Cochrane review finds that Vitamin D and Calcium treat osteoporosis – Feb 2010

Calcium and vitamin D for treating osteoporosis caused by the use of steroids

Corticosteroids are widely used to treat inflammation. Bone loss (osteoporosis) is a serious side effect of this therapy.

We reviewed a total of 5 trials which included 742 patients.

We found that after two years of treatment, the bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and forearm of patients taking calcium and vitamin D therapy improved more than patients who had no treatment.

There was no difference in the number of fractures or laboratory measures of bone density between the two groups.

We found that calcium and vitamin D is effective at preventing and treating corticosteroid-induced bone loss at the lumbar spine and forearm. The treatment appears to be safe.

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A 90 page Cochrane report on Vitamin D, Calcium and Osteoporosis from 2009 is attached at the bottom of this page

While the report summary 'suggested' that vitamin D might cause kidney stones, none of the 84,000 participants seemed to get kidney stones.