Vitamin D and Calcium: New Findings From World Congress on Osteoporosis
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VRP Staff
Researchers at the IOF World Congress on Osteoporosis, May 10-14, 2002, in Lisbon, Portugal presented a number of studies emphasizing the important role vitamin D and calcium play in bone health.
Finnish researchers investigated the relationship between vitamin D levels and bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and femoral neck in 171 healthy Finnish girls aged 9-15 years. The three-year study estimated dietary intakes of vitamin D and calcium using food frequency questionnaires.
Researchers noted that the baseline level of vitamin D among the whole study group correlated significantly with the 3-year change in BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck. The girls who had severely low levels of vitamin D had a 4% lower 3-year BMD accumulation from baseline compared to those who had normal levels of vitamin D. In addition, in girls of advanced sexual maturation, the adjusted 3-year change of BMD at the lumbar spine was 27% greater in the subjects with the highest vitamin D intake than in those with the lowest. According to the researchers, These data clearly suggest that pubertal adolescent females with hypovitaminosis D [low levels of vitamin D] are at a significant risk of not reaching maximum peak bone mass, particularly at the lumbar spine.
Also at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, scientists presented a number of studies confirming that vitamin D and calcium can prevent fractures. French researchers confirmed that supplementing with calcium (1.2 g) and vitamin D3 (800 IU) daily can lower hip fracture risk and increase femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly women. In the 2-year, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers assigned 583 ambulatory women living in nursing homes to either a calcium plus vitamin D3 group or a placebo group. The relative risk of hip fracture was higher in the placebo group compared to the active treatment group. In a subgroup of 114 patients, femoral neck BMD decreased at a rate of 2.36% per year in the placebo group while remaining unchanged in the group treated with vitamin D and calcium. The authors concluded that vitamin D and calcium prevent reduction of hip bone loss and decrease risk of hip fracture, confirming earlier studies.
Researchers at the osteoporosis conference also presented a related paper that demonstrated the cost effectiveness of using calcium and vitamin D supplements to prevent hip fractures. Taking into account the medical costs of hip fractures in seven European countries, the authors concluded that taking calcium and vitamin D to prevent hip fractures results in a significant net financial benefit, ranging from 79,000 to 711,000 Euro (the European currency) per 1,000 women treated, depending on the country.
References:
Lehtonen-Veromaa M, Möttönen R, Nuotio I, Irjala K, Leiino A, Viikari J. Vitamin D and attainment of peak bone mass among peripubertal Finnish girls: a 3-year prospective study. Osteoporos Int. 2002;13(suppl 1):S5. Program and abstracts of the IOF World Congress on Osteoporosis; May 10-14, 2002; Lisbon, Portugal. Abstract O4.
Chapuy MC, Pamphile R, Paris E, et al. Combined calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation to prevent hip fracture in elderly women. A confirmatory study: Decalyos II. Osteoporos Int. 2002;13(suppl 1):S25. Program and abstracts of the IOF World Congress on Osteoporosis; May 10-14, 2002; Lisbon, Portugal. Abstract P68.
Meunier PJ. Pamphile R, Chapuy MC, Schulten J, Arlot M, Lillu H. A calcium-vitamin D3 combined supplementation is cost-saving for preventing hip fractures in institutionalised elderly women: an economic evaluation from the perspective of seven European countries. Osteoporos Int. 2002;13(suppl 1):S14. Program and abstracts of the IOF World Congress on Osteoporosis; May 10-14, 2002; Lisbon, Portugal. Abstract O35.
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