Should You Stop Taking Supplements?
While there is a no disputing that calcium and vitamin D are essential to bone health, evidence suggests that there is little correlation between taking calcium or vitamin D supplements and a person's risk of hip fracture or other broken bones.
Conventional medical advice suggests aging people focus on getting enough calcium and vitamin D to preserve their bone health as they age. However, dozens of clinical trials comparing results of patients given supplements versus those given placebos, suggests that these essential elements should instead come from dietary and lifestyle changes.
According to a recent summary published by WebMD, dietary calcium is irreplaceable for skeletal health. Consuming milk, vegetables, fruits and bean products are therefore the most important food sources of calcium. Vitamin D exposure through outdoor exercise and activity is also preferable to taking supplements, as vitamin D is synthesized in the skin in response to ultraviolet-B radiation in sunlight, and dietary sources of vitamin D are limited.
Before giving up your supplement regime, however, we recommend you consult your doctor.
