Vit D warning - FYI

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Women age 70 years or older who received a single annual high dose of

vitamin D had a higher rate of falls and fractures than did women who

received placebo.

Kerrie M. , Ph.D., of the University of Melbourne, Geelong, Australia

and colleagues conducted a study to examine whether high-dose

cholecalciferol (vitamin D) given orally once a year to older women would

reduce falls and fractures. The vitamin D was given in a single, high-dose

to address low adherence. The trial included 2,256 community-dwelling women,

ages 70 years or older, considered to be at high risk of fracture. They were

recruited from June 2003 to June 2005 and were randomly assigned to receive

500,000 IU of vitamin D or placebo each year for 3 to 5 years. The study

concluded in 2008.

The trial participants had a total of 5,404 falls over the study period,

with 74 percent of women in the vitamin D group and 68 percent of women in

the placebo group having at least one fall. Analysis indicated women in the

annual high-dose vitamin D group experienced 15 percent more falls. Women in

the vitamin D group had 171 fractures vs. 135 in the placebo group, with 26

percent more fractures for participants in the vitamin D group, who also had

a 31 percent higher incidence of falls in the first 3 months following

dosing.

" This is the first study to demonstrate increased risk of falls associated

with any vitamin D intervention and the second study to demonstrate an

increased fracture risk associated with annual high-dose vitamin D therapy

in elderly women.

" This line of reasoning is supported by the temporal risk pattern that we

observed and the fact that harm has not been reported in the numerous

studies that have used more frequent dosing. Thus, it is reasonable to

speculate that high serum levels of vitamin D or metabolites resulting from

the large annual dose, subsequent decrease in the levels, or both might be

causal. "

SOURCE: *Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA),* May 12, 2010

http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=24257

--

Ortiz, MS, RD

" I plan on living forever - so far so good "

" Cause of obesity, heart disease and cancer: Look at the end of your fork "