British Medical Journal Reports On Maintaining Bone Health, Says Calcium Supplements “Very Important”

Writer: Robert Valenzuela on Aug 9 2010.

Bone Health: Calcium Supplements Very Important - British Medical Journal

Calcium supplements play a very important role in maintaining bone health says British Medical Journal.

Meta-analysis does not undermine entire body of research on essential mineral.

Sufficient calcium intake, shown in a scientific research study, has a significant role in building and maintaining maximum bone mass, and consumers should not doubt the effectiveness of calcium supplements for maintaining bone health according to the British Medical Journal.

“Adequate calcium intake is vital to building and maintaining healthy bones, and to preventing osteoporosis, which is caused by a failure to build adequate bone mass or by bone loss that occurs as we age.

“Most people do not get enough calcium from diet alone, and this is where a calcium supplement can be important to consumers of all ages,” said Andrew Shao, Ph.D., senior vice president, scientific & regulatory affairs, Council for Responsible Nutrition.

“The results from this meta-analysis do not undermine the value calcium supplements offer to those concerned with maintaining or increasing bone density, as years of research shows these products do.”

The effects of the calcium supplements were studied on the danger that it may cause cardiovascular incidents.

The result that it indeed increases endangerment suggested that there should be an evaluation of using calcium supplements for the treatment of osteoporosis according to the authors of the meta-analysis.

In contradicting the findings of the meta-analysis, CRN stated that the conclusions are overstatements giving the limited scope of meta-analysis.

While it was possible to include over 300 scientific studies on calcium supplements effect on bones, the analysis, for example, have found it necessary to use only 15 random selections as eligible for analyses.

And compounding it all, out of 15 trials evaluated, seven had no, or incomplete data on cardiovascular outcomes and only five of the total 15 studies were the only source for all the cardio vascular results.

And with the exclusion of trials in administering calcium with vitamin D, many conclusive studies were omitted, including the Women’s Health Initiative, which established the calcium and vitamin D working in tandem had no effect on the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke were snubbed.

“The authors characterize these findings as though all of the selected studies suggest increased risk. In fact, the opposite is true: most of the studies do not suggest increased risk,” says Dr. Shao. “Bone health is one of the most common reasons why healthcare professionals recommend calcium supplements; there are other health benefits that may be associated with calcium supplementation, such as reduction of colon cancer risk”.

“This is not even considered by the authors. It’s unfortunate that these researchers are making sweeping judgments about the value of calcium supplements by only assessing a handful of handpicked studies.”

The original studies included in the meta-analysis were not intended to assess cardiovascular outcomes, Dr. Shao pointed out.

As there were no publications on the data on cardiovascular events before, meta-analysts had to find the information separately, 10 even 20. years after the original study was published in some instances.

“Meta-analysis can be a useful tool for scientific evaluation, but we have to recognize its limitations, and keep in mind that its findings are based on a collection of past studies that may have different designs, doses and study populations,” says Dr. Shao.

“This analysis should not dissuade consumers, particularly young women, from taking calcium supplements. They should talk with their doctors about their current and long-term needs and determine how much calcium they are getting from their diets, and supplement accordinglyólikely in combination with vitamin D.”

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