Vitamin D is essential to bone strength. Too little can lead to osteoporosis... or brittle bones.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently advised postmenopausal women against taking low dose calcium and vitamin D saying there was no evidence it would help prevent breaks. Now, a new study, just published in the New England Journal of Medicine, looks at the effectiveness of high doses of Vitamin D, and whether it wards off fractures in women age 65 and over.

A group of researchers at the University of Zurich poured over 11 different Vitamin D studies, which included more than 30-thousand women. The conclusion: that vitamin D, in high doses, provides a "somewhat favorable" ability to prevent nonvertebral fractures in women in this age group.

These findings support the most recent recommendation from the Institute of Medicine that women 65 years of age or older take a high dose -- 800 International Units -- of vitamin D every day.

I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the news from today that can lead to healthy tomorrows.