Accrete

Accrete-D₃ is used to prevent and treat calcium and vitamin D deficiency in the elderly. It is also prescribed in addition to specific osteoporosis treatment for people at high risk of vitamin D and calcium deficiency.^1,2 Together, calcium and vitamin D are important for keeping bones strong and helping to prevent osteoporosis.^3-5

If your body doesn’t have enough calcium and vitamin D, it is called a deficiency. When you are deficient, you may be at risk of breaking a bone and you may have osteoporosis, or be at risk of developing this condition in the future.^4,5

Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become weak and fragile, making them break more easily.⁵

Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone doesn’t keep up with the loss of your old bone.^6,7

Imagine inside your bones is like a honeycomb. With osteoporosis, the holes in the honeycomb gradually become larger, making your bones become weaker over time.⁷

Most people don’t know they have osteoporosis until it causes them to break a bone. That’s why it is called a “silent disease”.⁷

Although fractures can occur in different parts of the body, the hip, wrist and spine are the most commonly affected sites.⁸

With enough force, anyone can break a bone. When you have osteoporosis, however, just a simple fall can result in a broken bone.⁹ While the hip, wrist and spine are the most affected sites, fractures can occur in other parts of the body.⁸

Spine fractures from osteoporosis typically happen in the lower or middle back.¹⁰

Hip fractures are most common in people in their late 70s, but they can occur in younger people too.¹¹

By taking your daily vitamin D and calcium treatment in the way your doctor has instructed you to, you can reduce the risk of suffering a hip fracture in the future.¹²

Most of the calcium in your body is in your bones.³ Your body doesn’t make this calcium. Instead, it comes from the food you eat, especially dairy products.¹ As well as building bones, calcium also helps your muscles and heart to work properly.³ If you do not have enough calcium in your diet, your body takes what it needs from your bones.³ Over time, this can make your bones weaker.

Unlike calcium, very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Instead, your body makes its own when your skin is exposed to sun.¹³ Vitamin D not only aids in calcium absorption to keep your bones healthy but also strengthens your muscles, which can improve your balance and lower the chance of falls and broken bones.¹³ How much vitamin D your skin makes depends on things like how much time you spend outside, what time of year it is and whether you are wearing sunscreen.¹⁴ As we age, our skin loses its ability to generate vitamin D so many older people will not make enough for their bodies’ needs.¹⁵

If you have low amounts of calcium and vitamin D in your body, or if you have broken a bone after a fall, you might have osteoporosis or be at risk of fractures in the future. Accrete-D₃ can help your body to maintain healthy levels of both calcium and vitamin D.¹

Accrete-D₃ comes as either a film-coated tablet or a chewable tablet.^1,2

Film-coated tablets: You take these twice a day (one in the morning and one in the evening) within one and a half hours of a meal with a glass of water or juice without chewing the tablet.¹

Chewable tablets: You chew and swallow a single orange-flavoured tablet once a day at any time with or without food.²

Some foods can make it harder for your body to absorb calcium supplements. These include spinach, rhubarb and sorrel (which are all high in something called oxalic acid) and whole cereals (which contain phosphate and phytic acid). It’s best not to eat foods rich in oxalic acid, phosphate or phytic acid for two hours before or after your medicine, as they can make it less effective.^1,2

Film-coated tablets: These aren’t vegetarian because they contain gelatin from beef, and the vitamin D3 in them comes from lanolin from the wool of live, healthy sheep. They are not suitable for vegans because of these ingredients.

Chewable tablets: These contain vitamin D3 from sheep’s wool, so whether they’re okay for vegetarians depends on personal choice. They are not suitable for vegans because of this ingredient.

As calcium and vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis are “silent” conditions that you can’t feel, you won’t be able to sense Accrete-D₃ working inside you. As such it’s essential to take your medication exactly as your doctor recommends, otherwise it is likely your bones will get weaker over time, increasing your risk of breaking a bone.¹⁸

Side effects are always a possibility with any kind of medication. So while not everyone does suffer side effects, there’s a chance you may do. You will reduce the chance of these effects if you take your medicine exactly as instructed.

If you notice anything different when you start to take Accrete-D₃, like feeling sick or constipated, or if you suffer an allergic reaction (such as itching, wheezing, swelling of the tongue or throat or a skin rash) stop taking Accrete-D₃ immediately and see your healthcare professional.^16,17 They may ask you to come in for regular check-ups to make sure that you are getting the right amount of medicine. This is normal for people who are taking calcium and vitamin D.

Be sure to read the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with your medication for further details on possible side effects.

If you experience any side effects, talk to your Healthcare Professional. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk.

If you would like more information about osteoporosis, or want to talk to someone about your condition, the Royal Osteoporosis Society has a helpline staffed by specialist nurses. You can give them a call on 0808 800 0035 or send an email enquiry to nurses@theros.org.uk