Extra calcium doses are 'no benefit' for bones

THERE is no need for people to increase their calcium dose to stave off osteoporosis in later life, research suggests.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th May 2011, 16:20 BST
Updated 24th May 2011, 23:45 BST

While moderate amounts of calcium, around 700mg a day, are essential, increasing the dose with the hope of cutting the risk of bone disease and fractures offers no extra benefit.

A 100g wedge of Edam cheese contains about 795mg of calcium, while 100g of low fat yoghurt has about 140mg.

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In the latest study, Swedish researchers analysed data for more than 60,000 women who were followed up for 19 years. Of those, 24 per cent suffered some sort of fracture while one in five of a subset of about 5,000 women developed osteoporosis, the research found.

Researchers found that women who consumed about 750mg of calcium daily had a similar risk of fracture or osteoporosis as those who had the highest amounts (about 1,135mg).

The experts, writing in the British Medical Journal, said: "The highest quintile of calcium intake did not further reduce the risk of fractures of any type, or of osteoporosis."