Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2018 and is preserved for historical interest. Some recommendations, regulations, and scientific evidence have changed since it was written. It reflects the research and perspectives available at that time.
Research appearing in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (2008 May;23[5]:741-9) found that supplementation with vitamin D and calcium may reduce the instance of stress fractures. Researchers gave 2,000 mg. of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D, or a placebo to a random sampling of over 5,000 female Navy recruits during the eight weeks of basic training. During training, 309 of the recruits developed stress fractures. Those who received the supplementation had a 20% lower incidence of stress fractures than the placebo group.
