, about 12 to 20 percent of the population has it. Diagnosis is critical, as people with PAD have a four to five time higher risk of heart attack or stroke.

The Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research in Baltimore Md. studied racial differences in cardiovascular risk factors for Peripheral Artery Disease between Black and White Adults.

They tried to determine whether extra risks were due to lower levels of Vitamin D in one group or the other. Existing documentation pointed out that typically vitamin D levels were lower in blacks than in whites.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ran from 2001–2004. It included 2987 white and 866 black persons in their 40s.

They concluded that racial differences in vitamin D status may explain nearly one-third of the excess risk of PAD in black compared with white adults.

Additional research is needed to confirm these findings, but it points out again to me the importance of vitamin D in my diet. What I didn’t know was that there was a racial difference in vitamin D levels. So if you are black and reading this blog, take extra care to get enough of this important vitamin, and help reduce your chances of PAD down the road.

Vitamin D Shows Promise For Mental Health

I saw an article on Muhammad Ali last week, and it made me think of his Parkinson Disease (PD). I remember watching the 1996 Olympics and how slow and stiff he seemed. PD affects more than 1.5 million Americans, with 60,000 new cases each year.

It may be caused by oxidative stress and a high homocysteine levels. A part of the problem with PD and Alzheimer disease is a Vitamin D deficiency. On the plus side however, nutrition, increases in both unsaturated fat and vitamin E intake and vitamin B-66, are becoming viable ways to help protect against PD.

Recently a new study found that vitamin D, which has many health benefits for heart, blood sugar, prostate, bone, breast cell, aging, dental, and back health, may also help with mental health.

Past research showed that vitamin D deficiency negatively affects nerve function. Building on these findings, researchers selected 100 patients with diagnosed PD, 100 patients with Alzheimer Disease (AD), and 100 healthy patients with an average age of 65 years from the Clinical Research in Neurology (CRIN) Database from the Emory University School of Medicine. They examined the patients’ blood samples to look at vitamin D blood levels.

The researchers found that 55% of the PD patients had vitamin D insufficiency compared to 41% of AD patients and 36% of controls. With regards to vitamin D deficiency, 23% of the PD patients were deficient compared to 16% of AD patients and 10% of the controls.

Previous research examining vitamin D and PD, found that PD patients have a higher prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency compared with patients with AD and healthy controls. The researchers recommended more studies to determine whether vitamin D supplementation would improve PD symptoms.

I take vitamin D today and know that there are a variety of these supplements available from NOW Foods. They can be found online here

Are you Getting Enough D?

The other day I looked at some vitamin D tablets at the Grocery Store. I noticed that they contained different levels per tablet and wondered about the recommended daily amount . Here is what I found out.

Vitamin D has gained a lot of attention over the last five years due to increased research on its role in health and disease. Researchers argue that vitamin D deficiency is wide spread and may even reach epidemic proportions. Studies suggest that in addition to its role in supporting skeletal health, vitamin D is essential in maintaining overall cellular health. T

here is now evidence that vitamin D deficiency is involved in osteoporosis, and may have a role in many other conditions as well. Concerns over vitamin D deficiency have led the American Academy of Pediatrics to revise its guidelines on vitamin D supplementation for infants and children and there is increasing pressure to do the same for adults.

Researchers are calling for a revision of the recommended intakes for vitamin D that were established in 1997 by the Food and Nutrition board of the Institute of Medicine for healthy and at-risk populations. They argue that the current recommendations are not sufficient to maintain optimal vitamin D status.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans now recommend an increased intake of vitamin D of 1,000 IUs for at-risk populations–older adults, people with dark skin, and people exposed to insufficient UVB light, but only 400 IUs for healthy adults. Current recommended intakes focus solely on supporting bone health and do not take global cellular health into account.

Based on the new information available researchers now propose the revision of current recommendations to 1,000 IUs at a minimum for the average person.

Moore et al. conducted a study of the dietary vitamin D intakes of adults and children in the U.S. and concluded that most Americans are not obtaining adequate levels of vitamin D. Some telling examples were that among children only 53%-63% met the recommended adequate intake (AI). Similarly, less than 10% of adults ages 51 to 70 and no more than 2% of adults over age 70 met the AI.

This study used the current guidelines for comparisons rather than the proposed higher recommendations suggesting the incidence of deficiency would be higher if new guidelines are adopted.

Vitamin D toxicity is a concern with any suggested increase in intake recommendations; however, today, studies have shown that vitamin D doses of 4,000, 5,000, and even 10,000 IUs daily for up to 16 weeks and 50,000 IUs daily for up to 8 weeks are safe.

After I came home I looked online and found these supplements. These will provide you with better support for your nutritional needs.

Dem Bones

Our bones are living tissue that are continually being renewed and repaired. As we age we tend to forget why it is important to have good health and nutrition. Bones are affected by diet and exercise, and need to be kept strong on order to prevent osteoporosis, which is a disease where bones become weak and brittle.

Calcium makes strong bones and vitamin D helps calcium to be absorbed into bones. Thus it is very important to eat a healthy diet with enough calcium and vitamin D. As a teenager, your daily recommended requirement of calcium is 1000 mg and vitamin D is 100(IU). A balanced diet would provide you with enough nutrients to meet your requirement, but there are also calcium supplements available if you eat on the run a lot.

Calcium-rich foods include low-fat milk, calcium-enriched soybean milk, cheese, low-fat yogurt, almonds, tofu, fish with soft bones such as sardines; green leafy vegetables such as kale or spinach and fruits such as papaya or raisins.

The best way to obtain sufficient vitamin D is to go outdoors when the sun is up and get at least 30 minutes of sunshine a day. Vitamin D can also be obtained in foods like egg yolk, liver and fish.

Calcium is needed for you to build strong bones. Your bone is made up of more than 50% calcium. It is therefore important to have sufficient calcium in the diet to build strong bones.

You do have to build up the calcium in bones early. More than 60% of total bone mass is built up by age 18. It peaks by the time you reach age 30, and then you begin to lose more bone mass than you build. So, it is important to build your bone mass when you are young.

As women reach their 60’s, they are more prone to getting osteoporosis. The risk factors include:

Being over 65 years of age, a family history of osteoporosis, are menopausal or have had ovaries removed. Don’t consume enough calcium in their daily diet, don’t exercise regularly, or drink too much alcohol.

Osteoporosis occurs when bone is lost faster than it is replaced. When this happens, your bones become weak and brittle and are less able to withstand stresses such as falls. Thus it is very important to eat a healthy diet with enough calcium and vitamin D.

The daily recommended requirement of calcium women from 19 to 50 is 800mg. After 50 it goes up to 1000mg.Routine x-rays cannot detect osteoporosis until there is a lot of bone loss. As you reach senior status you might opt for a Bone Mineral Density (BMD) scan, to measure bone density at the hip and spine. It is the best way to detect early loss of bone mass.

Drink Your Milk

As I poured milk on my cereal this morning, and noticed the Vitamin D label, I was reminded of what I was taught as a child … Drink Your Milk. Don’t you want to grow up big and strong? Milk is good for your Bones, you know?

Calcium makes your bones stronger, and vitamin D helps calcium to be absorbed into bones. Thus it is very important to eat a healthy diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D. As a teenager, your daily recommended requirement of calcium and vitamin D is 1000 mg and 100(IU) respectively.

Today we know that higher Vitamin D levels lowers the chances of developing colon cancer, and data suggests the vitamin may also be a lifesaver for people who already suffer from this type of cancer.

Scientists are investigating the use of vitamin D supplements in treating and preventing colon cancer. More studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D supplements should be routinely recommended for colon cancer patients, but deficiency should definitely be avoided.

We get vitamin D in our diet, but we can actually make our own vitamin D with the help of sun exposure. Dark-skinned individuals are more likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency because melanin impedes the penetration of sunlight into the skin.

Vitamin D is found in fortified milk and butter, cod liver oil, salmon, sardines, and mackerel, and the recommended daily allowance is 200 International Units (IU) for people aged 19-50; 400 IUs for those between 51 and 69; and 600 IUs for those 70 years and older. Too much vitamin D can cause dehydration, nausea, constipation, weakness, so the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board recommends an upper limit of 2,000 IUs of vitamin D for children and adults, and an upper limit of 1,000 IUs for infants under 12 months of age.

So continue to catch at least 30 minutes of sun as often as you can, and drink all your milk too!

Levels of Vitamin D May Affect Chronic Pain in Women

I have read that low levels of vitamin D may contribute to chronic pain in women. I understand that higher rates of chronic pain were reported by smokers, non-drinkers, and overweight and underweight people. Among women, vitamin D levels also seemed to be a major factor.

In England a study showed that women with vitamin D levels between 75 and 99 mmol/liter, a range believed necessary for good bone health, had the lowest rates of chronic pain (8 percent), while women with vitamin D levels less than 25 mmol/liter had the highest rates of chronic pain (14.4 percent). Another recent study, indicated that the median adult intake of vitamin D in the US is only 230 IU per day, and the researchers' recommended 2000 IU per day.


Vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases - s been found to be lacking particularly in inhabitants of colder climates.


So, if you don’t get a lot of natural sunlight on your skin, be sure to get enough vitamin D in your diet. Fish (like salmon, herring, and mackerel) are naturally high in vitamin D. Cereals and dairy products are often fortified with vitamin D.

What was surprising to me was that no link between vitamin D and chronic pain was seen in men. This may mean that female hormones may be a factor, but further research is needed to determine if vitamin D supplements can protect women against chronic pain.

While this research continues, if you want to supplement your intake of this sunshine vitamin, here are a couple of good and low cost sources on line.