Don't Forget to Take Your Vitamin D

There’s a reason we prescribe Vitamin D for those suffering from osteoporosis…it helps your body better absorb the calcium needed for strong bones, which can be fragile and weakened from the condition. Osteoporosis often contributes to debilitating fractures and painful breaks.

Yet a scant few are following their doctor’s orders when it comes to Vitamin D follow-up treatment after a hip fracture.

 A recent study from Canada examined patients who suffered from osteoporosis-related hip fractures, and found that a mere 45 percent of them were consistently taking their Vitamin D as recommended. Researchers interviewed 573 hip-fracture patients and tracked their Vitamin D supplement use two years after injury, and barely half admitted to taking them regularly, with 19 percent not taking them at all.

Inconsistent use of the supplement, and Vitamin D deficiency, can lead to repeat fractures where the original did not heal properly as well as newly damaged bones. Other common osteoporosis-related fractures occur in the spine, wrist, arm, ankle, or leg.

It is estimated that 44 million people in the U.S. suffer from osteoporosis, and another 10 million are at risk for developing the disease (International Osteoporosis Foundation).

At Texas Orthopedics, we support the guidelines from the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board  which recommends 600 International Units (IUs) of Vitamin D daily for adults, and 800 IUs for those ages 71 and older.

If you have certain risk factors for osteoporosis, including a family history of the condition, please contact us for a screening. We can develop a successful treatment plan for you that includes healthy diet and exercise, along with a combination of calcium and Vitamin D supplements, and physical therapy and prescription medication as necessary.

(Courtesy of the AAOS-American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

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