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Calcium Supplements May Be Bad for Your Heart: Study

Posted 5 days ago by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, May 23 – Many older Americans take calcium supplements to prevent bone loss, but they may be significantly increasing their risk for a heart attack, a new study suggests. These supplements do not help prevent heart attacks or stroke as some previous research has suggested, the study authors say. But dietary calcium might reduce the risk, they noted. "While a moderately high intake of calcium from diet may go along with a lower risk of heart attack, this is not true for supplementary calcium intake," said lead researcher Sabine Rohrmann, from the division of cancer epidemiology and prevention at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. "Instead of taking calcium supplements, men and women who want to increase their calcium intake should rely on foods, such as low-fat dairy products or mineral water, [that are] rich in ... Read more

Vitamin D, Calcium Combo May Halve Melanoma Risk in Some Women

Posted 27 Jun 2011 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, June 27 – Certain women at risk for developing melanoma, the most severe form of skin cancer, may cut the likelihood in half by taking vitamin D/calcium supplements, a new study suggests. "It looks like there is some promising evidence for vitamin D and calcium for prevention of melanoma in a high-risk group," said lead researcher Dr. Jean Tang, an assistant professor of dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine. The women most at risk of developing the life-threatening cancer are those who have had a previous non-melanoma form of skin cancer, such as basal cell or squamous cell cancer, the researchers said. Vitamin D and calcium are well-known for their roles in bone growth, but they also affect other cells in the body. Some studies have shown that vitamin D and calcium are associated with lower risk of colon, breast, prostate and other cancers, the researchers ... Read more

Americans May Not Consume Enough Calcium: Study

Posted 2 May 2011 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, April 29 – A new study finds that Americans may not be consuming enough calcium. Researchers analyzed data from 9,475 adults who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2003 to 2006 and found that self-reported calcium density was not sufficient to meet recommended levels. Reported calcium supplement use increased with age in both men and women, but median dietary intake among those aged 81 and older was lower by 23 percent among men and by 14 percent among women, compared to those aged 19 to 30. As people age, they consume less food (energy intake) and therefore less calcium. Median energy intake among men was 35 percent lower among those 81 and older (1,733 kcal/d) compared to those ages 19 to 30 (2,668 kcal/d), said the researchers from the University of Connecticut and Yale University. In women, median energy intake was 28 percent lower in the ... Read more

Health Tip: Call Your Doctor Before You Take Antacids...

Posted 15 Apr 2011 by Drugs.com

-- Antacids are medications that counteract acids in the stomach, to help ease heartburn discomfort. Many of these drugs are sold over-the-counter. But not everyone should take antacids, despite their wide availability, the American Academy of Family Physicians says. The academy mentions these people who shouldn't take antacids without first consulting a physician: People who are passing bloody stools. People who are vomiting blood. People who have heartburn that doesn't get better after two weeks of treatment. People who have painful or difficulty swallowing. People who are losing weight for no apparent reason. Read more

Calcium Supplements Linked to Boost in Heart Attack Risk

Posted 29 Jul 2010 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, July 29 – Although millions of people take calcium supplements to boost bone health and ward off osteoporosis, New Zealand researchers say the supplements have little effect on bone strength and contribute to a small increase in the risk for heart attack among older people. Rather than relying on calcium supplements, the researchers suggest that people get their required calcium, if possible, from foods. "When you look at major trials where people have been randomly assigned to take calcium or placebo, there is an increase in the risk of heart attack in the people who were randomly assigned to take calcium," said the study's lead researcher, Dr. Ian Reid, from the Department of Medicine in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland. "The extent of that increased risk is enough to completely counterbalance the small beneficial effect that calcium ... Read more

Calcium, Vitamin D Supplements OK for Arteries

Posted 15 Jun 2010 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, June 15 – Moderate doses of calcium and vitamin D supplements don't raise women's coronary artery calcium (CAC) levels, a new study finds. Deposits of calcium in blood vessels have been linked to blood vessel blockages and increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Because of this, many women have concerns about taking calcium pills to maintain bone strength, according to the authors of a report published in the June 16 issue of the journal Menopause. For this study, the researchers used cardiac computed tomography imaging to measure CAC levels in 754 women who were aged 50 to 59 at the time of enrollment. CAC scores were similar among women who took calcium (1,000 milligrams of elemental calcium daily) plus vitamin D3 (400 International Units daily) for an average of seven years and women who took a placebo. "This study provides reassuring evidence that moderate doses of ... Read more

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