Learnings from the postmenopausal health study for the effect of dairy products fortified with calcium and vitamin D on bone metabolism

Abstract

The main source of vitamin D in the human body is its endogenous production via skin exposure to sunlight (i.e. ultraviolet B irradiation). • Studies in sunny Mediterranean countries have shown that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is high, despite the sunny climate. • Supplementation with calcium (1,200 mg/day) and vitamin D (reaching up to 22.5 μg/day) via fortified dairy products was found to produce more favourable changes in dietary, hormonal, bone metabolism and bone mass indices in osteopenic postmenopausal women in Greece that participated in the "Postmenopausal Health Study".