A new report by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) says that vitamin D and calcium supplementation may not prevent fractures in adults. The USPSTF commissioned “2 systematic evidence reviews and a meta-analysis on vitamin D supplementation with or without calcium to assess the effects of supplementation on bone health outcomes in community-dwelling adults, the association of vitamin D and calcium levels with bone health outcomes, and the adverse effects of supplementation.” The report also suggests that vitamin D and calcium supplementation may increase risk of kidney stones though they admit the chances are small.
While the final report concludes that there is inefficient evidence to prove the benefits and harm of combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation, it may in fact be jeopardizing bone health and overall health by misleading the public into believing that calcium and vitamin D are not essential.
Furthermore, the study did not take into account the results from the recent 2013 study by the Woman’s Health Initiative which proved women who strictly adhered to the calcium/vitamin D protocol showed a significant 38 percent reduction in hip fracture and no increased incidence of kidney stone development.*
*Prentice RL, Pettinger MB, Jackson RD, Wactawski-Wende J, LaCroix AZ, Andersen GL, Chlebowski RT, Manson JE, Van Horn L, Vitolins MZ, Datta M, LeBlanc ES, Cauley JA, Rossouw JE. Health risks and benefits from calcium and vitamin D supplementation: Women’s Health Initiative clinical trial and cohort study. Osteoporosis Int 2013;24(2):567-580.
Did you enjoy this post? We post new content regularly! Click here to see our latest blog posts.
