Calcium Plus Vitamin D Helps to Reduce Hip Fracture Risk

Previously, a number of studies have reported beneficial effects of supplemental calcium and vitamin D on bone health. Ross Prentice, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Washington, USA), and colleagues analyzed data collected on 36,282 postmenopausal American women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).  Study subjects took 1000 mg of elemental calcium carbonate plus 400 IU of vitamin D3 daily, or placebo, for an average of seven years. In the 59% of subjects who adhere to the supplementation program, the number fractures was 29% lower. Further, long-term use of calcium and vitamin D was shown to confer a substantial reduction in the risk of hip fractures among postmenopausal women.