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The information in this post seems to contradict much of what I have read and learned about the value of Calcium and Vitamin D supplements on osteoporosis. I have written the publisher for a clarification.
“Jane Cauley, DrPH and a large team of researchers from around the country report that after an average of 11 years, including seven years of supplementation with 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D3, neither hip fracture nor colorectal cancer incidence were reduced compared to women who did not receive supplementation.”
This appears to say that the subjects did not take supplementation for four years before they were tested. If that is the case, it seems likely that the positive effects of the supplementation would not be evident.
Thanks to blogger Vinny Grette of cookupastory.wordpress.com for pointing out the possible four year lag in supplementation and the final study. As of 30 November 2013.
Dr. Cauley has not responded to my repeated requests for clarification. In light of that, I feel obliged to recommend that anyone who might have considered either stopping this supplementation, or not starting it because of the conclusions of this item, to reconsider. To the best of my knowledge Calcium and Vitamin D are strongly beneficial in fighting osteoporosis. As of 11 December 2013.
Tony
New results are in from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Calcium plus Vitamin D Supplementation Trial. These findings assess the effects on hip fracture and colorectal cancer incidence among 30,000 postmenopausal women nearly five years after the seven-year period of calcium plus vitamin D supplementation ended. The results are presented in Journal of Women’s Health, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available on the Journal of Women’s Health website.
Jane Cauley, DrPH and a large team of researchers from around the country report that after an average of 11 years, including seven years of supplementation with 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D3, neither hip fracture nor colorectal cancer incidence were reduced compared to women who did not receive supplementation. The authors report a small risk reduction for vertebral fractures and in situ breast cancers across the study period for women…
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Wellness Secrets of a SuperAger 
It seems the women on this study “stopped” taking calcium and vitamin D four years before the results were tallied. I’m on this combo for life, in spite of my healthy eating attempts.
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Good point, Vinny. I attend the ‘Healthy transitions’ talks (for folks over 55) at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The speaker on osteoporosis stressed exactly that combo also. I think you are on the right track.
I don’t think it is clear from the release if the women actually ‘stopped’ taking the supplements or not. I have written the source for a clarification. Thanks very much for catching this. I missed it the first time around.
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Let me know what you find out. I couldn’t believe the headline as written. It sounded to me like the experimental group stopped with the supplements after the first 7 years and were tested again at the 11 year mark. My conclusion is: don’t stop.
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