Vitamin D is important for fracture prevention in post-menopausal women

Many studies have demonstrated that Vitamin D plays a key role in bone health in women. But what about women who already have osteoporosis? Recently, a group of researchers at Shinshu University in Japan studied the

circulating form of vitamin D in the blood of 330 postmenopausal osteoporotic women who had no parathyroid disease (which itself elevates the risk of fracture). Their research, published in the  Journal of Orthopaedic Sciences, found that vitamin D insufficiency (less than 20 ng/mL) was associated with a number of markers of poor bone health and also with a history of vertebral fractures.

These results are further evidence of the importance for bone health of maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D during menopause in addition to other factors such as calcium supplementation, hormone replacement, and the use of anti-resorptive drugs.  A comprehensive guide to bone health and other issues for post-menopausal women can be found in the recommendations of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada here.

Read the abstract of the research paper here.