19 October, 2016

Calcium tablets may cause more harm than good

In life, balance is necessary for overall well-being, whether it is a work-to-life balance, or a food-to-exercise balance. Similarly, nutritional balance is important to maintain a healthy body. As the human body ages, it becomes imperative to supplement the nutrition available through food with external sources. In women after menopause in particular,calcium and vitamin D supplementation can mean the difference between healthy bones and osteoporosis. However, this supplementation is not without its risks, as recent research has demonstrated that overall heart health may take a hit with daily intake of calcium and vitamin D through supplementation.

A 2013 study in the US showed that calcium supplements in men increase risk of heart attack and strokes. A recent study showed that calcium supplements in women prevented osteoporosis and fracture. But they increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. So the benefit of calcium supplementation was offset by the long term adverse events of the same.

The study involved an analysis of data from healthy 65 year old women with average body mass index. The data was used to devise a model that evaluated the effect of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on total health, when compared to no supplementation. The results were striking, and indicated that if 100,000 women took 1000 mg calcium daily, around 5890 hip fractures and 3820 other fractures would be prevented, but on the other hand, over 5917 heart attacks and 4373 strokes could occur instead. In other words, while calcium and vitamin D supplementation measurably reduce the incidence of fractures, their benefits do not outweigh the risk of heart disease that accompanies them. Overall, the number of years lost due to heart disease was more than the number of years gained from preventing fractures. The results also suggested that calcium and vitamin D supplementation would be cost-effective only for women who were at low risk of heart disease, and not for women who were at high risk. However, the results do not imply a direct association between calcium supplementation and increased risk of heart disease, and future studies need to explore this connection further.

Till a few years back, we doctors used to prescribe calcium to many of our patients, especially those who complained of bone or joint pains.However, in the recent years, there have been large studies which possibly highlight the nuances of doing so. Although this still needs to proved in larger trials, we as doctors now don't prescribe much calcium. We however ensure normal vitamin D, which is a more natural way to absorb dietary calcium. So watch out before popping that calcium pill, as it may not be all that it claims to be!

Source: www.timesofindia.com

19.10.2016

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