Vitamin D Low Dose Should Not Be Taken By Postmenopausal Women
Low doses of vitamin D and calcium to prevent broken bones should not be taken by postmenopausal women, a U.S. government-backed panel has claimed, because they have very little positive effect and can have side effects.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which makes various recommendations, has said studies suggest low doses of vitamin D and calcium do little to prevent fractures; especially if given in doses lower than 400 IU of vitamin D and 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily.
However, side effects can include kidney stones, meaning the panel advises the supplements could do more harm than good.
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Silvina Levis of the Osteoporosis Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida, has said, "It's been known for some time that that is too low of a dose," according to Fox News.
Instead 600 IU of vitamin D and at least 1,000 mg of calcium every day are being advised. However, the precise recommendations depend on age and sex.
Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, a member of the panel and a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, has said, "We're fortunate that we have large studies that tell us with a moderate degree of certainty that, in these dosages, this supplementation is not effective in postmenopausal women with the goal of preventing fractures."
The new recommendation only applies to postmenopausal women and those taking supplements.
