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 .
Effects of calcium supplements on femoral bone mineral density and vertebral fracture rate in vitamin-D-replete elderly patients
The efficacy of calcium ( Ca ) in reducing bone loss is debated . In a r and omized placebo-controlled double-masked study , we investigated the effects of oral Ca supplements on femoral shaft ( FS ) , femoral neck ( FN ) and lumbar spine ( LS ) bone mineral density ( BMD ) , and on the incidence of vertebral fracture in vitamin-D-replete elderly . Ninety-three healthy subjects ( 72.1±0.6 years ) were r and omly allocated to three groups receiving 800 mg/day Ca in two different forms or a placebo for 18 months . Sixty-three patients ( 78.4±1.0 years ) with a recent hip fracture were allocated to two groups receiving the two forms of Ca without placebo . FS BMD changes in Ca-supplemented non-fractured women were significantly different from those in the placebo group ( + 0.6±0.5 % v −1.2±0.7%,p<0.05 ) . There was no difference in effect between the two forms of Ca . The changes of + 0.7±0.8 % v −1.7±1.6 % in FN BMD of Ca-supplemented women and the placebo group did not reach statistical significance . In fractured patients , FS , FN and LS BMD changes were −1.3±0.8 , + 0.3±1.6 and + 3.1±1.2 % ( p<0.05 for the last ) . The rate of new vertebral fractures was 74.3 and 106.2 fractures per 1000 patient-years in Ca-supplemented non-fractured subjects and in the placebo group , respectively , and 144.0 in Ca-supplemented fractured patients . Thus , oral Ca supplements prevented a femoral BMD decrease and lowered vertebral fracture rate in the elderly
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 .