Prevention of bone loss by vitamin D supplementation in elderly women: a randomized double-blind trial.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on bone turnover and bone loss in elderly women.

Why It Was Studied

Main outcome measures were bone mineral density of both hips (femoral neck and trochanter) and the distal radius, as well as biochemical markers of bone turnover.

The effect of vitamin D supplementation was expressed as the difference in mean (percentage) change between the placebo group and the vitamin D group.

Who Took Part

The study group was 283 women.

PubMed indexes the participants as older adults, women only.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

Neither the women nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

Some women received a placebo instead of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, giving a reference point.

What Was Measured

Main outcome measures were bone mineral density of both hips (femoral neck and trochanter) and the distal radius, as well as biochemical markers of bone turnover.

The subject headings attached to it are Bone Density, Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal, Patient Compliance and Vitamin D.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 283 women.

The publication is from 1995 (The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.