Vitamin A: Is it a risk factor for Osteoporosis and bone fracture?

Authors: Ribaya-Mercado, Judy; Blumberg, Jeffrey

Submitted to: Nutrition Reviews
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2007
Publication Date: 10/1/2007
Citation: Ribaya-Mercado, J., Blumberg, J. 2007. Vitamin A: Is it a risk factor for Osteoporosis and bone fracture? Nutrition Reviews. 65(10):425-438.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Results from observational studies of the association between vitamin A intake or serum retinol concentration and bone mineral density or fracture are mixed. However, serum retinol is a poor measure of vitamin A status as it is subject to homeostatic control over a wide physiologic range of hepatic vitamin A content. In contrast, the stable-isotope-dilution method provides a validated assessment of the total-body vitamin A pool size and of liver vitamin A concentration; this method is recommended in future studies on vitamin A status and human osteoporosis.