News Briefs
News Briefs
Importance of Vitamin D to Bone Health
Women older than age 50 may lack an overall understanding of the importance of vitamin D to bone health, according to national survey results published by the Society for Women's Health Research in Washington, DC. In addition, more than half of the women surveyed (58%) reported they had not discussed the importance of vitamin D with their physicians.
Vitamin D helps ensure that the body absorbs and retains calcium. Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with reduced calcium absorption, bone loss, and increased risk of fracture. According to the National Institutes of Health, less than 10% of calcium may be absorbed in vitamin D-deficient individuals.
In the survey of nearly 500 American women over the age of 50, 20% were being treated for osteoporosis or osteopenia. Still, less than half (46%) of the respondents felt vitamin D was "extremely important" for maintaining bone health, whereas almost three-quarters (72%) felt the same about calcium. One in six women (16%) thought vitamin D was only "somewhat important" or "not important at all" for bone health, vs. 4% for calcium.
Even if many respondents were unsure of the importance of the vitamin to bone health, the majority (82%) believed they get enough vitamin D. However, other recent study findings show that more than half of postmenopausal women taking medication to prevent or treat osteoporosis have inadequate levels of vitamin D. The survey results also showed that some incorrectly identified the foods that are good sources of vitamin D.
The most frequently mentioned foods that were incorrectly identified by survey respondents as good sources for vitamin D were:
- Green leafy vegetables, which were incorrectly identified as good sources of vitamin D by 76% of survey participants
- Citrus fruits, which were incorrectly identified by nearly half (48%) of survey participants
Foods that have been identified by nutritionists as providing good dietary sources for vitamin D include oily fish (such as salmon, mackerel), egg yolks, fortified milk, and fortified orange juice. In addition to these foods, vitamin D can be obtained through supplementation and through the skin after direct exposure to sunlight, but the ability to make vitamin D through skin decreases as adults age.
Survey results also revealed that two-thirds (66%) of women currently not being treated with a prescription for osteoporosis or osteopenia would be more likely to take an osteoporosis medication with added vitamin D than one without vitamin D if their doctor recommended it.
Importance of vitamin D to bone health. Altern Ther Women's Health 2005;7(11):88.Subscribe Now for Access
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