CONCLUSIONS Dietary calcium intake is not associated with risk of fracture , and there is no clinical trial evidence that increasing calcium intake from dietary sources prevents fractures .
OBJECTIVE To examine the evidence underpinning recommendations to increase calcium intake through dietary sources or calcium supplements to prevent fractures .
Reappraisal of Katsuragi Calcium study, a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effect of active absorbable algal calcium (AAACa) on vertebral deformity and fracture
A prospect i ve , double-blind , placebo-controlled study of the effect of supplementation with 900 mg/day of calcium , as active absorbable algal calcium ( AAA Ca ) or calcium carbonate ( CaCO3 ) , on lumbar bone mineral density ( BMD ) carried out in elderly in patients with osteoporosis at Katsuragi Hospital was re-evaluated in terms of the effects on  vertebral fracture and spondylotic deformity .  In addition to the already reported increase in lumbar BMD , AAA Ca was found to inhibit new occurrence of vertebral fracture . Intra-individual variations in L1–L4 BMD ( expressed by the coefficient of variation , indicating the degree of spondylotic deformity , were also inhibited significantly in the group supplemented with AAA Ca ( group A ) , but not in group B ( supplemented with CaCO3 ) , from the level in the placebo-supplement group ( group C ) after 18 months of supple-mentation . According to whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ( DXA ) results in the first and second year of the study , whole body mass , lean content , and mineral content , expressed as a percentage of whole body mass , stayed unchanged , while increase of fat content was significantly inhibited in group A , but not in group B , from the level in group C. As to the regional distribution of bone mineral content , the second year/first year value for head bone mineral content was significantly decreased with AAA supplementation compared with placebo , but no significant difference was found between CaCO3 and placebo supplementation . Changes in mineral distribution in the arms , trunk , and legs showed no significant differences among the three groups . In addition to increasing BMD and preventing fracture , AAA Ca , but not CaCO3 , appears to inhibit the occurrence of spondylotic deformity and to decrease body fat content
CONCLUSIONS Dietary calcium intake is not associated with risk of fracture , and there is no clinical trial evidence that increasing calcium intake from dietary sources prevents fractures .
OBJECTIVE To examine the evidence underpinning recommendations to increase calcium intake through dietary sources or calcium supplements to prevent fractures .