Calcium supplements  increased BMD by 0.7 - 1.8 % at all five skeletal sites at one , two , and over two and a half years , but the size of the increase in BMD at later time points was similar to the increase at one year .
Increasing calcium intake from dietary sources or by taking calcium supplements produces small non-progressive increases in BMD , which are unlikely to lead to a clinical ly significant reduction in risk of fracture
OBJECTIVE To determine whether increasing calcium intake from dietary sources affects  bone mineral density ( BMD ) and , if so , whether the effects are similar to those of calcium supplements .
Vascular events in healthy older women receiving calcium supplementation: randomised controlled trial
Objective To determine the effect of calcium supplementation on myocardial infa rct ion , stroke , and sudden death in healthy postmenopausal women . Design R and omised , placebo controlled trial . Setting Academic medical centre in an urban setting in New Zeal and . Participants 1471 postmenopausal women ( mean age 74 ) : 732 were r and omised to calcium supplementation and 739 to placebo .  Main outcome measures Adverse cardiovascular events over five years : death , sudden death , myocardial infa rct ion , angina , other chest pain , stroke , transient ischaemic attack , and a composite end point of myocardial infa rct ion , stroke , or sudden death . Results Myocardial infa rct ion was more commonly reported in the calcium group than in the placebo group ( 45 events in 31 women v 19 events in 14 women , P=0.01 ) . The composite end point of myocardial infa rct ion , stroke , or sudden death was also more common in the calcium group ( 101 events in 69 women v 54 events in 42 women , P=0.008 ) . After adjudication myocardial infa rct ion remained more common in the calcium group ( 24 events in 21 women v 10 events in 10 women , relative risk 2.12 , 95 % confidence interval 1.01 to 4.47 ) . For the composite end point 61 events were verified in 51 women in the calcium group and 36 events in 35 women in the placebo group ( relative risk 1.47 , 0.97 to 2.23 ) . When unreported events were added from the national data base of hospital admissions in New Zeal and the relative risk of myocardial infa rct ion was 1.49 ( 0.86 to 2.57 ) and that of the composite end point was 1.21 ( 0.84 to 1.74 ) . The respective rate ratios were 1.67 ( 95 % confidence intervals 0.98 to 2.87 ) and 1.43 ( 1.01 to 2.04 ) ; event rates : placebo 16.3/1000 person years , calcium 23.3/1000 person years . For stroke ( including unreported events ) the relative risk was 1.37 ( 0.83 to 2.28 ) and the rate ratio was 1.45 ( 0.88 to 2.49 ) . Conclusion Calcium  supplementation in healthy postmenopausal women is associated with upward trends in cardiovascular event rates . This potentially detrimental effect should be balanced against the likely benefits of calcium on bone . Trial registration Australian Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN 012605000242628
Calcium supplements  increased BMD by 0.7 - 1.8 % at all five skeletal sites at one , two , and over two and a half years , but the size of the increase in BMD at later time points was similar to the increase at one year .
Increasing calcium intake from dietary sources or by taking calcium supplements produces small non-progressive increases in BMD , which are unlikely to lead to a clinical ly significant reduction in risk of fracture
OBJECTIVE To determine whether increasing calcium intake from dietary sources affects  bone mineral density ( BMD ) and , if so , whether the effects are similar to those of calcium supplements .