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Do Calcium Supplements Have
Side Effects?
Calcium, what is it? Why is it needed by the body? Calcium
is the most abundant mineral in the human body and has a lot
of important functions. 99% of calcium is to be found in
the bones and teeth while the remaining 1% is found
throughout the body in our muscles, blood and the fluid
between the cells.
Calcium has many functions in our body. Calcium is important
because it supports the structure of the bones and teeth, it
is used for muscle contraction , it is used for sending
messages through the nervous system and the secretion of
hormones and enzymes. A constant level of calcium is also
used to maintain a level in body fluid and tissues in order
for vital body processes to function efficiently.
As we know see, calcium is very important in our bodies that
there is a need to maintain our intake of calcium and we are
usually advice to take in calcium supplements. But the
question is, do these calcium supplements have side
effects?
According to British Medical Journal which published a
study by the University of Auckland New Zealand the answer
may be a yes. The study which focused on assessing the
effects of calcium supplements on healthy postmenopausal
women's risk on cardiovascular events, took a randomized
placebo controlled trial that involved 1,471 postmenopausal
women that had an average age of 74 years old. The trial was
conducted over a period of five years.
732 women took calcium citrate in a 400 mg dose before
breakfast and a 600 mg dose in the evening. Then 739 women
took placebo. They were evaluated every 6 months. And you
know what happened? You know what they found out? 21 women
in the calcium group and 10 women in the placebo group
experienced a heart attack .The calcium group had a 47%
higher incidence of heart attack, stroke or sudden death.
The researchers concluded that calcium supplementation in
healthy postmenopausal women increases cardiovascular event
rates. The researchers concluded that before calcium
supplementation should be broadly advocated, this new
foundings should be first considered carefully.
Add to that, the AJCN also published a study that was
conducted by University Hospital Zürich that according to
them found no protective association between hip fractures
and a 555mg per day intake of calcium. Their study involved
a randomized controlled study of over 5600 women 58 years
older and they found out that calcium supplementation may
increase the risk for hip fracture by 64%.
Their research recommended that our calcium intake may be
too high, our vitamin D intake too low. Because of these
high intake, we may be experiencing a calcium overdose.
Looks like we really need to have a second look on our
calcium intake. Have a nice day everyone!
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