Milk Does A Body Good, But Is Too Much Calcium Simply Too Much?
A new Swedish study shows that packing your body with massive amounts of calcium via dairy products such as milk, cheese and other items does not provide better protection against bone fracture and chance of breaking a hip for example. Basically it is important to stick to the recommended 750 milligrams per day and leave it at that.
Getting enough calcium for bone health is essential, but getting more than that doesn't appear to confer any additional benefit, Swedish researchers have found.
Eva Warensjo, a researcher in the department of surgical sciences section of orthopedics at Uppsala University states:
Dietary intake of less than 700 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day was associated with a higher risk of both fractures and osteoporosis, while higher intakes did not further reduce the risk in [a population-based] cohort of Swedish women. But this result should be cautiously interpreted and needs to be investigated further."
For the study, Warensjo and colleagues collected data on 61,433 women born between 1914 and 1948 who took part in the Swedish Mammography Cohort study in 1987.
Women in the study responded to questions about their diet and use of calcium supplements and multivitamins. In addition, researchers used information they provided to adjust for weight, height, smoking, educational status and the use of estrogen-replacement therapy for menopause, among other factors.
During 19 years of follow-up, 24% of the women had a fracture for the first time. Of these, 6% were hip fractures, the researchers noted. In addition, an analysis of 5,022 women in a study subgroup found 20% had developed osteoporosis.
More than 40 million people in the United States have or are at high risk for osteoporosis due to low bone mass, according to federal health agencies.
Women who consumed about 750 mg of calcium a day had the lowest risk of fracture. However, women who consumed more than 750 mg did not see their risk for fracture or osteoporosis decline further. In fact they appeared have a higher risk of hip fracture, with a hazard ratio of 1.19. Interesting.
Milk, yogurt, and cheese are rich natural sources of calcium and are the major food contributors of this nutrient to people in the United States. Nondairy sources include vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage, kale, and broccoli. Most grains do not have high amounts of calcium unless they are fortified; however, they contribute calcium to the diet because they contain small amounts of calcium and people consume them frequently.
The two main forms of calcium in supplements are carbonate and citrate. Calcium carbonate is more commonly available and is both inexpensive and convenient. Both the carbonate and citrate forms are similarly well absorbed, but individuals with reduced levels of stomach acid can absorb calcium citrate more easily. Other calcium forms in supplements or fortified foods include gluconate, lactate, and phosphate. Calcium citrate malate is a well-absorbed form of calcium found in some fortified juices. The body absorbs calcium carbonate most efficiently when the supplement is consumed with food, whereas the body can absorb calcium citrate equally effectively when the supplement is taken with or without food.
