Vitamin D and calcium has long been touted to strengthen bones. Doctors and physicians have time and again emphasized on the value of calcium and vitamin D in the diet for a better bone health. However according to a latest study older adults who take vitamin D and calcium are no less likely to break their hips or other bones than peers who don't use these supplements.
According to the study published in the journal JAMA, community-dwelling older adults may want to look for alternatives other than taking calcium and vitamin D supplements.
For the study, the researchers examined data from 33 previous trials with a total of more than 51,000 people aged 50 or older who were living in the community, not in nursing homes or other institutional settings. The startling data revealed that there was no marked difference in fracture risk among people who got no treatment, a placebo or dummy pill, or vitamin D and calcium alone or in combination.
Vitamin D helps body to use calcium. This in turn helps bolster bone health. Many older adults for their withering bone health are advised to take one or both of these supplements. The recommended daily intake of vitamin D for most adults is 600 IU (international units), or 800 IU after age 70.
The researchers believe that the guidelines should be changed. Dr. Jia-Guo Zhao, a researcher in the department of orthopedic surgery at Tianjin Hospital in China believes that improving the lifestyle, getting enough exercise and enough sunshine, and adjusting the diet may be more important than taking these supplements.
The researchers also said that older adults may geta better dose of vitamin D from spending time outside. They can also lower their risk of falls and fractures by doing things like maintaining a healthy weight or doing exercises designed to improve balance and coordination.
For the current study, researchers examined data only from clinical trials that randomly assigned some people to take vitamin D or calcium, alone or in combination, and some individuals to receive a placebo or no treatment at all.
These trials analysed the risk of hip fractures, spinal fractures or other types of broken bones. The findings revealed a stark lack of associations between calcium, vitamin D and fracture risk in both men and women, regardless of supplement dose or any previous history of fractures.
The researchers also noted that the some of the trials in the analysis didn't include pre-treatment measurements of vitamin D blood levels, which might have influenced how much the supplements impacted fracture risk. And that Some of the trials also were not high quality experiments,
Sunlight is the best source Vitamin D. Since the sweltering heat makes us run away from sun exposure, doctors usually prescribe Vitamin D supplements to cure its deficiency. But you should know that there are quite a few natural sources that can help boost your Vitamin D levels.
We suggest you bulk up on these 5 foods to get your required dose of Vitamin D.
1. Mushrooms
The power of mushrooms will leave you astounded. Include them in your diet four times a week and watch your Vitamin D levels shoot up. They can be cooked, baked or pan fried and turned into a tasty and healthy delight. In order to reap more benefits you can sun dry them before consumption. Mushrooms can naturally produce Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
2.Cheese
Who doesn't love cheese? Cheese can single-handedly provide more satisfaction than any other food and we're thrilled to give you another reason to enjoy it. Cheese is one of the top 5 foods high on Vitamin D. Well, spreading an additional layer of cheese on that morning slice of toast may not be such a bad idea after all. Ricotta cheese provides the maximum amount of Vitamin D amongst others
3. Fish
All kinds of fish are high on Vitamin D. Typically oily or fatty fish contain more Vitamin D than less oily fish. An example of oily fish would be a juicy thick fillet of salmon. Other common options are trout, mackerel, tuna or eel.
4. Egg
Egg yolk is back in vogue and this time it's here to stay. Since the vitamin D in an egg comes from its yolk, it's important to use the whole egg--not just the whites. So bid farewell to the egg white craze and indulge in the most nutritious part of the egg