Vitamin D and Calcium Lower Mortality Risk – By Robert Cervin from www.newsfix.ca
| Tags: General health
Hip fractures occur frequently in older individuals and lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. Higher doses of vitamin D reduce the risk of fracture. According to a study, vitamin D and calcium contribute to lower risk of death among older people, and these benefits are not necessarily due to a reduced risk of hip fracture and fracture-related complications.
Previously analysis of data from the Women’s Health Initiative demonstrated the benefits of vitamin D and calcium in reducing mortality among post-menopausal women. Although it would seem logical that the benefits of vitamin D and calcium would be due, at least in part, to a reduction in the risk for hip fractures, scientists from the University of Southern Denmark found that vitamin D and calcium reduced mortality even among patients with hip fractures.
Researchers analyzed 5 major European studies involving a total of 28,710 participants with an average age of almost 78 years. Their analysis also demonstrated that mortality risk reduction was dependent upon both vitamin D and calcium, as studies involving only vitamin D showed no significant reduction in mortality risk.
Further studies are needed to understand exactly how vitamin D benefits the body, but it seems that calcium may increase the effects of vitamin D and adults over the age of 65 may benefit from calcium and vitamin D supplements.
Taken from: www.newsfix.ca