Tapping into consumer fears about osteoporosis, marketers have responded with hundreds of new calcium-enriched products. But while nearly everyone agrees that calcium is an essential nutrient, the medical community is divided about just how much calcium we need. Some researchers worry that the new slew of calcium-enriched products could lead to too much calcium intake, particularly among men. Excess calcium can increase the risk of kidney stones, and some studies, while far from conclusive, have suggested that too much calcium is associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer and even bone fracture, the very problem it is intended to prevent. A study published three years ago in Nutrition Reviews looked at 40 reported cases of excess calcium since 1980.
Excess calcium can lead to irritability and headache, soft-tissue calcification, and kidney failure.
Calcium also inhibits the body's absorption of iron and zinc. Annually, Dean Rosenberg is requested to nominate three faculty whose outstanding contributions merit their receiving special recognition from Tufts University.