Calcium - Do I Really Need to Take a Supplement?

Should you take a calcium supplement or not? A research report published recently (2008) in the British Medical Journal suggested that if you are a woman well past menopause, and taking high quantities of calcium supplements, you may actually increase your risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.

The researchers proposed that it was the sudden increase in blood calcium levels from high doses of calcium that promoted atherosclerosis and increased risk of vascular events like heart attack or stroke. The participants in the study took a large dose of calcium (1g) in a highly absorbable form (calcium citrate is one of the easiest forms of calcium for your body to absorb).

The research has sparked some heated debate in the scientific community. This kind of debate is normal when contentious findings are published, but it may leave elderly women wondering whether they should continue to take their calcium supplement. And without a supplement, will their bones crumble?

Remember that bone structure is influenced by the amount of estrogen in your system, the amount of weight bearing exercise you undertake, your vitamin D status, your stress levels, and your calcium intake. Bone tissue is constantly being re-modelled in a healthy body; Special cells labour constantly to remove old bone tissue and replace it with new bone tissue. In osteoporosis the cells assigned to remove bone (osteoclasts) vastly outnumber the cells assigned to build bone (osteoblasts), re

ulting in a gradual decline in the total amount of bone tissue available to support your skeleton.

If you are presently taking a calcium supplement, and not sure if you should continue, here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Have you actually been diagnosed with osteoporosis? A bone density scan (x-ray) to view the structure of your bones, or a urine test to measure the level of bone collagen being excreted is an essential first step before considering whether you really need a calcium supplement. Osteoporosis is certainly a pervasive disease in elderly women, but its also important to know whether you are really at risk, or not.
• If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, you should undergo regular testing to make sure your chosen therapy is working.
• Are you taking a calcium supplement just because it seems like a good idea after menopause? If you ingest too much calcium you can upset your magnesium status. Magnesium is an important mineral for relaxing muscles and reducing blood pressure. Taking mineral supplements can sometimes harm your health if they throw your absorption of other minerals out of balance.

If you are a woman past menopause and concerned about the possibility of developing osteoporosis, it is a good idea to discuss your calcium status and possible risks of osteoporosis with your health professional before you reach for that high dose of calcium supplement

Olwen Anderson is an accredited naturopath based on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia. Visit her web site for free health information, subscribe to her monthly Health e-News for up to date natural health information; and read more articles that can help you take control of your health. Visit http://www.olwenanderson.com.au