Why Calcium is Still Important

I have long been a believer in getting plenty of calcium and the reasons why are clear to anyone who follows the news. The numbers are staggering: more than 200 million people worldwide have osteoporosis (10 million of those in the United States).
But osteoporosis itself is not the primary problem; the real harm comes from broken bones. It has been estimated that women over 50 years old have a 50% chance of fracture some time in their lives because of osteoporosis. Even men are not immune; they have a 25% chance of fracture. That accounts for over 5,000 bone breaks every day, or two million breaks a year because of osteoporosis in the United States.
Broken bones lead to broken lives. Elderly who suffer fractures have less mobility, less independence, may become bedridden, experience depression, and may even shorten your life.

So you can imagine my concern when two recent studies suggested that taking calcium supplements might be associated with an increase risk of heart attack. Our need for adequate calcium is obvious, but if taking it could hurt our hearts, is it worth it?
I was happy to learn that a panel of academic and industry experts convened to see if they could clear up this question. The panel included experts in the fields of cardiology, nutrition, bone health, and epidemiology. The panel collected and examined the available body of scientific literature, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on calcium supplementation and the relationship to heart health.

Here is what panelist Dr. Robert Heaney, MD of Creighton University School of Medicine had to say after their review:

“There is a strong body of evidence from a variety of rigorous scientific studies reinforcing the benefits of calcium in promoting bone growth and maintenance. After reviewing the entire scope of scientific literature for calcium, we are now more confident than ever in both its health benefits and safety.”

The panel of experts has confirmed what I have been suggesting for a long time:

• most adults need around 1,000 milligrams of calcium in their diet daily (more if they are pregnant, lactating, or more than 50 years old). In my opinion you can continue to take your calcium supplements with the confidence that you are doing the best thing for your body and bones.

by Dr. Jamie McMannus, M.D.

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