"Calcium Supplement: Bone Health" Final Edits

Calcium's role in maintaining adequate bone health is currently under question. There is some evidence suggesting minimal to moderate benefits of calcium consumption from dairy products in children and young adults. ^[1] Daily dairy intake seems to be important for maintaining bone mineral density, but there is not a strong relationship between calcium intake in adolescence and bone density, suggesting the bone benefits from dairy may not be due to calcium, but rather the Vitamin D. ^[2] A meta-analysis found a 12% decrease in fracture rate overall and slightly better benefits from a calcium and Vitamin D combination. However, analyses have shown overconsumption of calcium promotes risk of fractures, particularly hip fractures. ^[3] In healthy people, calcium supplementation is not necessary for maintaining bone mineral density, and carries risks that outweigh any benefits. ^[4] They also suggest calcium intake is not significantly associated with hip fracture risk in either men or women. ^[5] The U.S. Preventive Service Task Force recommends against a daily supplement of calcium or vitamin D. ^[6] Although a slight increase in bone mineral density occurred in healthy children from calcium supplementation, using additional dietary calcium is not justified, according to a 2006 review. ^[7] A Hungarian randomized trial proposed that the amount of calcium required may be less than the current recommended value. that although daily calcium intake is important for healthy bones and reducing risk of osteoporosis, the amount required may be less than the current recommended value. ^[8]

Since the majority of bone growth occurs during childhood, calcium intake is most important in early life. Peak bone mass is reached around 25 to 35 years of age, after which bone density slowly decreases. ^[3] According to a 2006 study, adolescents do not consume the suggested amount of calcium per day to account for the amount of bone growth that occurs during this stage of life. ^[9] In addition to adolescents, it has been suggested that women do not consume daily calcium. This includes young women and older post-menopausal women and is due to changes in the body associated with greater need for calcium. Calcium intake during adulthood is less important, since bone is no longer growing during this stage, and calcium will only affect the rate at which bone is broken down. The breakdown rate can also be decreased by engaging in practices such as weight-bearing activities. ^[2]

The current recommendation for dietary calcium intake is 800 to 1500 mg calcium/day, coming mostly from dairy products. ^[1] Calcium supplements are often recommended to osteoporosis patients because calcium is a major part of hydroxyapatite, which makes up 70% of bone, and fractures can result from decreased bone quantity. Also, common belief is calcium intake can increase bone quantity, reducing risk of fractures. ^[3] In the United Kingdom, major organizations including the Department of Health, World Health Organization, and the Food Standards Agency have set recommended upper limits to maximize the benefits of calcium while following safe consumption practices. ^[10] On a smaller level, calcium consumption can be increased in adolescents by instituting a well-rounded diet in the entire household. This requires entire families engaging in healthy behaviors. Primary care physicians can help with calcium intake by assessing the appropriate amount of calcium specific to the adolescent. ^[9] Public education is also important for informing vulnerable populations about benefits of some calcium. Campaigns such as Milk Matters and the National Bone Health Campaign have focused their efforts on adolescents and young girls, since calcium intake is most essential in these subgroups. ^[11]

Possible Articles

Calcium supplement#Bone health

In the subsection Bone Health, I plan to add more credible sources regarding why calcium and vitamin D supplements are not recommended. In addition, since this section is fairly short, I hope to elaborate on the topics being discussed, specifically the risk of hip fracture in men and women.

Osteoporosis#Nutrition

In the Nutrition subsection of this article, there is no definitive answer to whether vitamin D supplementation via milk and other dairy products is beneficial or harmful to bone health. Therefore, I plan to research this topic and contribute my findings to this paragraph to come to a more conclusive answer.

Milk#Medical research

This article provides a lot of information about milk and its place in human diets. Specifically, it states that there is no research evidence linking milk consumption to metabolic acidosis. I plan to look further into that claim and either add supporting evidence or provide an opposing view.

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