Word: vitaminous
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...First the news. A U.S. 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...
...take-home message? Calcium and vitamin D supplements are no magic bullets, but if you're going to take them, try to take them every...
...These latest studies, which are part of the giant U.S. Women's Health Initiative, are not likely to be contradicted anytime soon. Investigators tested the benefits of calcium and vitamin D in the most scientifically rigorous way possible?with a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial...
...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...