In a large clinical study with over 36,000 healthy, postmenopausal women, those women that took the calcium supplement chosen for the study as directed saw a significant 29% reduction in hip fractures. The calcium supplement in this clinical study had 500 mg of elemental calcium as calcium carbonate along with 200 IU (International Units) of vitamin D3 in each pill.

A key learning from this important clinical study is that in order to get the bone health benefits, including hip fracture prevention, you need to take a calcium supplement with vitamin D as directed.

Hip Fractures are Very Serious

• Only 25 percent of hip fracture patients will make a full recovery; 40 percent will require nursing home care; 50 percent will need a cane or walker; and 24 percent of those over age 50 will die within 12 months.
• Nearly one-in-four hip fracture patients will die within 12 months after the injury because of complications related to the injury and the recovery period.
• There were 220,000 total hip replacements performed in the U.S. in 2003 (Source: National Center for Health Statistics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003 National Hospital Discharge Survey).

Below is an extract from an article in the December 6, 2006, issue of JAMA about Osteopenia and preventing fractures.

Osteopenia and Preventing Fractures

Osteopenia means low bone density. This differs from osteoporosis, a common condition in which the bones are brittle and weak and fracture easily. Osteopenia is not a disease but is a marker for risk of fractures. Older persons are at risk of having unrecognized osteoporosis, which may be discovered only after a fracture (such as a broken hip). Bone densitometry is a simple, painless test that measures bone density. If the bone density is already abnormal, lifestyle changes can help slow progression of bone loss and reduce the occurrence of fractures.

RISK FACTORS

Several factors other than low bone density increase the risk of fractures:

• Age—The chance of having a fracture increases with age.
• Falling—Most fractures result from falls.
• Poor eyesight can lead to falls and fractures and should be corrected if possible. Smoking weakens bones.
• Drinking more than 2 drinks of alcohol a day increases the chance of hip fractures.
• Low body weight may lead to a higher risk of hip fracture.
• White women have about 2 or 3 times greater risk than men or black and Hispanic women.
• Previous fractures signal a higher risk.
• Spine fracture usually indicates osteoporosis and a particularly high risk of additional spine fractures.
• Having a parent who had hip fracture indicates a higher risk of hip fracture.
• Certain medications, particularly corticosteroids and aromatase inhibitors (used for breast cancer), cause bone loss and increase risk.
• Medical conditions including stroke with weakness, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and Parkinson disease increase risk.

PREVENTING FRACTURES

• Maintain a healthy weight, eat a balanced diet, and make regular exercise a daily habit. Weight-bearing exercise (such as walking) is good for building muscle, maintaining bone and joint health, and overall fitness.
• Expose your skin to 10 minutes of sunlight per day to make sure you have enough vitamin D formation in your body. Use vitamin D-fortified foods or take a vitamin D supplement if needed.
• Eat foods rich in calcium (dairy products, leafy green vegetables) and consider taking a calcium supplement.
• Have bone density tests as recommended by your doctor.
• Do not smoke.
• Medications are available to treat osteoporosis. These may include bisphosphonates (they slow bone loss and increase bone density), estrogen receptor modulators, estrogen hormone therapy, or other hormones that help to improve bone density. Some reduce the risk of spine fractures, not hip or other types of fractures. These medications may also have other effects and risks that you should discuss with your doctor.