Calcium and vitamin D supplements benefit postmenopausal women using hormone therapy

  Calcium and vitamin D supplements may co-operate with hormone therapy to protect the bones in postmenopausal women, says a US study published in Menopause.

Scientists looked at data from nearly 30,000 postmenopausal women of whom 8,000 took calcium and vitamin D every day and 8,000 took dummy supplements. Some women used oestrogen and progestogen hormone therapy, some only oestrogen and others took placebos that looked like hormones.

Women who used hormone therapy and supplements had greater protection against hip fracture than those who used either on its own.

“Postmenopausal women at normal risk for hip fracture who are on calcium and vitamin D supplementation experience significantly reduced incident hip fractures beyond hormone therapy alone at all levels of personal baseline total calcium intake,” explain the research team.