Seniors: How to STOP a Fatal Fracture
No one ever wants to break a bone.
But if there’s a bone you especially don’t want to break, it’s your hip. Seniors who break a hip have up to a 58 percent chance of dying within the year.
Those aren’t good odds.
Fortunately, there’s one common nutrient that can help seniors recover faster when they’ve suffered from a hip fracture.
This can go a long way not just toward keeping you upright… but above ground.
Hip fractures are notoriously difficult to heal from… and some people never fully recover.
About 20 percent of people who have had a hip fracture end up needing ongoing nursing home care.
And, as I said, a shocking 58 percent die within a year.
Ultimately, only about one in three people will be able to go back to the same level of independence they enjoyed prior to the break.
Vitamin D can help change those odds.
You probably already know that vitamin D is great for your bones. It’s essential for strong bones because without it, your body can’t effectively absorb calcium.
Now, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition highlights the benefits of having higher levels—and the danger of not having enough.
Researchers took a closer look at about 300 people who had undergone surgery to repair a hip fracture.
- Thirty days after the surgery, those with higher levels of vitamin D had higher rates of walking than those with lower levels.
- And ultimately, low vitamin D levels were tied to higher mobility.
Since hip fractures can ultimately be life-threatening to seniors, vitamin D can be a game-changer.
As always, I recommend getting your vitamin D straight from the best source: the sun.
The next best way to get it is through foods like dairy, leafy greens, and fatty fish.
And if your levels still aren’t high enough (I recommend aiming for 60 ng/mL), only then do I recommend a supplement.
