By David Liu, PHD

Monday Dec 17, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Taking pyridoxine supplements may help prevent hip fracture, according to a study in Osteoporosis International.  

The study led by Z. Dai at National University of Singapore in Singapore, Singapore and colleagues found women in the highest quartile of B vitamin intake were 22 percent less likely to suffer hip fracture.

The researchers analyzed data from 63,257 men and women aged 45-74 years enrolled in the Singapore Chinese Health Study between 1993 and 1998 to determine the association between dietary intakes of B vitamins (riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, pyridoxine, folate, and cobalamin) and hip fracture risk.

Dietary intake of B vitamins was estimated based on data from participants through a validated food frequency questionnaire in reference to the Singapore Food Composition Database.

During a mean follow-up of 13.8 years, 1,630 hip fracture incident cases were recorded.  Dietary intake of pyridoxine was found associated with reduced risk of hip fracture among women, but not men.

Other B vitamins were not associated with hip fracture risk.

The researchers concluded "Our findings suggest that maintaining adequate intake of pyridoxine may prevent osteoporotic fractures among elderly women."

Pyridoxine is a B vitamin, which is also know as vitamin b6.  This vitamin has been used in pharmacologic doses to treat a variety of health conditions including side effects of oral contraceptives, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), depression, morning sickness (nausea and vomiting in pregnancy), and carpal tunnel syndrome. But its efficacy varies from study to study.

Pyridoxine is an essential vitamin and it must be obtained through diet or supplements.