[Research] New study on calcium

[MaryK]

Hi: I just found this article on taking supplemental calcium which I found rather disturbing since I take prednisone for RA and phenobarbital for epilepsy which have caused me to have osteoporosis. Now, this study seems to point to calcium causing heart disease. Take a 2000 mg of calcium per day. Always something.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/...s-for-nutrient-hungry-nation/?test=latestnews

MaryK

 

[Nakamova]

It's a tough call, but I think if you DO have a deficiency caused by medication, it's okay to go ahead and take the calcium supplements. Folks with no particular need to boost their calcium should probably give supplements a pass, especially since it's pretty easy to get calcium from dietary sources alone.

 

[epileric]

The article I read said that it was probably the larger amounts being supplemented at once that causes a build-up of it in the blood. You might want to take the your 2000 mg in numerous doses if you don't already.

The effect may result from unnatural spikes in calcium in the bloodstream after taking supplements, said Dr. Aliya Khan, director of the calcium disorder clinic at McMaster University in Hamilton.

"Dietary calcium is more slowly absorbed whereas these concentrated calcium supplements may potentially contribute to calcification in the blood vessels," Khan said in an interview from a meeting in Winnipeg.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/05/23/calcium-supplements-heart.html

 

[MaryK]

Yes, I take my calcium 4 times a day. I guess your body can only absorb 600 mg at a time anyway. I have a a minimally calcifed infrarenal abdominal aorta, but was told it was not of significance because of my age.. 59.