Supplementary Calcium, but not Dietary Calcium, Associated with an Increased Risk of Kidney Stones

By Dr. Mercola | September 07 2011

Conventional medical strategies for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis frequently include calcium supplementation. But this has been undermined by studies which show disappointing effects on fracture prevention.  Nonetheless, its use has continued to be encouraged on the grounds that it is physiologically appealing, and is unlikely to cause harm.

However, the assumption that it has no ill effects is now in question.  There is accumulating evidence that calcium supplement use is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, and possibly stroke. The latest data shows that the number of cardiovascular events caused is likely to be greater than the number of fractures prevented.

According to a study in the journal Maturitas:

“These findings indicate that calcium supplementation probably does not have a role as a routine preventative agent and that dietary advice is the appropriate way to attain an adequate calcium intake in most situations. Patients at high risk of fracture need to take interventions of proven anti-fracture efficacy. Available evidence suggests that this efficacy is not dependent on the co-administration of calcium supplements.”

Sources:

  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21621353 

About Dr Kevin Lau
Dr Kevin Lau DC is the founder of Health In Your Hands, a series of tools for Scoliosis prevention and treatment. The set includes his book Your Plan for Natural Scoliosis Prevention and Treatment, a companion Scoliosis Exercises for Prevention and Correction DVD and the innovative new iPhone application ScolioTrack. Dr Kevin Lau D.C. is a graduate in Doctor of Chiropractic from RMIT University in Melbourne Australia and Masters in Holistic Nutrition from Clayton College of Natural Health in USA. In 2006 I was awarded the "Best Health-care Provider Awards" by the largest Newspaper publication in Singapore on October 18 2006 as well as being interviewed on Primetime Channel News Asia as well as other TV and Radio. For more information on Dr Kevin Lau, watch his interviews or get a free sneak peek of his book, go to: http://www.hiyh.info.