I have two articles to share today on Vitamin D. The first one comes from the Los Angeles Times – Vitamin D linked to stronger bones in girls. There was a study of 6,721 girls between 9 and 15 years old. The researchers followed them for 7 years, tracking their calcium, vitamin D, and dairy consumption and compared the data to the number of stress fractures that the group experienced.
They found that the girls with the highest vitamin D intake had a 50% lower risk of stress fractures than the girls with the lowest vitamin D intake.
They also found that the amount of calcium and dairy didn’t have much of an effect and also says that those with the highest calcium intake had an increased risk of fracture. That’s two statements saying different things, so let’s take a look at this whole study.
Let’s take a step back and consider what we know about how the body uses calcium. What we have to remember is that the body cannot do anything with calcium without vitamin D. Without vitamin D, the calcium we take in is useless. That’s why milk is “fortified” with vitamin D. Maybe the girl who took the most calcium also took the least vitamin D.
So we know that vitamin D is important, and maybe more important than the calcium itself. Did you know there is more than one form of vitamin D?
This is where the second article comes in. Dr. Mercola writes: If You Take Oral Vitamin D You MUSTS Avoid Making This Serious Mistake. You have to love his sensational headlines.
There are two types of vitamin D. There is vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Mercola explains that the synthetic form of D2, Drisdol, is made my irradiating fungus and is what is usually prescribed by doctors. D3 on the other hand is the type of vitamin D made by the body in response to the ultraviolet light in natural sunlight. Vitamin D3 is what we want to metabolize calcium and help to keep us healthy.
Mercola even says that D2 may be harmful to your health. An analysis of mortality rates among people who supplemented with vitamin D showed a 6% risk reduction among those who used vitamin D3 and a 2% increase among those who supplemented with D2.
To sum all of this up. Studies show that it is a good idea to supplement with vitamin D to help promote strong bones. And when looking for a vitamin D supplement, you want to make sure that it is vitamin D3.
Of course, the first thing I did when I read this was to make sure that the bone density supplement that I take contains vitamin D3, and it does. What a relief.
Disclaimer 1: I am not a doctor. If you believe you have issues with your bone density then please consult a qualified medical practitioner.
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