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- Bone Bust
In the world today, studies have shown that the older we get the more brittle our bones get in our bodies. Older adults are at a higher risk for vitamin D deficiency – weakened bones. However, taking vitamin D supplements may not improve our bone strength. A study was conducted with 379 people aged 70 and older. They were randomly assigned monthly doses of vitamin D supplements for one year. After one year, the study showed that none of the participants really showed a change in bone mineral density, a measure of bone strength. However, on the positive side of things, there were no negative side effects from taking the supplements, but there were some hormone changes which created positive effects on bone functions. In order to best protect your bones early in life, eat a healthy diet that includes some source of vitamin D: fortified dairy products, cereals and fatty fish such as tuna or salmon. It is not too late to start eating healthy now, which may produce small positive results. Let’s start eating healthier so that we can live longer not only for ourselves, but for our families.
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture