A Perfect Storm for Broken Bones New York Times
Age-adjusted hip fracture rates were decreasing until 2012, but have since been increasing
Bisphosphonates (Fosomax) were started in mid 90’s may have led to the decline before 2012. Problems were found with it, such that prescriptions were reduced by 50% after 2010.
Possible reasons for increased hip fractures
- Reduced use of Bisphosphonates
Want to avoid side effects
Cost of drug - especially with higher deductables - Sharply reduced Medicare reimbursements for bone density testing
- Lower vitamin D (not mentioned as a possibility)
- Taking too much Calcium – not mentioned in NYT, see below
A Crisis in the Treatment of Osteoporosis 2016 editorial is referenced
Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life
Vitamin D Life
Vitamin D has been proven to do all of the following
- Reduce chance of falling by increasing muscle speed
- Reduce chance of breaking bones by making them stronger
- Improve the recovery from hip fracture
- Overview Fractures and vitamin D
- Overview Osteoporosis and vitamin D
- Healthy bones need: Calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Silicon, Vitamin K, and Boron – 2012
- Overview Fractures and Falls and Vitamin D contains the following
1 gram more of Calcium increases Hip Fracture risk by 30% - 1 in 3 died after hip fracture but only 1 in 14 if add Vitamin D and exercise – RCT April 2017
- Hip fractures reduced 2X to 6X with just 10 minutes of sunlight daily – RCT 2003-2010
- Healthy hips need at least 30 ng of vitamin D (Shanghai) – Dec 2017
- Bone fractures 2.8 X more likely among cancer survivors (perhaps low vitamin D) – Dec 2017
Wonder if increased Cancer rates results in increased hip fracture rates - Few Fractures if high Magnesium intake – 2X fewer for men, 2.6X for women – June 2017
- Fast twitch muscles increased by Vitamin D in athletes and seniors (reduce falling) – Oct 2016
- Bisphosphonates 4.5 X more likely to work when vitamin D level above 33 ng – Sept 2011
- Vitamin D 2nd most recommended way to prevent next hip fracture – Nov 2010
- Fractures reduced with any amount of vitamin D and some Calcium - Cochraine April 2014
- Osteoporosis 4X more likely if poor gut (probably poor vitamin D absorption) – Aug 2017
Many forms of gut-friendly Vitamin D can be used - 20X increase in vitamin D sold and 36 percent decrease in osteoporosis business in Australia – Nov 2013
- Osteoporosis helped by Vitamin D, still not willing to recommend exact dose size – Nov 2016
Perhaps they fear losing their jobs due to subsequent decrease in Osteoporosis - Vitamin D levels increasing 7 percent per year, bones denser in Japan (probably supplementation) - June 2015
Pages listed in BOTH the categories Falls/Fracture and Meta-analysis
- Hip fractures not prevented by Vitamin D (800 IU daily or large quarterly or annual doses) – meta-analysis – Dec 2019
- Vitamin K (any amount and any kind) reduced bone fractures by 24 percent – meta-analysis – May 2019
- Vitamin D not help fractures and falls if not vitamin D deficient – meta-analysis Oct 2018
- Fractures not reduced by small amounts of vitamin D - meta-analysis Dec 2017
- Preventing Falls in Older Adults – Vitamin D combination is the best - JAMA Meta-analysis Nov 2017
- Hip fracture 58 percent more likely if low vitamin D – meta-analysis March 2017
- Fracture risk reduced somewhat by 800 IU of vitamin D and Calcium – meta-analysis Oct 2015
- Acute fracture patients – 70 percent were vitamin D deficient – meta-analysis Sept 2015
- Falls not prevented by vitamin D given every 3 months or less often – meta-analysis Jan 2015
- Vitamin D prevents falls – majority of meta-analyses conclude – meta-meta analysis Feb 2015
- Vitamin D and fractures – 24 meta-analyses and counting – Dec 2014
- Bone fractures reduced by a minimum of 800 IU vitamin D and Calcium – meta-meta-analysis March 2014
- Fractures reduced with any amount of vitamin D and some Calcium - Cochraine April 2014
- Fallers often had less than 20 ng of vitamin D – meta-analysis April 2014
- Hip fractures greatly reduced by sunshine, vitamin D, and vitamin K – meta-analysis Sept 2012
- Vitamin D may prevent falls and fractures without Calcium – an overview of 9 meta-analysis – Oct 2012
- Hip fractures reduced 30 percent with 800 IU of vitamin D – meta-analysis July 2012
- Vitamin D reduces falls – meta-analysis Oct 2011
- Active form of vitamin D (calcitriol) cut in half the fractures following organ transplant – meta-analysis Aug 2011
- 1000 IU minimum to decrease falls and fractures Swiss - 2009
- Meta-analysis of falls and 800+ IU of vitamin D found good results – June 2010
- 800 IU vitamin D reduces falls - Dec 2009
Falls and Fractures category contains the following summary
219 items in FALLS and FRACTURES - see also Overview Seniors and Vitamin D
- Overview Fractures and Falls and Vitamin D
- Deaths due to falls doubled in just a decade (age-adjusted, perhaps decreased vitamin D) – June 2019
- Preventing Falls in Older Adults – Vitamin D combination is the best - JAMA Meta-analysis Nov 2017
- Falls cut in half by 100,000 IU vitamin D monthly - RCT 2016
- Vitamin D prevents falls – majority of meta-analyses conclude – meta-meta analysis Feb 2015
- Vitamin D and fractures – 24 meta-analyses and counting – Dec 2014
Hip fracture
- Search Vitamin D Life for "HIP FRACTURE" 191 items not in PDF as of July 2020
- A call to action: Vitamin D for hip fracture – Holick July 2020
- Risk factors for death after hip fracture surgery – 7 of the 8 are associated with low vitamin D – Aug 2020
- 3.5 X higher risk of death 2 years after hip fracture surgery if low vitamin D – Jan 2020
- Hip fracture recovery best with home exercise plus Vitamin D – RCT Dec 2018
- Hip fracture 58 percent more likely if low vitamin D – meta-analysis March 2017
- Fracture risk 40 percent higher risk if low Vitamin D - June 2019
- 1 in 3 died after hip fracture but only 1 in 14 if add Vitamin D and exercise – RCT April 2017
See also web
- Side effects of bisphosphonates
Increased bone pain, Digestive problems, Pain at injection site, Flu-like symptoms, Low calcium levels. Change in kidney function, Skin rash, Osteonecrosis - Fosamax $34/pill - weekly? 2017
Note: Vitamin D costs 20 cents per week - but no profit to Big-Pharma
Hip fractures rates have been increasing since 2012 – Feb 2018Printer Friendly PDF this page! Follow this page for updates1714 visitors, last modified 12 Feb, 2018,