Elderly

• With age, our bodies become less efficient at absorbing calcium from food or supplements, and at processing vitamin D from the sun - inadequate levels of both nutrients are fairly common in the elderly.
• Long periods of immobility and lack of weight bearing exercise contribute to bone loss.
• Caltrate Plus provides calcium, vitamin D, and bone-building minerals in fruit-flavoured, chewable tablets - helpful for anyone who has trouble swallowing pills.
• Daily adequate calcium intake: 71 years and over - 1200-1500 mg.

Do you tend to eat a poorly balanced diet? Do you spend most of your time indoors? Are you very inactive, or confined to a wheelchair?

Calcium - healthy for more than just bones.

Recent research suggests that maintaining healthy calcium levels may have health benefits beyond osteoporosis prevention.

Calcium and Colorectal Adenoma

In a 1999⁵ study, 832 men and women with a history of polyps (small tumor-like growths that can develop in the colon or rectum that can precede colorectal cancer) received either 1200 milligrams of elemental calcium (provided in two Caltrate 600 tablets) or placebo ("dummy pill") for four years. Compared to those receiving placebo, patients treated with calcium had a significantly decreased risk of recurrence of any adenoma (tumor) and a greater decrease in the overall number of adenomas.

Calcium carbonate and PMS

In a 1998 study⁶, 466 women with persistent Premenstrual Syndrome were given 1200 mg of elemental calcium/day (calcium carbonate) or placebo for 3 menstrual cycles. Compared to placebo, calcium produced a greater improvement in all four categories of symptom measured - negative affect (mood changes), water retention, food cravings, and pain. By the third treatment cycle, women taking calcium reported an overall 48% reduction in total symptom scores from baseline, compared to a 30% reduction with placebo.

Calcium and High Blood Pressure

Analysis of the results of several studies⁷ conducted in the early 1990s of calcium's effect on blood pressure found it had a small lowering effect on systolic blood pressure (BP) (when the heart is beating) but not on diastolic pressure (when the heart is at rest between beats).

Another meta-analysis⁸ of calcium given for high blood pressure related to pregnancy (gestational hypertension) found a significant reduction of about 5 mm Hg (in both systolic and diastolic BP) in women who took calcium supplements, compared to those who did not.

The 1997 Canadian Hypertension Society Consensus Conference recognized calcium supplementation of 2 grams per day as a promising preventative measure, particularly in women at high risk for early-onset gestational hypertension⁹.

^{1 A Framework and strategy for the prevention and management of osteoporosis. Report of the Strategic Action Working Group on Osteoporosis. Ontario Women's Health Council, October 2000.
2 National Institutes of Health, Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. National Institutes of Health consensus Statement 2000. March 27-29:17(2)
3 Osteoporosis: Let's Talk about it! Osteoporosis Society of Canada
4 Nutrition Committee of the Canadian Pediatric Society. http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/II/ii87-01.htm
5 Baron JA, et al. N Engl J Med 1999; 340 :101-107. Experts theorize that a poor diet low in calcium may increase colon cancer risk in Western countries.
6 Thys-Jacobs S, et al. Calcium carbonate and the premenstrual syndrome. Effects on premenstrual and menstrual symptoms. Am J Obstet gynecol 1998; 179:444-52
7 Allendar PS, Cutler JA, Follmann D et al. Dietary calcium and blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Ann Intern Med 1996; 124:825-831
8 HC, Cook RJ, Guyatt GF et al. Effect of calcium supplementation on pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JMAA 1996; 275:1016-1022
9 Moutquin JM, Garner PR, Burrows RF et al. report of the Canadian Hypertension Society Consensus Conference: 2. Nonpharmacologic management and prevention of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. CMAJ 1997; 157}