Vitamin D is Easy Way to Help Maintain Health After Menopause

by | Jun 19, 2012 | 2012, Menopause, Vitamin D - General, Women's Health

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. A review shows health benefits for postmenopausal women in a 23% reduced risk of falling, 15% lower risk of colorectal cancer, 11% lower risk of breast cancer, and 16% lower risk of high blood pressure.

The onset of menopause comes with a number of health challenges for women. These include increased risks for osteoporosis (affecting 44 million Americans at a cost of $19 billion per year (1)), breast cancer (a significant contributor to cancer $219 billion each year (2)), colorectal cancer (2nd-leading cancer cause of death (3)), and cardiovascular disease ($503 billion cost in 2010 (4)).

Fortunately, a new review (5) has shown that having adequate blood levels of vitamin D can help with many of these health challenges. The current recommendations by the National Institute of Health is to have vitamin D blood levels above 50 nanomoles/milliter (20 nanograms/Liter) and for women older than 51 years of age to take between 600 and 800 IU per day of vitamin D (6).

Vitamin D’s health benefits in postmenopausal women include:

Increased bone strength and reduced risk for falls — A 2009 study in patients with an average age of 65 years or older receiving 700-1000 IU/day of vitamin D had a 19% reduction in the risk of falls. When vitamin D blood levels reached at least 60 nmol/L (24 ng/mL) there was a 23% reduced risk of falling (7).

Reduced breast and colorectal cancer risks — Following up on research showing vitamin D’s anti-cancer properties (8,9), a 2011 study showed that every 10 ng/mL (25 nmol/L) increase vitamin D blood levels decrease the risk for colorectal by 15% and breast cancer by 11% (10). These results led the researchers to comment that “it seems [vitamin D blood levels] display a consistent inverse relationship with [breast and colorectal] cancer.”

Reduced cardiovascular disease risk – Another 2011 study showed every 16 ng/mL (40 nmol/L) increase in serum 25(OH)D levels decrease the risk of having high blood pressure by 16% (11).

Fortunately, the researchers’ recommendations to get enough vitamin D are relatively simple, “In healthy postmenopausal women, adequate [blood levels] can be achieved through sun exposure (15 minutes per day, 3–4 times a week) or vitamin D supplementation with 800–1000 IU/day.” For women with low vitamin D blood levels, the supplemented doses should range from 4000 to 10,000 IU/day “to achieve adequate levels.”

For women with morbid obesity (pre and post gastrointestinal bypass surgery), problems with absorption or liver or kidney problems, the researchers recommend “specific tailored doses of vitamin D supplements.”  Finally, women with vitamin D deficiency related to osteoporosis “should receive adequate amounts of vitamin D (800–1200 IU/day if there are no associated risk factors for low serum vitamin D levels).”

Source: Pérez-López, Faustino R., et al. “EMAS position statement: vitamin D and postmenopausal health.” Maturitas 71.1 (2012): 83-88.

Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Posted June 19, 2012. 

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com

References:

  1.  “Osteoporosis Basics” – see the National Osteoporosis Foundation website.
  2.  “Costs of Cancer” posted on the American Cancer Society website.
  3. “Colorectal Cancer Fact Sheet” posted on the Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition Website.
  4.  “Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention” – see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  5. D. EMAS position statement: Vitamin D and postmenopausal health.  Maturitas 2012; 71(1): 83-88.
  6.  “Vitamin D” – see the Office of Dietary Supplements website.
  7. Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Dawson-Hughes B, Staehelin HB, et al. Fall prevention with supplemental and active forms of vitamin D: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMJ 2009;339:b3692.
  8. Trump DL, Deeb KK, Johnson CS. Vitamin D: considerations in the continued development as an agent for cancer prevention and therapy. Cancer J 2010;16:1–9.
  9. Stambolsky P, Tabach Y, Fontemaggi G, et al. Modulation of the vitamin D3 response by cancer-associated mutant p53. Cancer Cell 2010;17:273–85.
  10. Gandini S, Boniol M, Haukka J, et al. Meta-analysis of observational studies of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and colorectal, breast and prostate cancer and colorectal adenoma. Int J Cancer 2011;128:1414–24.
  11. Burgaz A, Orsini N, Larsson SC, Wolk A. Blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and hypertension: a meta-analysis. J Hypertens 2011;29:636–45.
  12. Stockton KA, Mengersen K, Paratz JD, Kandiah D, Bennell KL. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on muscle strength: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Osteoporos Int 2011;22:859–71.