Many Americans are deficient in vitamin D levels, leaving them at risk for fractured and broken bones. According to ABC News, multiple studies have shown the importance of vitamin D in increasing bone health and warding off fractures in both the young and old.
“We are dealing with a significant problem in our population, especially related to those individuals that sustain fractures,” said Joseph Lane, a bone disease specialist with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Two new studies echoing these findings were presented Tuesday at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
The first, conducted by researchers in South Korea, illustrated the importance of vitamin D in preventing risk factors in post-menopausal women. The study analyzed the cases of 104 post-menopausal women who had suffered risk fractures. About 44 percent of these women were found to have insufficient or deficient vitamin D levels, while only 13 percent of 107 women with soft tissue injuries experienced these low levels.
But perhaps the most surprising finding presented Tuesday was that bone health is in danger from low vitamin D levels even in very young women. Researchers at the University of Missouri found that women as young as 18 years old have been found to suffer orthopedic injuries as a result of low vitamin D. After studying the medical records of nearly 900 adults, researchers found that 77 percent also had insufficient or deficient levels of the vitamin.
According to ABC, vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium from food, which in turn strengthens the bones. Vitamin D levels can be increased by eating foods like salmon and tuna, mushroom, cheese and egg yolks. Vitamin D can also be found in sunshine.
