Bone Health: Are Calcium & Vitamin D Enough?
“The WHI CaD” study is the largest randomized clinical trial conducted on calcium supplementation in post-menopausal women. It followed over 36,000 women for ~7 years. Half of the women took 1,000 mg of Calcium and 400 IU of Vitamin D; the other half took a placebo.
RESULTS: Women taking placebos had a hip fracture rate of 14/10,000. Women taking calcium and vitamin D had a hip fracture rate of 10/10,000. While the trend is favorable, the message of the study is that calcium and vitamin D are not enough, according to Dr. Joel Finkelstein, an osteoporosis researcher at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “It is a good start, but women at higher risk need to know it is not enough.”
Dr. Joel Finkelstein:
“With widespread marketing calcium & vitamin D, many women believe that they are completely protected against the development of osteoporosis if they are taking these supplements. This study should help correct this important misconception and allow more women to receive optimal therapy for bone health.”
Finkelstein, JS. Calcium plus Vitamin D for post menopausal women – Bone Appetit? N Engl J Med 2006: 354; 750-752.
Suggestions for Optimal Bone Health
The Importance of Natural Vitamin K2 (MK-7)
Researchers investigated why women in the Eastern part of Japan had much lower incidence of hip fracture vs. women who lived in other parts of Japan. It came down to a Japanese traditional food consumed only in the region where women had very low incidence of hip fracture – a marker in medicine for bone density.
Natto.
Natto is a traditional Japanese fermented soybean dish commonly consumed in Eastern Japan. Natto is a fermented, soybean cheese-like dish that has a very strong amoniacal smell with a gluey texture and spiderweb-like strings when you stir it. So what does Natto have to do with bone density?
Vitamin K2, specifically, Menaquinone 7 (MK-7)
Researchers report Natto contains natural Vitamin K2, specifically Menaquinone 7 (MK-7) that is linked to stabilization of bone proteins, positively impacting bone density. Not only is Natural Vitamin K2 (specifically MK-7) important for healthy bones, scientists discovered that MK-7 supports cardiovascular health as well. The growing body of Vitamin K2 research indicates that it is a very promising nutrient for supporting healthy bone density.
For more information on nutrients that support bone density, click here to read about Osteo K-2.
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