Low-dose vitamin D no help to older women: panel

[Islander]

Full of inaccuracies and misinformation.

Wed Jun 13, 2012

(Reuters) - Postmenopausal women shouldn't take low doses of vitamin D and calcium to prevent broken bones since they have little positive effect and come with a slightly increased risk of side effects, according to a U.S. government-backed panel.

In draft recommendations that appeared on its website, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which makes recommendations on a range of prevention issues, said studies of the supplements suggest they do little to prevent fractures at doses lower than 400 IU of vitamin D and 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily.

But it is clear that they come with a slightly increased risk of side effects, such as kidney stones.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/13/us-vitamin-idUSBRE85C02G20120613?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

[Islander]

Yes, that's too low a dose, but so is the IOM's recommendation. 8000 IU of vitamin D3 daily is the current recommended level. There is ample documentation from vitamin D experts in the vitamin D forum.

And the current recommendation for calcium supplementation is a MAXIMUM of 500 mg/day. I supplement with NO calcium (I get my Ca from food sources) and recently posted my bone density results in the Blogspot.

"For higher doses of the supplements, the evidence is still too limited to make recommendations either way." Where do they look for their "evidence," one wonders. Ample evidence exists. Had I ample time, I'd post links to such evidence, published studies, on this very site.

[Mr. Wizard]

When supplementing for bone health (especially post-menopausal women), calcium should be combined with D3, silica, boron, and magnesium. These five vits. & minerals work synergistically to promote bone health. If one ingredient is missing, the process of improving bone health is less efficient.

[Islander]

And don't forget K2!