Calcium Helps, Doesn't Help, Helps...

Here we go again!

In February, the widely held belief that Calcium
supplementation helps prevent osteoporosis was shot
down by a report from the Women's Health Initiative Study.
Monday, April 24, 2006, the Archives
of Internal Medicine published a study that swings
us back to the belief that it works after all. What
should we believe?

Sometimes studies leave us with confusing and
conflicting results. Studies may need to be redesigned
or repeated before we'll know the truth.

This is a case where the interpretation of the study
and study design led us to believe calcium has no
effect erroneously.

The WHI study reported results of women who were in
the group that was SUPPOSED to take calcium. However,
not all of them actually did! When statistically
insignificant results were reported, it was because of
compliance, not efficacy. When the results are
analyzed for women who actually took their calcium,
there was a 29% lower risk of hip fractures than those
who didn't. It also found a 21% reduced risk for women
over 60, even if they weren't consistent in taking
their supplement every day!

Further disrupting the results of the WHI study, women
in the control group could've been taking hormone
replacement therapy or other medications that can
prevent bone loss, or taking calcium without being
told to.

In the study reported in the Archives of Internal
Medicine, women who took at least 80 percent of their
600 mg calcium supplement twice a day, had a 44%
reduction in fractures!

Conclusion from all the recent studies: take the
doctor recommended 1200 mg of calcium with vitamin D
a day if you're a woman over 50.

Committed to your health,
Maren