By Annette Kornblum
For years, women have been told to bone up on calcium to prevent osteoporosis, a gradual thinning of the bones, but now this so-called miracle mineral is also being touted for its potential to promote weight loss, relieve depression and anxiety associated with premenstrual syndrome, control high blood pressure, and ward off strokes.
As new evidence points to the elevated role of calcium in preventing disease, it makes sense to get enough of this vital nutrient each day, especially as mid-life approaches. Experts say there is literally no body system that doesn't benefit from a healthy dose. Here's how it stacks up:
Calcium and Weight Loss:
When Dr. Robert Heaney, a calcium expert at Creighton University in Omaha, recently examined the health records of 575 women, he was astonished at the results. "We were looking at mid-life weight gain and found that women with the highest calcium intakes didn't gain weight and those with the lowest did," Dr. Heaney said.
Similarly, at the University of Tennessee, Michael Zemel, Ph.D., reported that because calcium plays a key role in metabolic disorders linked to obesity and insulin resistance, a diet low in calcium literally stockpiles fat cells while higher calcium diets depletes them. Dr. Zemel discovered that a high calcium diet released a hormone which sends signals that are read by the body's fat cells to lose weight.
A two-year Purdue University study in West Lafayette, Ind. that involved 54 women ages 18 to 31, found that women with a daily intake of at least 780 milligrams of calcium showed no increase in body fat or lost body fat mass during a two-year period. Women who averaged less than 780 milligrams of calcium gained weight during the same period.
Both exercisers and couch potatoes seemed to benefit unless they consumed more than 1,900 calories daily. All researchers said that dining on calcium-rich dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt achieved greater weight loss than leafy green vegetables, nuts, beans and supplements.
Calcium and Premenstrual Syndrome:
Susan Thys-Jacobs, an endocrinologist at St. Luke-Roosevelt Hospital's, has found that calcium supplementation can relieve the physical and emotional toll of PMS by almost 50%. At least half of the 497 women she studied who took 1,200 mg. of calcium supplements experienced fewer mood swings, depression/sadness, anxiety/nervousness; breast tenderness, bloating and other aches and pains. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, N.D. reported similar results after studying 10 women with PMS who spent half the study period on a daily diet containing 600 mg. of calcium, the other half upped to1300 mg. Women on the high calcium diet were less irritable, weepy, and depressed and averted backaches, cramping, and bloating.
Calcium and Blood Pressure:
In some people, an increase in calcium consumption can help control blood pressure without anti-hypertensive medication. A 13-year study by James Dwyer at the University of Southern California School of Medicine found that consuming 1300 milligrams of calcium a day reduced hypertension risk by 12 percent compared to only 300 mg. a day, while subjects under age 40 reduced their risk by up to 25 percent. Dr. Lawrence Resnick, a professor of medicine at Cornell University Medical Center Hypertension Center, emphasizes that the benefits are most pronounced in hypertensives who are salt-sensitive, such as African Americans.
Calcium and Cholesterol:
Dr. Margo Denke, associate professor of internal medicine at the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas found that a high-calcium regimen reduced levels of total cholesterol by six percent and slashed "bad" LDL cholesterol by 11 percent. So-called "good" HDL cholesterol levels remained unchanged.
Calcium and Stroke Prevention:
A 1999 Harvard study reported that calcium supplementation protects against stroke in middle-aged women. In the ongoing Nurses' Health Study, 85,764 women, ages 35 to 59, reported that the mineral was tied to a 32% lower risk of stroke among those with the highest intake of the mineral. Women taking at least 400 mg of calcium supplements had a 12% lower risk of ischemic stroke (the type caused by plaque buildup in blood vessel walls). Dietary calcium, especially in dairy foods, reportedly reduced stroke risk, as did potassium.
Calcium and Osteoporosis:
Osteoporosis strikes more than seven million Americans, mostly women, with another 17 million at serious risk of developing fragile bones that easily collapse, a crippling curving of the spine, and hip fractures. Research shows that boosting calcium intake can halt bone loss, especially when combined with vitamin D, which enhances its absorption.
Calcium and Colon Cancer:
Calcium may protect against growths that become malignant in those prone to colorectal cancer. Dr. Martin Lipkin, a professor of medicine at Cornell University, who first discovered the link between calcium and colorectal cancer, stresses that both calcium-rich foods and calcium supplements will produce the same beneficial effects.
Calcium and Pregnancy:
According to Barbara Levine, director of the human nutrition program at the Rockefeller University, calcium supplements can help ensure the health of the fetus and improve bone mass of the mother. In a study of hypertensive women, Levine found that adequate calcium levels and Vitamin D improved pregnancy outcomes.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Calcium Weight Loss Plan - Does Calcium Weight Loss Plan Really Work?
Calcium is not only important for bones and teeth but it also helps in fighting against many diseases and serious health conditions. Assisting in weight loss is one of the many benefits of this wondrous mineral. Recently people who have used calcium for weight loss have reported back that calcium weight loss plan does work well.
Calcium obtained from dairy sources contains too much fat content and a lot of calories. Other sources of calcium may not provide adequate amounts of calcium needed on a daily basis. The best solution is to make a calcium weight loss plan by introducing calcium-rich tablets or supplements to your everyday diet.
These calcium tablets not only help to fulfill daily calcium needs but also assist in losing weight. Calcium carbonate or coral calcium are the most effective sources of calcium and they are readily absorbed by the bloodstream when consumed after meals. Coral calcium is known to reduce acidity and helps in proper digestion of food.
You may want to make a calcium weight loss plan by introducing 6 meals a day and consuming calcium tablets after at least 3 well-balanced meals. A healthy person requires up to 1000 mg of calcium daily. Teenagers should consume up to 1200 mg, while postmenopausal women should consume up to 1500 mg of calcium on a daily basis. Make a chart of healthy, low-fat foods, count the calories and also note down the amount of calcium you consume through nutritional supplements.
Weight loss occurs slowly and gradually so you need to be very patient to see positive results. Follow your calcium weight loss plan for at least 2-3 months. During this period you will be able to see the effectiveness of a 6-meals diet along with a good dose of calcium tablets. Read the instructions on the bottle of your supplement product carefully to see how many milligrams of calcium a single tablet provides.
Liquid calcium supplements are equally effective in controlling sudden weight gain. People who are thin and have a small bone structure also need adequate amounts of calcium daily. They should obtain this calcium from milk, other dairy products, green vegetables, fresh fruits, beans, nuts and fish. In addition to these, good-quality calcium supplements can also be used to fulfill daily calcium needs.
Don’t forget to find the supplements that contain some other nutrients as well in addition to calcium. These nutrients help in proper absorption of calcium and also provide many long-term health benefits.
For optimal bone and joint health, we have been using a special natural calcium formula and for good reason, this formula is known as Bone Protect. We have personally been using this formula for over 3 years with excellent health results.
You can learn more about our product of choice and why we use this product above all other calcium formulas at optimal bone health
John Gibb is the manager of a series health websites. His latest addition discusses the calcium formula himself and the editors consume. For more information on calcium, coral calcium, and bone health as a whole, be sure to check out http://www.optimal-bone-health.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Gibb
Calcium obtained from dairy sources contains too much fat content and a lot of calories. Other sources of calcium may not provide adequate amounts of calcium needed on a daily basis. The best solution is to make a calcium weight loss plan by introducing calcium-rich tablets or supplements to your everyday diet.
These calcium tablets not only help to fulfill daily calcium needs but also assist in losing weight. Calcium carbonate or coral calcium are the most effective sources of calcium and they are readily absorbed by the bloodstream when consumed after meals. Coral calcium is known to reduce acidity and helps in proper digestion of food.
You may want to make a calcium weight loss plan by introducing 6 meals a day and consuming calcium tablets after at least 3 well-balanced meals. A healthy person requires up to 1000 mg of calcium daily. Teenagers should consume up to 1200 mg, while postmenopausal women should consume up to 1500 mg of calcium on a daily basis. Make a chart of healthy, low-fat foods, count the calories and also note down the amount of calcium you consume through nutritional supplements.
Weight loss occurs slowly and gradually so you need to be very patient to see positive results. Follow your calcium weight loss plan for at least 2-3 months. During this period you will be able to see the effectiveness of a 6-meals diet along with a good dose of calcium tablets. Read the instructions on the bottle of your supplement product carefully to see how many milligrams of calcium a single tablet provides.
Liquid calcium supplements are equally effective in controlling sudden weight gain. People who are thin and have a small bone structure also need adequate amounts of calcium daily. They should obtain this calcium from milk, other dairy products, green vegetables, fresh fruits, beans, nuts and fish. In addition to these, good-quality calcium supplements can also be used to fulfill daily calcium needs.
Don’t forget to find the supplements that contain some other nutrients as well in addition to calcium. These nutrients help in proper absorption of calcium and also provide many long-term health benefits.
For optimal bone and joint health, we have been using a special natural calcium formula and for good reason, this formula is known as Bone Protect. We have personally been using this formula for over 3 years with excellent health results.
You can learn more about our product of choice and why we use this product above all other calcium formulas at optimal bone health
John Gibb is the manager of a series health websites. His latest addition discusses the calcium formula himself and the editors consume. For more information on calcium, coral calcium, and bone health as a whole, be sure to check out http://www.optimal-bone-health.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Gibb
Calcium Intake May Protect Against Bone Loss During Moderate Weight Loss
News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD
CME Author: Désirée Lie, MD, MSEd
Release Date: April 11, 2007; Reviewed and Renewed: April 16, 2008
Healthy, overweight, premenopausal women had no bone loss with moderate weight reduction if they consumed 1 or 1.8 g/day of calcium, according to the results of a study reported in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"Weight loss is associated with bone loss, but this has not been examined in overweight premenopausal women," write Claudia S. Riedt, from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and colleagues. "Compared with obese persons, overweight persons may be more susceptible to bone loss due to reduced weight bearing, diminished extraovarial estrogen synthesis due to smaller fat depots, and reduced calcium intake due to lower energy requirements, especially during dieting.... Our aims were to examine bone turnover and mass in overweight premenopausal women with weight reduction at recommended or high calcium intakes and to determine the role of calcium absorption and hormonal regulators."
In the current study, 44 overweight premenopausal women were randomized to either normal (1 g/day) or high (1.8 g/day) calcium intake during 6 months of energy restriction (weight loss groups) or were recruited for weight maintenance with calcium intake of 1 g/day. Mean age was 38 ± 6.4 years, and mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.7 ± 2.1 kg/m2.
Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measured regional bone mineral density (BMD) and content. A dual-stable calcium isotope method measured true fractional calcium absorption at baseline and during caloric restriction. Markers of bone turnover were measured before and after weight loss.
The weight loss groups lost 7.2% ± 3.3% of initial body weight. There was no significant decrease in BMD or rise in bone turnover with weight loss at normal or high calcium intake. In the group with high calcium intake, there was a strong correlation (r = 0.71) between increased femoral neck BMD and increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. There was no significant effect of weight loss on true fractional calcium absorption, and the total calcium absorbed was adequate (238 ± 81 mg/day in the normal-calcium weight loss group, and 310 ± 91 mg/day in the high-calcium weight loss group).
Study limitations include concerns about the validity of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements in heavier people and in weight loss studies.
"We showed that dieting overweight premenopausal women do not lose bone with intakes of 1.0 or 1.8 g Ca/d, which may be explained by sufficient amounts of absorbed calcium," the authors conclude. "Furthermore, bone turnover was not up-regulated, and the calcium-PTH [parathyroid hormone] axis was not significantly increased because of weight loss. We suggest that overweight premenopausal women do not lose bone with moderate weight loss when consuming the recommended intake for calcium."
The National Institutes of Health supported this study. The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
CME Author: Désirée Lie, MD, MSEd
Release Date: April 11, 2007; Reviewed and Renewed: April 16, 2008
Healthy, overweight, premenopausal women had no bone loss with moderate weight reduction if they consumed 1 or 1.8 g/day of calcium, according to the results of a study reported in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"Weight loss is associated with bone loss, but this has not been examined in overweight premenopausal women," write Claudia S. Riedt, from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and colleagues. "Compared with obese persons, overweight persons may be more susceptible to bone loss due to reduced weight bearing, diminished extraovarial estrogen synthesis due to smaller fat depots, and reduced calcium intake due to lower energy requirements, especially during dieting.... Our aims were to examine bone turnover and mass in overweight premenopausal women with weight reduction at recommended or high calcium intakes and to determine the role of calcium absorption and hormonal regulators."
In the current study, 44 overweight premenopausal women were randomized to either normal (1 g/day) or high (1.8 g/day) calcium intake during 6 months of energy restriction (weight loss groups) or were recruited for weight maintenance with calcium intake of 1 g/day. Mean age was 38 ± 6.4 years, and mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.7 ± 2.1 kg/m2.
Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measured regional bone mineral density (BMD) and content. A dual-stable calcium isotope method measured true fractional calcium absorption at baseline and during caloric restriction. Markers of bone turnover were measured before and after weight loss.
The weight loss groups lost 7.2% ± 3.3% of initial body weight. There was no significant decrease in BMD or rise in bone turnover with weight loss at normal or high calcium intake. In the group with high calcium intake, there was a strong correlation (r = 0.71) between increased femoral neck BMD and increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. There was no significant effect of weight loss on true fractional calcium absorption, and the total calcium absorbed was adequate (238 ± 81 mg/day in the normal-calcium weight loss group, and 310 ± 91 mg/day in the high-calcium weight loss group).
Study limitations include concerns about the validity of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements in heavier people and in weight loss studies.
"We showed that dieting overweight premenopausal women do not lose bone with intakes of 1.0 or 1.8 g Ca/d, which may be explained by sufficient amounts of absorbed calcium," the authors conclude. "Furthermore, bone turnover was not up-regulated, and the calcium-PTH [parathyroid hormone] axis was not significantly increased because of weight loss. We suggest that overweight premenopausal women do not lose bone with moderate weight loss when consuming the recommended intake for calcium."
The National Institutes of Health supported this study. The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Calcium & Weight Loss
High Calcium Intake - Increases Weight Loss
Researchers at the CU-Health Sciences Center's Center for Human Nutrition reported recently that calcium may help control body weight, confirming findings from other studies. The report, published in February's International Journal of Obesity, is the first study in humans to demonstrate a mechanistic link between calcium intake and body weight.
More Calcium Helps Burn Body Fat
Edward Melanson, PhD, and James Hill, PhD, examined diet data from 35 healthy, non-obese adults during a 24-hour period and measured their daily energy expenditures. They found that those individuals who consumed more calcium used more fat as fuel compared to those with lower calcium intakes.
The idea that calcium intake may be related to body weight has been supported by several studies in the past decade. Studies in rats and mice suggest that higher calcium intake alters the metabolism of fat cells, causing less fat to be stored and more fat to be released. Whether this also occurs in humans was not known.
Correlation Between Calcium and Fat Loss
The new report suggests calcium also may help control body weight in humans by increasing the amount of fat that the body uses for fuel. "It is encouraging to find that there is a correlation between the amount of fat used and the amount of calcium consumed," Dr. Melanson said.
He cautioned, however, that more research is needed in humans before any firm conclusions can be made about calcium's effect on body weight or whether increasing calcium intake without changing other aspects of the diet actually increases the amount of fat used.
"The current RDA is 1,000 milligrams a day, and this RDA is a little higher for adolescents, young adults and pregnant or lactating women," Dr. Melanson said. "A glass of milk, a cup of yogurt, or a serving of cheese contains approximately 300 milligrams, so three servings of dairy per day should be a good goal."
According to Dr. Melanson, the average American typically consumes only 600- 700 milligrams of calcium per day, and many are well below that level.
Refference:
http://www.annecollins.com/weight-control/calcium-weight-loss.htm
Researchers at the CU-Health Sciences Center's Center for Human Nutrition reported recently that calcium may help control body weight, confirming findings from other studies. The report, published in February's International Journal of Obesity, is the first study in humans to demonstrate a mechanistic link between calcium intake and body weight.
More Calcium Helps Burn Body Fat
Edward Melanson, PhD, and James Hill, PhD, examined diet data from 35 healthy, non-obese adults during a 24-hour period and measured their daily energy expenditures. They found that those individuals who consumed more calcium used more fat as fuel compared to those with lower calcium intakes.
The idea that calcium intake may be related to body weight has been supported by several studies in the past decade. Studies in rats and mice suggest that higher calcium intake alters the metabolism of fat cells, causing less fat to be stored and more fat to be released. Whether this also occurs in humans was not known.
Correlation Between Calcium and Fat Loss
The new report suggests calcium also may help control body weight in humans by increasing the amount of fat that the body uses for fuel. "It is encouraging to find that there is a correlation between the amount of fat used and the amount of calcium consumed," Dr. Melanson said.
He cautioned, however, that more research is needed in humans before any firm conclusions can be made about calcium's effect on body weight or whether increasing calcium intake without changing other aspects of the diet actually increases the amount of fat used.
"The current RDA is 1,000 milligrams a day, and this RDA is a little higher for adolescents, young adults and pregnant or lactating women," Dr. Melanson said. "A glass of milk, a cup of yogurt, or a serving of cheese contains approximately 300 milligrams, so three servings of dairy per day should be a good goal."
According to Dr. Melanson, the average American typically consumes only 600- 700 milligrams of calcium per day, and many are well below that level.
Refference:
http://www.annecollins.com/weight-control/calcium-weight-loss.htm
PMS and Calcium
Calcium, A PMS Treatment
Recent clinical studies have concluded Premenstrual Syndrome may be caused by a calcium deficiency! Calcium is the most common mineral in your body, yet most do not consume the recommended amount for their age and sex. Most adults require 1000 mg daily, yet research shows the average American only gets 600 mg from their diet. About half of dietary calcium comes from dairy products so if you avoid dairy you are almost certainly calcium deficient unless you supplement.
Calcium is called “the king of minerals” for good reason. Most people think of calcium for supporting strong bones and teeth. Actually, the bones are the least of your worries if you are low on calcium. It is needed for many more important functions than supporting your frame such as heart function, muscle contraction, transmission of nerve impulses, blood clotting, regulating your metabolism, regulating hormones, and more. Recent research points to calcium deficiency as being a possible cause of hypertension (high blood pressure) and of colon cancer.
In other words, it is not a big stretch to think that calcium may be involved in the irritability, mood swings, pain and cramps associated with PMS. We have an excellent tool for assessing your calcium needs on this website. Check your daily dietary calcium levels with our free bone health calculator.
You will find the clinical study summary below very helpful.
Calcium and the premenstrual syndrome
Hys-Jacobs S, Starkey P, Bernstein D, Tian J.
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York 10019, USA.
OBJECTIVE: Previous reports have suggested that disturbances in calcium regulation may underlie the pathophysiologic characteristics of premenstrual syndrome and that calcium supplementation may be an effective therapeutic approach. To evaluate the effect of calcium carbonate on the luteal and menstrual phases of the menstrual cycle in premenstrual syndrome, a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter clinical trial was conducted.
STUDY DESIGN: Healthy, premenopausal women between the ages of 18 and 45 years were recruited nationally across the United States at 12 outpatient centers and screened for moderate-to-severe, cyclically recurring premenstrual symptoms. Symptoms were prospectively documented over 2 menstrual cycles with a daily rating scale that had 17 core symptoms and 4 symptom factors (negative affect, water retention, food cravings, and pain). Participants were randomly assigned to receive 1200 mg of elemental calcium per day in the form of calcium carbonate or placebo for 3 menstrual cycles. Routine chemistry, complete blood cell count, and urinalysis were obtained on all participants. Daily documentation of symptoms, adverse effects, and compliance with medications were monitored. The primary outcome measure was the 17-parameter symptom complex score.
RESULTS: Seven hundred twenty women were screened for this trial; 497 women were enrolled; 466 were valid for the efficacy analysis. There was no difference in age, weight, height, use of oral contraceptives, or menstrual cycle length between treatment groups. There were no differences between groups in the mean screening symptom complex score of the luteal (P = .659), menstrual (P = .818), or intermenstrual phase (P = .726) of the menstrual cycle. During the luteal phase of the treatment cycle, a significantly lower mean symptom complex score was observed in the calcium-treated group for both the second (P = .007) and third (P < .001) treatment cycles. By the third treatment cycle calcium effectively resulted in an overall 48% reduction in total symptom scores from baseline compared with a 30% reduction in placebo. All 4 symptom factors were significantly reduced by the third treatment cycle.
CONCLUSIONS: Calcium supplementation is a simple and effective treatment in premenstrual syndrome, resulting in a major reduction in overall luteal phase symptoms.
Recent clinical studies have concluded Premenstrual Syndrome may be caused by a calcium deficiency! Calcium is the most common mineral in your body, yet most do not consume the recommended amount for their age and sex. Most adults require 1000 mg daily, yet research shows the average American only gets 600 mg from their diet. About half of dietary calcium comes from dairy products so if you avoid dairy you are almost certainly calcium deficient unless you supplement.
Calcium is called “the king of minerals” for good reason. Most people think of calcium for supporting strong bones and teeth. Actually, the bones are the least of your worries if you are low on calcium. It is needed for many more important functions than supporting your frame such as heart function, muscle contraction, transmission of nerve impulses, blood clotting, regulating your metabolism, regulating hormones, and more. Recent research points to calcium deficiency as being a possible cause of hypertension (high blood pressure) and of colon cancer.
In other words, it is not a big stretch to think that calcium may be involved in the irritability, mood swings, pain and cramps associated with PMS. We have an excellent tool for assessing your calcium needs on this website. Check your daily dietary calcium levels with our free bone health calculator.
You will find the clinical study summary below very helpful.
Calcium and the premenstrual syndrome
Hys-Jacobs S, Starkey P, Bernstein D, Tian J.
St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York 10019, USA.
OBJECTIVE: Previous reports have suggested that disturbances in calcium regulation may underlie the pathophysiologic characteristics of premenstrual syndrome and that calcium supplementation may be an effective therapeutic approach. To evaluate the effect of calcium carbonate on the luteal and menstrual phases of the menstrual cycle in premenstrual syndrome, a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter clinical trial was conducted.
STUDY DESIGN: Healthy, premenopausal women between the ages of 18 and 45 years were recruited nationally across the United States at 12 outpatient centers and screened for moderate-to-severe, cyclically recurring premenstrual symptoms. Symptoms were prospectively documented over 2 menstrual cycles with a daily rating scale that had 17 core symptoms and 4 symptom factors (negative affect, water retention, food cravings, and pain). Participants were randomly assigned to receive 1200 mg of elemental calcium per day in the form of calcium carbonate or placebo for 3 menstrual cycles. Routine chemistry, complete blood cell count, and urinalysis were obtained on all participants. Daily documentation of symptoms, adverse effects, and compliance with medications were monitored. The primary outcome measure was the 17-parameter symptom complex score.
RESULTS: Seven hundred twenty women were screened for this trial; 497 women were enrolled; 466 were valid for the efficacy analysis. There was no difference in age, weight, height, use of oral contraceptives, or menstrual cycle length between treatment groups. There were no differences between groups in the mean screening symptom complex score of the luteal (P = .659), menstrual (P = .818), or intermenstrual phase (P = .726) of the menstrual cycle. During the luteal phase of the treatment cycle, a significantly lower mean symptom complex score was observed in the calcium-treated group for both the second (P = .007) and third (P < .001) treatment cycles. By the third treatment cycle calcium effectively resulted in an overall 48% reduction in total symptom scores from baseline compared with a 30% reduction in placebo. All 4 symptom factors were significantly reduced by the third treatment cycle.
CONCLUSIONS: Calcium supplementation is a simple and effective treatment in premenstrual syndrome, resulting in a major reduction in overall luteal phase symptoms.
Calcium: Heart Risk for Older Women?
By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Study Shows Calcium Supplements May Up Heart Attack Risk in Postmenopausal Women
Jan.15 2008 -- Calcium supplements, generally thought to preserve both bone and heart health, may boost the risk of heart disease in healthy postmenopausal women, according to New Zealand researchers.
"Loading with high doses of calcium reduces bone loss but at a cost in heart health that is not justified," says researcher Ian Reid, MD, professor of medicine and endocrinology at the University of Auckland.
But a U.S. expert on calcium supplementation says the findings may be a fluke and at this time don't warrant any change in the recommendation to get sufficient calcium through diet and supplements.
Calcium, Heart Attack Study Details
Reid and his colleagues followed 1,471 healthy postmenopausal women, ages 55 and above, assigning half to get a daily calcium supplement of 1,000 milligrams and half to placebo pills. The average age in both groups was 74.
Calcium supplements are typically prescribed to women after menopause to preserve bone health, and some studies suggest it might also protect heart health by improving the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.
The New Zealand researchers initially conducted the study to look at the effect of calcium on bone health, says Reid, who has received research support from calcium supplement manufacturers. This study is what is known as a secondary analysis. Researchers evaluated the women's calcium intake from diet and examined them every six months for five years, looking for reports of heart attack, stroke, or sudden death.
The women in the supplement group got 861 milligrams of calcium from diet per day, on average, boosting their total daily intake to 1,861. The placebo group averaged about 853 milligrams of calcium daily from their diet.
(Has your doctor talked to you about heart risks? Talk with others on WebMD's Bone Health and Osteoporosis message board.)
Calcium, Heart Attack Results
To obtain a more complete picture, the researchers also looked for events not reported at the visits by checking hospital admissions and reviewing death certificates of those who had died.
Heart attacks were more common in the calcium group, with 31 women on supplements having 36 heart attacks compared to 21 women on placebo having 22 heart attacks during the follow-up period.
The risk of a heart attack was about 1.5 times greater for those in the supplement group, but the link did not reach statistical significance.
Considered together, strokes, heart attack, or sudden death were more common in those on supplements than on placebo, but the differences -- when taken as a whole -- were statistically only of borderline significance, Reid's team found.
The researchers took into account such factors as cigarette smoking, high cholesterol, and blood pressure problems.
Calcium, Heart Attack: What's the Mechanism?
Reid cautions that the findings must be replicated and plans to do more research on the proposed link.
But he speculates that the calcium supplements may elevate blood calcium levels and possibly speed calcification in blood vessels, which is known to predict the rates of vascular problems such as heart attack.
Second Opinion: Calcium, Heart Attacks
The link between calcium supplements and heart attack suggested by the New Zealand team "seems implausible," says Robert P. Heaney, MD, John A. Creighton University professor at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., and a long-time researcher of calcium's effect on health.
Typically, Heaney tells WebMD, "Extra calcium doesn't build up in your arteries. The body regulates the blood concentration of calcium.'' Only in people who have lost the ability to regulate calcium levels could the blood concentration of calcium increase, he says, and this condition is rare.
Calcium and Heart Health Advice
Women should keep taking the recommended amounts of calcium, Heaney says. "Postmenopausal women should be getting 1,500 milligrams [a day] through diet and supplements," he says.
The levels recommended by the Institute of Medicine are a bit lower: 1,200 milligrams of calcium for men and women ages 51 and older, and 1,000 milligrams for those 19 to 50.
"Even if it turns out this [proposed link between calcium supplements and heart attacks] is true and replicated [with further research] you have to weigh that against fracture protection," Heaney says of calcium supplements.
Reid disagrees, suggesting women over the age of 70 and some others should rethink calcium supplements.
"It is likely that this is primarily a problem for elderly women because they are more likely than younger subjects to have prevalent coronary heart disease," he tells WebMD. "Therefore it seems wise to advise against [high amounts of] calcium supplementation in those over the age of 70 years and in those known to have coronary heart disease. Aiming at a total calcium intake of approximately 1 gram [1,000 milligrams] a day [equivalent to four servings of dairy products] seems sensible in these subjects."
For instance, a woman who took in 500 milligrams of calcium from foods should take no more than 500 milligrams in supplements daily, he says.
Younger women can continue supplementing without worry, he says. "At present, there is no evidence of adverse cardiovascular effects of calcium supplementation in younger women, so the conventional use of calcium supplements seems reasonable in these subjects."
WebMD Health NewsReviewed by Louise Chang, MD
Study Shows Calcium Supplements May Up Heart Attack Risk in Postmenopausal Women
Jan.15 2008 -- Calcium supplements, generally thought to preserve both bone and heart health, may boost the risk of heart disease in healthy postmenopausal women, according to New Zealand researchers.
"Loading with high doses of calcium reduces bone loss but at a cost in heart health that is not justified," says researcher Ian Reid, MD, professor of medicine and endocrinology at the University of Auckland.
But a U.S. expert on calcium supplementation says the findings may be a fluke and at this time don't warrant any change in the recommendation to get sufficient calcium through diet and supplements.
Calcium, Heart Attack Study Details
Reid and his colleagues followed 1,471 healthy postmenopausal women, ages 55 and above, assigning half to get a daily calcium supplement of 1,000 milligrams and half to placebo pills. The average age in both groups was 74.
Calcium supplements are typically prescribed to women after menopause to preserve bone health, and some studies suggest it might also protect heart health by improving the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.
The New Zealand researchers initially conducted the study to look at the effect of calcium on bone health, says Reid, who has received research support from calcium supplement manufacturers. This study is what is known as a secondary analysis. Researchers evaluated the women's calcium intake from diet and examined them every six months for five years, looking for reports of heart attack, stroke, or sudden death.
The women in the supplement group got 861 milligrams of calcium from diet per day, on average, boosting their total daily intake to 1,861. The placebo group averaged about 853 milligrams of calcium daily from their diet.
(Has your doctor talked to you about heart risks? Talk with others on WebMD's Bone Health and Osteoporosis message board.)
Calcium, Heart Attack Results
To obtain a more complete picture, the researchers also looked for events not reported at the visits by checking hospital admissions and reviewing death certificates of those who had died.
Heart attacks were more common in the calcium group, with 31 women on supplements having 36 heart attacks compared to 21 women on placebo having 22 heart attacks during the follow-up period.
The risk of a heart attack was about 1.5 times greater for those in the supplement group, but the link did not reach statistical significance.
Considered together, strokes, heart attack, or sudden death were more common in those on supplements than on placebo, but the differences -- when taken as a whole -- were statistically only of borderline significance, Reid's team found.
The researchers took into account such factors as cigarette smoking, high cholesterol, and blood pressure problems.
Calcium, Heart Attack: What's the Mechanism?
Reid cautions that the findings must be replicated and plans to do more research on the proposed link.
But he speculates that the calcium supplements may elevate blood calcium levels and possibly speed calcification in blood vessels, which is known to predict the rates of vascular problems such as heart attack.
Second Opinion: Calcium, Heart Attacks
The link between calcium supplements and heart attack suggested by the New Zealand team "seems implausible," says Robert P. Heaney, MD, John A. Creighton University professor at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., and a long-time researcher of calcium's effect on health.
Typically, Heaney tells WebMD, "Extra calcium doesn't build up in your arteries. The body regulates the blood concentration of calcium.'' Only in people who have lost the ability to regulate calcium levels could the blood concentration of calcium increase, he says, and this condition is rare.
Calcium and Heart Health Advice
Women should keep taking the recommended amounts of calcium, Heaney says. "Postmenopausal women should be getting 1,500 milligrams [a day] through diet and supplements," he says.
The levels recommended by the Institute of Medicine are a bit lower: 1,200 milligrams of calcium for men and women ages 51 and older, and 1,000 milligrams for those 19 to 50.
"Even if it turns out this [proposed link between calcium supplements and heart attacks] is true and replicated [with further research] you have to weigh that against fracture protection," Heaney says of calcium supplements.
Reid disagrees, suggesting women over the age of 70 and some others should rethink calcium supplements.
"It is likely that this is primarily a problem for elderly women because they are more likely than younger subjects to have prevalent coronary heart disease," he tells WebMD. "Therefore it seems wise to advise against [high amounts of] calcium supplementation in those over the age of 70 years and in those known to have coronary heart disease. Aiming at a total calcium intake of approximately 1 gram [1,000 milligrams] a day [equivalent to four servings of dairy products] seems sensible in these subjects."
For instance, a woman who took in 500 milligrams of calcium from foods should take no more than 500 milligrams in supplements daily, he says.
Younger women can continue supplementing without worry, he says. "At present, there is no evidence of adverse cardiovascular effects of calcium supplementation in younger women, so the conventional use of calcium supplements seems reasonable in these subjects."
Saturday, August 9, 2008
CALCIUM vs. CANCER
In 1932 Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his discovery that cancer was anaerobic: cancer occurs in the absence of free oxygen. As innocuous as this discovery might seem, it is actually a startling and significant finding worthy of a Nobel Prize. What it basically means is that cancer is caused by a lack of free oxygen in the body and therefore, whatever causes this to occur is the cause of all cancers.
In chemistry, alkali solutions (pH over 7.0) tend to absorb oxygen, while acids (pH under 7.0)tend to expel oxygen. For example, a mild alkali can absorb over 100 times as much oxygen as a mild acid. Therefore, when the body becomes acidic by dropping below pH 7.0 (note:all body fluids, except for stomach and urine, are supposed to be mildly alkaline at pH 7.4), oxygen isdriven out of the body thereby, according to Nobel Prize winner Otto Warburg,inducing cancer. Stomach fluids must remain acidic to digest food and urine must remain acidic to remove wastes from the body. Blood is the exception. Blood must always remain at an alkaline pH 7.4 so that it can retain its oxygen. When adequate mineral consumption is in the diet, the blood is supplied the crucial minerals required to maintain an alkaline pH of 7.4. However when insufficient mineral consumption is in the diet, the body is forced to rob Peter (other body fluids) to pay Paul (the blood). In doing so, it removes crucial minerals, such as calcium, from the saliva, spinal fluids, kidneys, liver, etc., in order to maintain the blood at pH 7.4. This causes the de-mineralized fluids and organs to become acidic and therefore anaerobic, thus inducing not only cancer, but a host of other degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, lupus, etc..
Everyone knows that the human body is made up of 78% water by weight, and that water is hydrogen and oxygen gases. When nitrogen gas and carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and methane gases are added, the total gas in the body by weight becomes over 95%. Almost half of the remaining 5% that makes up the human body and controls all biological functions is the mineral calcium.
No other mineral is capable of performing as many biological functions as is calcium. Calcium is involved in almost every biological function. This amazing mineral provides the electrical energy for the heart to beat and for all muscle movement. It is the calcium ion that is responsible for feeding every cell. It does this by latching on to seven nutrient molecules and one water molecule and pulls them through the nutrient channel. It then detaches its load and returns to repeat the process. Another important biological job for calcium is DNA replication, which is crucial for maintaining youth and a healthy body. DNA replication is the basis for all body repair and can only occur “on a substrate of calcium”. Thus, low calcium means low body repair and premature aging. As important as all these and hundreds of other biological functions of calcium are to human health, none is more important than the job of pH control. Calcium to acid, is like water to a fire. Calcium quickly destroys oxygen robbing acid in the body fluids. Thus, the more calcium, the more oxygen, and therefore, the less cancer and other degenerative disease.
This information then begs the question, “How much calcium is necessary ?” The answer can readily be determined by examining the diet of millions of people around the world who consume over 100 times our Recommended Daily Allowance, RDA, and who suffer the side effects of living 40 years longer than we do, of aging at half the rate that we do, and of being devoid of cancer, heart disease, mental disorders, diabetes, arthritis and all other degenerative diseases. Almost all of these people, the Armenians, Azerbaijans and Georgians in Russian, the Tibetans, the Hunzas of Northern Pakistan, the Vilcabamba Indians in Ecuador, the Bamas in China and the Titicacas in Peru live at high altitudes above 8000 feet. Their only source of water is melting glaciers, and the glacial water is so turbid and white with ground up rock that all of these cultures call the water “milk of the mountains”. Each quart of this water contains over 17,000 milligrams of calcium along with other minerals and 60 trace metals. These cultures drink several quarts each day and the water fertilized crops are also loaded with calcium and other nutrients. The only long living and disease free culture that does not live above an altitude of 8000feet, is the Okinawan’s.
Millions of Okinawans live in the southern coral islands of Japan with the average life expectancy of 105 years,while mainland Japan is just 77 years. The Okinawans live on islands made of coral reefs which are mainly calcium. The Okinawans discovered over 500 years ago that feeding coral sand that is produced from the weathering of the reefs to the chickens and cows results in twice as many eggs and twice as much milk. They also found that when the coral sand is used as a fertilizer, crops increase by as much as three fold. When they finally, 500 years ago, began to consume the coral sand themselves, all of the under utilized doctors were forced to leave the islands. This was known in Japanese history as the Japanese Exodus.
The early European explorers discovered their secret and hauled shiploads of the calcium rich coral sands back to Europe. In Madrid Spain,the historic monument of the world’s first drugstore contains rows of shelves labeled “coral calcium from Okinawa Japan”. Today millions of people all over the world consume coral calcium, and as a result, there are millions of medical testimonials.
The phenomenon of preventing and reversing degenerative disease through the consumption of large amounts of mineral and vitamins did not go un-noticed by men of medicine. Hundreds of years ago European doctors were prescribing coral calcium and other nutrients to their patients.
In the 1950s, Dr. Carl Reich M.D. discovered that his patients were able to “cure themselves” of almost all degenerative diseases by consuming several times the RDA of calcium, magnesium, vitamin-D and other nutrients. Dr. Reich was the first North American doctor to prescribe “mega doses” of minerals and vitamins to his patients and is considered by many to be the father of preventive medicine. By the 1980s Dr. Reich had cured thousands, but lost his license for explaining that the consumption of mineral nutrients, such as calcium, could prevent cancer and a host of other diseases. This concept was considered “too simple” to accept by the medical wisdom of the day. However, by the late 1990s, other medical men of wisdom were also discovering that calcium supplements could indeed reverse cancer.
In the October 13, 1998 issue of the New York Times an article appeared entitled “Calcium Takes Its Place As a Superstar of Nutrients” in which it reports that a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that“increasing calcium induced normal development of the epithelia cells and might also prevent cancer in such organs as the breast, prostate and pancreas”. It also reported that the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published “virtually no major organ system escapes calcium’s influence” and that a research team from the University of Southern California found “adding calcium to the diet lowered the blood pressure in 110 black teenagers”
The January 14, 1999 issue of the Phoenix Republic wrote in an article entitled “Calcium Reduces Tumors”that the New England Journal of Medicine reported “adding calcium to the diet can keep you from getting tumors in your large intestine”. Then the February, 1999 issue of the Readers Digestwrote in an article entitled “The ‘Superstar’ Nutrient” that the Journal of the American Medical published “when the participants consumption reached 1500 milligrams of calcium a day, cell growth in the colon improved toward normal (this means that the cancer was reversed)”. The Digest also reported that the Metabolic Bone Center at St. Lukes Hospital believes that “achronic deficiency of calcium is largely responsible for premenstrual syndrome(PMS)” and that “a lot of women are avoiding the sun and their vitamin-D levels may be very low”. In the same article, the Digest reported that “in 1997 the large federally financed trial found that a diet containing 1200 milligrams of calcium significantly lowered blood pressure in adults”. Then the May 3, 1999 edition of US WorldNews Report wrote in an article entitled “Calcium’s Powerful Mysterious Ways”, that,“Researchers are increasingly finding that the humble mineral calcium plays a major role in warding off major illnesses from high blood pressure to colon cancer” and that “You name the disease, and calcium is beginning to have a place there” (DavidMcCarron, a nephrologist at Oregon Health Sciences University). Unfortunately, most doctors have not heard the news that their own journals and major newspapers and magazines are reporting that natural supplements, especially calcium, can cure and prevent disease.
Source:
http://www.advancedscientifichealth.com/pweb.asp?SID=554893
In chemistry, alkali solutions (pH over 7.0) tend to absorb oxygen, while acids (pH under 7.0)tend to expel oxygen. For example, a mild alkali can absorb over 100 times as much oxygen as a mild acid. Therefore, when the body becomes acidic by dropping below pH 7.0 (note:all body fluids, except for stomach and urine, are supposed to be mildly alkaline at pH 7.4), oxygen isdriven out of the body thereby, according to Nobel Prize winner Otto Warburg,inducing cancer. Stomach fluids must remain acidic to digest food and urine must remain acidic to remove wastes from the body. Blood is the exception. Blood must always remain at an alkaline pH 7.4 so that it can retain its oxygen. When adequate mineral consumption is in the diet, the blood is supplied the crucial minerals required to maintain an alkaline pH of 7.4. However when insufficient mineral consumption is in the diet, the body is forced to rob Peter (other body fluids) to pay Paul (the blood). In doing so, it removes crucial minerals, such as calcium, from the saliva, spinal fluids, kidneys, liver, etc., in order to maintain the blood at pH 7.4. This causes the de-mineralized fluids and organs to become acidic and therefore anaerobic, thus inducing not only cancer, but a host of other degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, lupus, etc..
Everyone knows that the human body is made up of 78% water by weight, and that water is hydrogen and oxygen gases. When nitrogen gas and carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and methane gases are added, the total gas in the body by weight becomes over 95%. Almost half of the remaining 5% that makes up the human body and controls all biological functions is the mineral calcium.
No other mineral is capable of performing as many biological functions as is calcium. Calcium is involved in almost every biological function. This amazing mineral provides the electrical energy for the heart to beat and for all muscle movement. It is the calcium ion that is responsible for feeding every cell. It does this by latching on to seven nutrient molecules and one water molecule and pulls them through the nutrient channel. It then detaches its load and returns to repeat the process. Another important biological job for calcium is DNA replication, which is crucial for maintaining youth and a healthy body. DNA replication is the basis for all body repair and can only occur “on a substrate of calcium”. Thus, low calcium means low body repair and premature aging. As important as all these and hundreds of other biological functions of calcium are to human health, none is more important than the job of pH control. Calcium to acid, is like water to a fire. Calcium quickly destroys oxygen robbing acid in the body fluids. Thus, the more calcium, the more oxygen, and therefore, the less cancer and other degenerative disease.
This information then begs the question, “How much calcium is necessary ?” The answer can readily be determined by examining the diet of millions of people around the world who consume over 100 times our Recommended Daily Allowance, RDA, and who suffer the side effects of living 40 years longer than we do, of aging at half the rate that we do, and of being devoid of cancer, heart disease, mental disorders, diabetes, arthritis and all other degenerative diseases. Almost all of these people, the Armenians, Azerbaijans and Georgians in Russian, the Tibetans, the Hunzas of Northern Pakistan, the Vilcabamba Indians in Ecuador, the Bamas in China and the Titicacas in Peru live at high altitudes above 8000 feet. Their only source of water is melting glaciers, and the glacial water is so turbid and white with ground up rock that all of these cultures call the water “milk of the mountains”. Each quart of this water contains over 17,000 milligrams of calcium along with other minerals and 60 trace metals. These cultures drink several quarts each day and the water fertilized crops are also loaded with calcium and other nutrients. The only long living and disease free culture that does not live above an altitude of 8000feet, is the Okinawan’s.
Millions of Okinawans live in the southern coral islands of Japan with the average life expectancy of 105 years,while mainland Japan is just 77 years. The Okinawans live on islands made of coral reefs which are mainly calcium. The Okinawans discovered over 500 years ago that feeding coral sand that is produced from the weathering of the reefs to the chickens and cows results in twice as many eggs and twice as much milk. They also found that when the coral sand is used as a fertilizer, crops increase by as much as three fold. When they finally, 500 years ago, began to consume the coral sand themselves, all of the under utilized doctors were forced to leave the islands. This was known in Japanese history as the Japanese Exodus.
The early European explorers discovered their secret and hauled shiploads of the calcium rich coral sands back to Europe. In Madrid Spain,the historic monument of the world’s first drugstore contains rows of shelves labeled “coral calcium from Okinawa Japan”. Today millions of people all over the world consume coral calcium, and as a result, there are millions of medical testimonials.
The phenomenon of preventing and reversing degenerative disease through the consumption of large amounts of mineral and vitamins did not go un-noticed by men of medicine. Hundreds of years ago European doctors were prescribing coral calcium and other nutrients to their patients.
In the 1950s, Dr. Carl Reich M.D. discovered that his patients were able to “cure themselves” of almost all degenerative diseases by consuming several times the RDA of calcium, magnesium, vitamin-D and other nutrients. Dr. Reich was the first North American doctor to prescribe “mega doses” of minerals and vitamins to his patients and is considered by many to be the father of preventive medicine. By the 1980s Dr. Reich had cured thousands, but lost his license for explaining that the consumption of mineral nutrients, such as calcium, could prevent cancer and a host of other diseases. This concept was considered “too simple” to accept by the medical wisdom of the day. However, by the late 1990s, other medical men of wisdom were also discovering that calcium supplements could indeed reverse cancer.
In the October 13, 1998 issue of the New York Times an article appeared entitled “Calcium Takes Its Place As a Superstar of Nutrients” in which it reports that a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that“increasing calcium induced normal development of the epithelia cells and might also prevent cancer in such organs as the breast, prostate and pancreas”. It also reported that the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published “virtually no major organ system escapes calcium’s influence” and that a research team from the University of Southern California found “adding calcium to the diet lowered the blood pressure in 110 black teenagers”
The January 14, 1999 issue of the Phoenix Republic wrote in an article entitled “Calcium Reduces Tumors”that the New England Journal of Medicine reported “adding calcium to the diet can keep you from getting tumors in your large intestine”. Then the February, 1999 issue of the Readers Digestwrote in an article entitled “The ‘Superstar’ Nutrient” that the Journal of the American Medical published “when the participants consumption reached 1500 milligrams of calcium a day, cell growth in the colon improved toward normal (this means that the cancer was reversed)”. The Digest also reported that the Metabolic Bone Center at St. Lukes Hospital believes that “achronic deficiency of calcium is largely responsible for premenstrual syndrome(PMS)” and that “a lot of women are avoiding the sun and their vitamin-D levels may be very low”. In the same article, the Digest reported that “in 1997 the large federally financed trial found that a diet containing 1200 milligrams of calcium significantly lowered blood pressure in adults”. Then the May 3, 1999 edition of US WorldNews Report wrote in an article entitled “Calcium’s Powerful Mysterious Ways”, that,“Researchers are increasingly finding that the humble mineral calcium plays a major role in warding off major illnesses from high blood pressure to colon cancer” and that “You name the disease, and calcium is beginning to have a place there” (DavidMcCarron, a nephrologist at Oregon Health Sciences University). Unfortunately, most doctors have not heard the news that their own journals and major newspapers and magazines are reporting that natural supplements, especially calcium, can cure and prevent disease.
Source:
http://www.advancedscientifichealth.com/pweb.asp?SID=554893
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
