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defyfear
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| Joined: | Tuesday September 6th, 2005 |
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Posted: Monday September 26th, 2005 13:41 |
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National Experts are Asking, 'Is Your Beauty Bone Deep?' ... And Finding Bone Health Isn't Always Top of Mind -
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- A growing body of research supports
the finding that vitamin D deficiency is a major health crisis for African-
American women. While 70 percent of all women ages 51-70 and nearly 90 percent
of women older than 70 aren't getting enough vitamin D, African-American women
are at even greater risk. If they're between 19 and 49 years old, they have
10 times less vitamin D in their blood than their Caucasian counterparts.
Active, healthy lives depend on beautiful, healthy bones. Healthy bones
depend on calcium, which in turn depends on vitamin D to help with calcium's
absorption into the body. In addition to bone health, vitamin D is also
important in building and maintaining healthy muscles.
Vitamin D helps muscle cells mature and function and helps keep them
active and strong enough to support the body. On the other hand, lack of
vitamin D can make muscles weak, which may be why symptoms of aching bones and
muscle discomfort, which are unexplained by any other illness, may be the
symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.
"Healthy bones are essential for keeping women active, vibrant and mobile
throughout life," says Dr. Michael Thomas, a nationally renowned women's
health expert.
"Long after we've reached mid-life, it's our bones that help our bodies
keep up with our attitudes."
More than two-thirds of African-American women mistakenly believe they are
getting enough vitamin D. In addition, African Americans typically have denser
bones, so there is a false assumption that calcium and vitamin D deficiency
bypasses this group. The reality is that when African-American women reach
midlife, their risk of developing osteoporosis more closely resembles that of
Caucasians, and if over the age of 65, between 80 percent and 95 percent of
bone fractures among African-American women are due to osteoporosis.
"Simple changes in diet, exercise and mindset can be the difference
between daily aches and muscle discomfort and maintaining a vibrant, active
lifestyle well past your prime," Dr. Thomas says. "The time is now to join the
U.S. Surgeon General and other bone experts to help minimize the epidemic and
join the quest to get women of color bone-healthy beautiful."
THE COLOR IN BONES - WHY BLACK WOMEN ARE AT HIGHER RISK
A variety of factors can cause calcium and vitamin D deficiency in
African-American women. The high melanin content in darker skin reduces the
skin's ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight. In fact, experts note that
people with darker skin may need 20 to 30 times as much exposure to sunlight
as fair-skinned individuals to generate the same amount of vitamin D.
Inadequate intake of vitamin D in diet is another factor. Studies confirm
that African Americans consume the lowest amounts of vitamin D from food alone
among different ethnicities. According to the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), as many as 75 percent of African Americans are lactose intolerant,
possibly further limiting the consumption of calcium and vitamin D fortified
dairy products.
Bone Straight ... the Low-down on Supplements
More than 75 percent of Americans are not meeting the current calcium
intake recommendation. And while some women may think they're receiving
enough, most women in a recent study underestimated their daily calcium needs
by at least half. Consequently, African-American women, who are at higher
risk than the general population, should consider taking a calcium supplement
with vitamin D to help make up for what is needed daily. Here are tips on
choosing the right calcium and vitamin D supplement for you:
* All Choked Up! ... Many women have problems swallowing calcium pills.
Consider smaller, chewable tablets and those that are carbonate-based,
which are more concentrated and allow you to take fewer pills.
* The Host with the Most! ... Check for calcium supplements with at least
500mg per serving that are enhanced with 400 IU of vitamin D, like the
Os-Cal(R) Chewable with the most vitamin D.
* Takers can be Choosers! ... Not all calcium supplements are the same.
Calcium carbonate-based supplements are generally more economical per
dose because the calcium is the most concentrated. They also are the
most widely used so they're easily accessible over the counter at most
major grocery and drug stores.
VITAMIN D MATTERS!
Living out its commitment to keeping America bone healthy, the Os-Cal
Chewable We Matter, Vitamin D Matters! Forums are a series of educational
events that will be held in churches across the country to help African-
American women learn about the importance of maintaining their bone health -
along with their inner spiritual beauty. The inaugural event kicked off
July 29 in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the National Urban League's
annual conference. Each forum will feature "O," The Oprah Magazine's, "Dream
Team of Health Experts" (Byllye Avery, Dr. Janet Taylor and Dr. Susan Taylor)
to inspire women to stay bone healthy.
"The first and most important step in preventing vitamin D deficiency is
to become a catalyst for dispelling myths in the African-American community
about bone health," Dr. Thomas says. "These events allow for open, honest
discussion and create a platform to dispel myths that have circulated within
the African-American community for years -- such as we don't need supplements
because of our higher bone densities. It's a chance to teach and --
potentially -- to make lives longer through beautiful, healthy bones."
Call 1-866-My-Bone-Health for a free guide about keeping your bones
healthy, or visit http://www.oscal.com/champion for more information.
BY THE NUMBERS!
How Much Calcium Do I Need?*
Women(1)
9-18 years 1,300 milligrams/day
19-50 years 1,000 milligrams/day
51-70+ years 1,200 milligrams/day
Pregnant/Lactating Women
Up to 18 years 1,300 milligrams/day
19+ years 1,000 milligrams/day
Post-Menopausal Women(2)
50+ (Not on HRT) 1,500 milligrams/day
How Much Vitamin D Do I Need?**
Women, 19-50 years 200 IU
Women, 51-70 years 400 IU
Women, 71+ years 600 IU
Pregnant/Lactating
Up to 18 years 200 IU
19-50 years 200 IU
* Sources: (1) National Academy of Sciences; (2) Optimal Calcium Intake,
National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement
About GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world's largest over-
the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-
known brands include the No. 1 doctor- and pharmacist-recommended calcium
supplement Os-Cal, the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette(R) and
NicoDerm(R), as well as many medicine cabinet staples, Abreva(R),
Aquafresh(R), Sensodyne(R) and Tums(R).
About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline -- one of the world's leading research-based
pharmaceutical and healthcare companies -- is committed to improving the
quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live
longer.
____________________
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