Osteoporosis is indeed becoming a household word these days with more and more women being told they are likely to suffer an osteoporotic fracture.  With this growing “fracture fear” in mind, we make special note of the recent data on declining U.S. hip fracture incidence.

As detailed in a study by Mayo Clinic osteoporosis epidemiologist, Dr. L. J. Melton, the hip fracture incidence among Caucasian women in the U.S. peaked in the 1950’s and has declined since then.  Specifically, there was a 9% fall in hip fracture prevalence from 1973–82.   The hip fracture incidence for U.S. Caucasian men peaked in the late 1980’s.

Vitamin D Blood Levels and Breast Cancer Protection 

A 2007 study at the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego, looked at the records of 1,760 individuals.  As a lead researcher, Dr. Cedric Garland reports, “the data were very clear, showing that individuals in the group with the lowest blood levels had the highest rates of breast cancer, and the breast-cancer rates dropped as the blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D increased.”  Specifically those with higher blood levels of vitamin D had a 50% reduction in the risk of breast cancer.  This level of vitamin D, researchers suggest, could be maintained by taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day and spending 10 to 15 minutes a day in the sun. For further details click here . . .

Vitamin D Blood Levels and Colorectal Cancer Protection

A meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, February 6, 2007, looked at five studies exploring the association between blood levels of vitamin D and the risk of colon cancer. As principal investigator, Dr. Gorham summarized, "through this meta-analysis we found that raising the serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D to 34 ng/ml would reduce the incidence rates of colorectal cancer by half." And he went on to further report, "we project a two-thirds reduction in incidence with serum levels of 46 ng/ml, which corresponds to a daily intake of 2,000 IU of vitamin D3."  For the full report click here . . .

Bone Mineral Density Does Not Predict Fracture

A 2006 German study verified what we at The Osteoporosis Education Project have been saying for years about the fact that simply having low bone density does not mean you will experience a fracture.

In this analysis of the German population, it was determined that 7.8 million Germans have osteoporosis as defined by bone density. That is, 7.8 million Germans have a bone density that is -2.5 standard deviations or more below the average bone mineral density of a young adult. Of these 7.8 million individuals only 4.3% were found to experience one or more clinically recognized fractures. Even though millions of people have osteoporosis as defined by bone density, only 4 out of 100 of these people actually experienced a meaningful fracture.

(B. Haussler et al., "Epidemiology, Treatment, and Costs of Osteoporosis in Germany: The Bone EVA Study," Osteoporosis International, Sept. 19, 2006, published online.)

Birth Control Weakens Bone 

While some have suggested that oral contraceptive use might actually help build bone mass, two recent well regarded studies document just the opposite. First, Dr. Jerilynn Prior and colleagues in the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study compared the bone mineral density of women who never used oral contraceptives to that of women who had used birth control pills for at least three months. This study of more than 500 women ages 25-45 found lower bone mineral at all sites measured in women who had used oral contraceptives. The bone mineral density of contraceptive users was 2% to 4% lower than that of non-users. (Prior et al., Canadian Medical Association Journal 2001;165:1023-29). Similar results were reported by drs. Hawley Almstedt and Christine Snow of Loyola Marymount University in their study of 96 women ages 18-25. Again these researchers found that at the spine, hip, and whole body, women using oral contraceptives had significantly lower bone mineral density than those not using birth control (Almstedt and Snow, Osteoporosis International 2005;Dec. 16:1538-44).

Dramatic Reduction in Cancer Risk from Vitamin D Supplementation 

For several years now  observational studies have found that higher blood levels of vitamin D were associated with a reduced risk of many cancers.  Now in the spring of 2007, for the first time researchers have reported the results of an intervention study whereby postmenopausal women were given calcium (1,400–1,500 mg) and higher dose vitamin D (1,100 IU) for the purpose of cancer prevention.  This was a four-year double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial working with 1,179 community dwelling women.   This research reported an amazing dramatic reduction in all cancers in the vitamin D group. As reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2007, the cancer rate dropped by 60% over the four years in those taking 1,100 IU of vitamin D.  Further, when researchers eliminated the first year results and looked at the last three years of the study, there was an even more startling 77% reduction in cancer risk.  This calculation was made on the premise that some of the women who did develop cancer may have entered the study with undiagnosed cancer.  For a full study report click here . . .