Aluminum-containing antacids , when taken habitually, cause excess loss of calcium in the urine. Certain anticonvulsants can cause a vitamin D deficiency, which in turn affects calcium absorption. Eating 8 to 10 daily servings of fruits and vegetables plus about 3 servings of low-fat dairy products has been shown to lower high blood pressure in some people. In some cases the reduction is enough to eliminate the need for hypertension medication. This is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women.
Kidney stones affect more men than women.
People at risk for kidney stones used to be told to limit their calcium intake because most kidney stones are made of calcium salts. Current thinking is that calcium from food sources actually decreases kidney stone risk because of interaction with other factors in the food itself. Calcium is important for bone health in both men and women. When most women lived only 50 years or so, osteoporosis was not a problem, but now that they live to be 75 or more, it is common. Osteoporosis will become more common in men, too, as their life expectancy continues to increase.