Med-O-Meter

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MedHead Message:

Vitamin D can be very confusing! Doses lower than 800 IU daily haven’t been shown to decrease having a bone fracture, but doses above 800-5,000 IU have shown in some studies to decrease that risk. The problem is a lot of researchers aren’t checking a baseline vitamin D level first in each study participant.  This is very important! If you have osteoporosis, make sure you get a baseline vitamin D level checked first. If your level is around 30-40, start on vitamin D 2-5,000 IU daily. If it is below 20, start on prescription vitamin D by your doctor.

References:

• 1. Yao P, Bennett D, Mafham M, Lin X, Chen Z, Armitage J, Clarke R. Vitamin D and Calcium for the Prevention of Fracture: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Dec 2;2(12):e1917789. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.17789. PMID: 31860103; PMCID: PMC6991219.
• 2. Marlene Chakhtoura, Nariman Chamoun, Maya Rahme, Ghada El-Hajj Fuleihan,
  Impact of vitamin D supplementation on falls and fractures—A critical appraisal of the quality of the evidence and an overview of the available guidelines,
  Bone, Volume 131, 2020, 115112, ISSN 8756-3282, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bone.2019.115112.

• 3. https://health.costhelper.com/hip-fracture.html#:~:text=Typical%20costs%3A,%2413%2C000%20to%20%2440%2C000%20or%20more. Accessed 7/18/2022.