Word: bones
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...study of more than 36,000 healthy postmenopausal women determined that taking a standard calcium-and-vitamin-D supplement for seven years had no significant effect for most of them on preventing fractures in the spine, arms and hips, although it did lead to a 1% improvement in hip-bone density. Yet women who managed to take the vitamin-mineral combo at least four days out of five had a statistically significant 29% fewer hip fractures. And women over 60 suffered 21% fewer broken hips...
...there are still some quirks in the data. More than half the participants were also on hormone therapy, which is known to increase bone density. Moreover, most of the studies' subjects were already getting more calcium and vitamin D from their diet than the average American woman. Maybe supplements work best in people who need them most. Finally, the women were on the chunky side, which also protects bones...
...With all those caveats in mind, however, it seems clear that the benefits of calcium and vitamin D supplements are small for most women and probably fairly modest even for those at greatest risk of cancer or bone loss. In addition, the studies found that women who take extra calcium have a 17% greater risk of developing kidney stones...
...Fortunately, there are other ways to increase bone density. Weight-bearing exercises help, and there are several prescription drugs that have been proved to work. For more information, talk to your doctor. And be sure to have a colonoscopy by age 50?or 45 if you are of African descent. (You may need one even earlier if you have a family history of colorectal cancer.) It's a lot to keep track of, but nobody ever said prevention was easy...
...cream pies, and sumptuous entrées. The tables were draped with white table-cloths, and the parents of juniors filled the tables of the stately hall. But the next night, I was back to sticking my fork into boiled chicken prying what little meat there was off the bone. The salad bar was once again my best friend...