Calcium was more effective than placebo in reducing rates of bone loss after two or more years of treatment .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS Calcium supplementation alone has a small positive effect on bone density .
The data show a trend toward reduction in vertebral fractures , but it is unclear if calcium reduces the incidence of non vertebral fractures
BACKGROUND Although calcium is one the simplest and least expensive strategies for preventing osteoporotic fractures calcium supplementation is nevertheless not without controversy ( Kanis 1989 ; Nordin 1990 ) .
The Food and Drug Administration in the US has permitted a bone health cl aim for calcium-rich foods , and the NIH in its Consensus Development Process approved a statement that high calcium intake reduces the risk of osteoporosis .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of calcium on bone density and fractures in postmenopausal women .
Does calcium supplementation prevent postmenopausal bone loss? A double-blind, controlled clinical study.
During a two-year study , we examined the effect of calcium supplementation on postmenopausal bone loss in 43 women in the early postmenopausal period who were assigned to one of three treatment groups : percutaneous 17 beta-estradiol ( combined with progesterone during the second year ) , oral calcium ( 2000 mg daily ) , and placebo . All participants were examined every three months . Bone mineral content in the forearm ( measured by single-photon absorptiometry ) and in the entire body and spine ( measured by dual-photon absorptiometry ) remained constant in the estrogen-treated group but decreased significantly in the groups receiving calcium and placebo . In the calcium-treated group , we observed a tendency toward a slowed loss of compact bone ( in the proximal forearm and total skeleton ) as compared with the placebo group , while the rate of loss of trabecular bone ( the distal forearm and spine ) was the same as in the placebo group . Our preliminary data suggest that calcium supplementation in the dosage we used is not as effective as estrogen therapy for the prevention of early postmenopausal bone loss .  Calcium supplementation may have had a minor effect on the loss of cortical bone , but it had no effect on the trabecular bone
Calcium was more effective than placebo in reducing rates of bone loss after two or more years of treatment .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS Calcium supplementation alone has a small positive effect on bone density .
The data show a trend toward reduction in vertebral fractures , but it is unclear if calcium reduces the incidence of non vertebral fractures
BACKGROUND Although calcium is one the simplest and least expensive strategies for preventing osteoporotic fractures calcium supplementation is nevertheless not without controversy ( Kanis 1989 ; Nordin 1990 ) .
The Food and Drug Administration in the US has permitted a bone health cl aim for calcium-rich foods , and the NIH in its Consensus Development Process approved a statement that high calcium intake reduces the risk of osteoporosis .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of calcium on bone density and fractures in postmenopausal women .