Use of Calcium in Combination With Vitamin D Supplementation to Prevent Fractures and Bone Loss in People Aged 50 or Older

Just a bit more evidence why supplementation with Vitamins and Minerals is essential for health. VeMMA contains 1000 IU of vitamin D3, found in other studies to decrease risk of colon, prostate and breast cancer, as well as calcium from a plant based mineral(best way to absorb minerals) for reduced fracture risk--Read on!
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By Tang BMP, Eslick GD, Nowson C, Smith C, Bensoussan A


Excerpt from the commentary in Medscape http://www.medscape.com/viewprogram/8686?src=mp:
The strengths of this meta-analysis include its significant power to detect differences in relatively infrequent clinical events and its control of potential confounding variables. Based on this analysis of available data, physicians should certainly consider supplementation with calcium plus vitamin D among patients (women, in particular) over the age of 50. The minimum dose of calcium which appears effective is 1200 mg daily, and the intervention with calcium alone may be sufficient to reduce the risk for fracture.

However, based on other new evidence, clinicians should strongly consider the addition of at least 800 IU of vitamin D on a daily basis. Vitamin D has been hypothesized to play a role in cell dysplasia and cancer because it can reduce cell proliferation while stimulating apoptosis and cell differentiation. Epidemiologic research supports a possible role of vitamin D in mortality related to cancer. In one study, greater exposure to sunlight was associated with an independent effect in reducing the rate of mortality from ovarian, prostate, breast, and colon cancer.[3]

Colorectal cancer has been particularly scrutinized for its interaction with vitamin D. In an analysis of the Nurses' Health Study, researchers found an inverse linear relationship between plasma levels of 25(OH)D and the risk for incident colorectal cancer.[4] Comparing women in the highest quintile for 25(OH)D vs the lowest quintile, the odds ratio for the development of colorectal cancer was 0.53. Higher levels of vitamin D were particularly effective in preventing colorectal cancer among women at age 60 or older.

A new study of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reinforces the relationship between 25(OH)D levels and colorectal cancer mortality.[5] The authors followed 16,818 participants and found that 25(OH)D levels of 80 nmol/L or more were associated with an 18% reduction in the risk for mortality from colorectal cancer compared with levels of less than 50 nmol/L. Higher levels of 25(OH)D failed to reduce the rates of mortality related to other forms of cancer.)

The improvement in colorectal cancer outcomes associated with higher serum markers of vitamin D levels is most clinically meaningful if a simple intervention such as vitamin D supplementation can be demonstrated to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer or its resultant complications.