|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
Report Highlights Benefits of Vitamin D Supplements
for Senior Citizens
Report will be basis of NIH conference on Vitamin D
and bone health
 Aug. 20, 2007 - A new report highlights the
evidence for bone health benefits in postmenopausal women and older men
(the majority over 60 years of age) from taking vitamin D supplements.
It also confirms that vitamin D from ultraviolet-B (sunlight) exposure,
fortified foods, or dietary supplements are all effective in raising the
level of circulating vitamin D.
This report on vitamin D and bone health reviews
the current scientific evidence and identifies its strengths and
weaknesses. It was prepared for an upcoming National Institutes of
Health conference September 5-6 that will examine a range of scientific
perspectives related to vitamin D and bone health across the lifecycle.
| |
Related Stories |
|
| |
Calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium in Milk Reduce Risk of
Type 2 Diabetes
15% lower risk among individuals with the highest
dairy intake
July 10, 2007
FDA Rules on Dietary Supplement Manufacturers Good
News for Boomers, Senior Citizens
What you need to know about supplements. Government
already provides lots of helpful information
July 5, 2007
Evidence Mounts that Vitamin D Provides Powerful
Cancer Protection
June 8, 2007
Vitamin D May Prevent Half
of Breast Cancers,
Two-Thirds of Colorectal Cancer
Feb. 6, 2007
Vitamin D Cuts Risk of Deadly Pancreatic Cancer
Almost in Half
Not determined if dietary sources or
sunlight are preferable
September 13, 2006
Vitamin D Inhibits Progress of Some Prostate Cancers
Feb. 8, 2006
Vitamin D Intake by Older People Should be Increased
for Bone Health
Nov. 17, 2005
Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Fish, Vitamin D Fight
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
May 14, 2007
Older Women May Prevent Some Weight Gain
by taking
Calcium Plus Vitamin D
May 14, 2007
Low Vitamin D Level Linked to Physical Problems in
Older Adults
April 23, 2007
FDA Proposal Emphasizes Nutrients in Dairy, Exercise
to Fight Osteoporosis
January 6, 2007
Read more
on
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements |
|
"This independent, systematic review is timely
because there are mixed messages and recommendations to consumers
regarding the benefits and harms of vitamin D intake" said ODS Director,
Paul M. Coates, Ph.D.
"The evidence report in combination with the
conference presentations and discussions, newly available methodological
tools, and newer information on the vitamin D status of the US
population will provide an invaluable and very timely update for the
research and public health communities of what we know and what we need
to know for this key nutrient."
Researchers have long known that vitamin D had an
impact on bone health but there is uncertainty about how much vitamin D
is needed to achieve optimal bone health and whether there are
differences in the relationship of vitamin D status to bone health
across age and life stage groups.
Of concern, there were only sparse data on other
subgroups cited as being at high risk for the consequences of low
vitamin D, such as dark-skinned individuals and pregnant and lactating
women.
The report investigators were not able to separate
the impact of vitamin D from that of calcium, as most trials studied the
effect of vitamin D plus calcium.
The combination of vitamin D3 (daily dose 700 to
800 IU) and calcium (daily dose 500 to1200 mg) decreased the risk of
falls, fractures and bone loss in the elderly (ages ranged from 62 to 85
years).
The current recommended intake is 400 IU/day for
people 51-70 years of age, and 600 IU/day for people over 70 years of
age.
Based on the combined data of two trials, the
decreased risk of fractures was seen primarily in the subgroup of
elderly women (average age 85 years) living in nursing homes.
Vitamin D intake above current recommended levels
was not reported to be associated with an increased risk of harms.
However, most trials using higher doses of vitamin D were not adequately
designed to assess potential harms.
The vitamin D and bone health evidence report
provides valuable insights because it is based on an independent and
rigorous examination of the totality of evidence across all age groups
and during pregnancy and lactation, said Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ) Director Carolyn Clancy, M.D.
"It Is important that health care decisions are
made using a review of all available evidence and not solely on the
results of individual study reports.
This report will serve as the framework for a
conference, Vitamin D and Health in the 21st Century: An Update,
September 5-6, 2007 on the NIH campus.
Although the conference is free of charge and open
to the public, attendees are requested to register at
http://vitamindandhealth.od.nih.gov, where additional conference
materials are available.
Speakers will present the salient points of
emerging research since the 2003 NIH Vitamin D conference, including the
AHRQ evidence report, Effectiveness and Safety of Vitamin D in Relation
to Bone Health.
The goals of the conference are to evaluate the
efficacy and safety of vitamin D, identify gaps in knowledge on the
efficacy and safety of vitamin D, inform NIH and other Federal agencies
on vitamin D and health research priorities, and to disseminate the
conference findings to the broad scientific nutrition community.
Editor's Notes:
The ODS-sponsored report was produced by the
University of Ottawa Evidence-based Practice Center, and is available
at:
http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/vitadtp.htm.
The conference is sponsored by ODS, the National
Cancer Institute, The National Institute of Arthritis and
Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, and the American Society for
Nutrition ODS was established at NIH in November 1995 as a result of the
Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act passed by Congress in 1994.
The mission of ODS is to strengthen knowledge and understanding of
dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, stimulating
and supporting research, disseminating research results, and educating
the public to foster an enhanced quality of life and health for the U.S.
population. For additional information about ODS, please visit
http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov.
The mission of the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and
effectiveness of health care for all Americans. Please visit
www.ahrq.gov for additional information.
The Office of the Director, the central office at
NIH, is responsible for setting policy for NIH, which includes 27
Institutes and Centers. This involves planning, managing, and
coordinating the programs and activities of all NIH components. The
Office of the Director also includes program offices which are
responsible for stimulating specific areas of research throughout NIH.
Additional information is available at
http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) - The
Nation's Medical Research Agency - is comprised of 27 Institutes and
Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human
Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting
basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and investigates
the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For
more information about NIH and its programs, visit
www.nih.gov.
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
