Stress fractures – 83 percent had less than 40 ng of vitamin D – Sept 2015

Association of Vitamin D With Stress Fractures: A Retrospective Cohort Study

J of Foot and Ankle Surgery, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/j.jfas.2015.08.002
Jason R. Miller, DPM, FACFAS, Karl W. Dunn, DPM, AACFAS dr.karldunn at gmail.com , Louis J. Ciliberti Jr., DPM, AACFAS, Rikhil D. Patel, DPM, Brock A. Swanson, DPM

Vitamin D is an essential, fat-soluble nutrient that is a key modulator of bone health. Despite the gaining popularity throughout published medical studies, no consensus has been reached regarding a serum vitamin D level that will guarantee adequate skeletal health in a patient with an increased functional demand. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the serum concentrations of vitamin D in patients with confirmed stress fractures. A total of 124 patients were included in our retrospective cohort study. Of the 124 patients, 53 had vitamin D levels measured within 3 months of diagnosis.

An association was seen in patients with a stress fracture and vitamin D level measured, as 44 (83.02%) of the 53 patients had a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level <40 ng/mL. Although an association was seen at our institution in patients with stress fractures and a serum vitamin D concentration <40 ng/mL, a larger and prospective investigation is warranted to further understand the effect of vitamin D level and stress fracture prevention in an active, nonmilitary population.

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See also Vitamin D Life

• Many abstracts on fewer stress and bone fractures with vitamin D
• Army Training trying performance readiness bars with 1400 IU of Vitamin D (Dr. Matthews) – Sept 2018
• Stress fractures in basic training associated with 2.5 ng less vitamin D – meta-analysis Nov 2014
• Sports benefits from up to 50 ng of Vitamin – meta-analysis - Nov 2012
  "Optimal fracture prevention occurred at 25(OH) D levels of 40 ng/mL, with identical levels important for stress fracture prevention"

See also web

• Low Vitamin D, Stress Fractures Often Go Together MedPage Today
  "Healthy active adults may want to keep minimum 40 ng/mL level" comment on the same study