STRESS FRACTURES REDUCED BY VITAMIN D & CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTATION

Supplementing female military recruits with Vitamin D & calcium prevents stress fractures and debilitating overuse injuries. Sress fractures occur when bones are repetitively stressed over short periods of time without adequate time for repair, more common in women than men.
Researchers randomized 5,201 female Navy recurit volunteers to recieve 2,000 mg calcium and 800IU Vitamin D daily or placebo during eight weeks of basic training. During the treatment period,309 participants were diagnosed with stress fracture. Women who recieved calcium & Vitamin D had a 20% lower incidence of stress fracture than the placebo group.
Supplementing basic training recruits with Calcium & Vitamin D supplements may significantly reduce debility and financial costs releated to stress fractures.
Authors of study concluded------ Supplementation with Calcium & Vitamin D provides a safe, easy & inexpensive intervention that does not interfere with training goals".

The Peer- Review Journal cited above is---------
Lappe J, Cullen D, Haynatzki G, Recker R, Ahlf R, Thompson K.
Calcium and Vitamin D decreases incidence of stress fractures in Female Navy recruits. J Bone Miner Res. 2008 MAY: 25(5) : 741-9