Calcium versus vitamin D supplements…

Vitamin D alone does little to protect bone health in postmenopausal women, says a study due to be published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. But women who were given daily calcium supplements had noticeably improved bone health.

“Vitamin D and calcium interact to suppress bone turnover by decreasing parathyroid hormone levels,” says Dr John Aloia, lead author. “This can be beneficial in women who are vitamin D deficient. In women who already are receiving the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D, however, the study found there was no advantage to adding a vitamin D supplement.

“These findings suggest that vitamin D supplements over the recommended dietary allowance do not protect bone health, whereas calcium supplements do have an effect. Women do need to be cautious about the possibility of vascular side effects from too much calcium and should consult their physicians about whether their diet is adequate or whether they should take supplements at all.”