Calcium and vitamin D supplementation increases spinal BMD in healthy, postmenopausal women

We undertook a double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evalu ate the effect of a calcium and vitamin D supplement and a calcium suppleme nt plus multivitamins on bone loss at the hip, spine and forearm. The study was performed in 240 healthy women, 58-67 years of age. Duration of treatm ent was 2 years. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the lumbar spin e, hip and forearm. A dietary questionnaire was administered twice during t he study and revealed a fairly good calcium and vitamin D intake (919 mg ca lcium/day; 3.8 mu g vitamin D/day). An increase in lumbar spine BMD of 1.6% ; was observed in the treatment group after 2 years (p < 0.002). In the pla cebo group no significant changes were observed during the 2 years. Lumbar spine BMD was significantly higher in the treatment group at both 1 (p < 0. 01) and 2 years (p < 0.05) compared with the placebo group. Though not sign ificant, the same trend was seen at the hip. No significant changes from ba seline values were observed at the distal forearm in either the treatment o r the placebo group. In conclusion, we found a significant increase in urin ary calcium excretion in the treatment group compared with the placebo grou p. Together with significant changes in serum calcium and serum parathyroid hormone, this indicates that a long-term calcium and vitamin supplement of 1 g elementary calcium (calcium carbonate) and 14 mu g vitamin D-3 increas es intestinal calcium absorption. A positive effect on BMD was demonstrated , even in a group of early postmenopausal age, with a fairly good initial c alcium and vitamin D status.