Women’s health: Low levels of Vitamin D associated with high hip fracture risk in women
Women's Health September 5th, 2008
According to a University of Pittsburgh researchers report, low levels of vitamin D can boost older women’s risk for hip fracture by more than 70 percent. The finding adds weight to the recommendation that people can have an adequate intake of vitamin D, by exposure to sunlight.
Dr. Michael F. Holick, director of the Vitamin D Skin and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University noted that the fracture-vitamin D link “has been observed for 15 years,” “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 study has been published in the Aug. 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Hip fractures can be devastating for older individuals. A research team led by Jane A. Cauley from the University of Pittsburgh collected data on 800 women aged 50 to 79. The women were followed up for up to nine years by researchers 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. Researchers reported that 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.
Researchers were also of the view that vitamin D is essential for the body’s absorption of calcium, a key component of bone health. Those who do not have adequate vitamin D cannot efficiently absorb calcium. 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. Even being out for 10 to 15 minutes under the sun can give you all a vitamin D you need. Fish and milk are also good sources of vitamin D.
Women have to find out their vitamin D status by taking the 25 hydroxy D tests. They should strive to keep their vitamin D levels above 125 nanomoles per liter, year round. They can even take supplements.
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