Calcium Supplements May Be Harmful
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ABN 61 082 034 393 | Level 7/418A Elizabeth Street Surry Hills 2010 | PO Box 1147 Strawberry Hills 2012 Phone: 02 8217 8700 | Fax: 02 9211 7578 | email: [email protected] | web: www.nps.org.au MEDIA RELEASE 1 FEBRUARY 2013 Calcium supplements may be harmful Calcium supplements, commonly used with vitamin D to treat or prevent osteoporosis, may be less effective in preventing bone fractures than previously thought, and also may increase the risk of heart disease, according to Senior research fellow Mark Bolland, Associate Professor Andrew Grey and Professor Ian Reid from the Bone and Joint Research Group, University of Auckland. Writing in the February edition of Australian Prescriber , the authors say that recent evidence shows calcium supplements increase the risk of heart attack by about 25% and stroke by 15 to 20%, outweighing any positive effects on the risk of fractures. “Based on the results of several studies reviewed, for every 1000 people treated for five years with either calcium and vitamin D or calcium only, there will be six extra heart attacks or strokes caused, but only three fractures would be prevented,” say the authors. “In light of this evidence we recommend that the widespread use of calcium and vitamin D supplements, both on their own or with bisphosphonates (a class of prescription medicines used to treat osteoporosis), is no longer appropriate and should be reconsidered.” The authors emphasise, however, that vitamin D supplementation does have a role in frail elderly people living in residential aged care, where many are vitamin D deficient. “In this group there is evidence that calcium and vitamin D supplements help prevent fractures. However some studies challenge this,” write the authors. The authors reassure readers that calcium in food has not been associated with heart attacks. Other articles in this issue look at the safe use of cancer medicines , and lithium for bipolar disorder . See the full article and others at www.australianprescriber.com ENDS. Media contact: Stephanie Childs on (02) 8217 8667, 0419 618 365 or [email protected] Australian Prescriber is an independent peer-reviewed journal providing critical commentary on therapeutic topics for health professionals, particularly doctors in general practice. It is published by NPS MedicineWise, an independent, not-for-profit organisation for quality use of medicines funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Australian Prescriber is published every two months, in hard copy distributed to health professionals free of charge, and online in full text at www.australianprescriber.com
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Calcium supplements, commonly used with vitamin D to treat or prevent osteoporosis, may be less effective in preventing bone fractures than previously thought, and also may increase the risk of heart disease, according to Senior research fellow Mark Bolland, Associate Professor Andrew Grey and Professor Ian Reid from the Bone and Joint Research Group, University of Auckland.
Transcript of Calcium Supplements May Be Harmful
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ABN 61 082 034 393 | Level 7/418A Elizabeth Street Surry Hills 2010 | PO Box 1147 Strawberry Hills 2012 Phone: 02 8217 8700 | Fax: 02 9211 7578 | email: [email protected] | web: www.nps.org.au
MEDIA RELEASE 1 FEBRUARY 2013
Calcium supplements may be harmful
Calcium supplements, commonly used with vitamin D to treat or prevent osteoporosis, may be less effective in preventing bone fractures than previously thought, and also may increase the risk of heart disease, according to Senior research fellow Mark Bolland, Associate Professor Andrew Grey and Professor Ian Reid from the Bone and Joint Research Group, University of Auckland. Writing in the February edition of Australian Prescriber, the authors say that recent evidence shows calcium supplements increase the risk of heart attack by about 25% and stroke by 15 to 20%, outweighing any positive effects on the risk of fractures. Based on the results of several studies reviewed, for every 1000 people treated for five years with either calcium and vitamin D or calcium only, there will be six extra heart attacks or strokes caused, but only three fractures would be prevented, say the authors. In light of this evidence we recommend that the widespread use of calcium and vitamin D supplements, both on their own or with bisphosphonates (a class of prescription medicines used to treat osteoporosis), is no longer appropriate and should be reconsidered. The authors emphasise, however, that vitamin D supplementation does have a role in frail elderly people living in residential aged care, where many are vitamin D deficient. In this group there is evidence that calcium and vitamin D supplements help prevent fractures. However some studies challenge this, write the authors. The authors reassure readers that calcium in food has not been associated with heart attacks. Other articles in this issue look at the safe use of cancer medicines, and lithium for bipolar disorder. See the full article and others at www.australianprescriber.com ENDS. Media contact: Stephanie Childs on (02) 8217 8667, 0419 618 365 or [email protected]
Australian Prescriber is an independent peer-reviewed journal providing critical commentary on therapeutic topics for health professionals, particularly doctors in general practice. It is published by NPS MedicineWise, an independent, not-for-profit organisation for quality use of medicines funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Australian Prescriber is published every two months, in hard copy distributed to health professionals free of charge, and online in full text at www.australianprescriber.com
