Dangers of calcium supplements.

[KidsHappen]

PSA: http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/calcium-supplement-linked-higher-heart-attack-risk

[Negin]

Thank you for sharing this. I've heard this before. After years and years of taking calcium, and the wrong type of calcium too, may I add, I've changed my approach. Here's other stuff I've read.

 

While for years doctors have been recommending dietary calcium as the best way to ward off osteoporosis, many studies cast doubt on this idea. For example, a 2003 Harvard study looked at diet and hip fractures among 72,337 older women for 18 years and concluded that "Neither milk nor a high-calcium diet appears to reduce (fracture) risk." A more recent Harvard study, this one from 2007, analyzed seven trials that followed a total of 170,991 women for several years and found no association between total calcium intake and hip fracture risk.

The truth is that calcium isn't all it's cracked up to be when it comes to bone health. After all, in Africa and Asia, where people generally don't take calcium supplements and they consume little or no dairy (except for breastfed infants), fracture rates are 50 to 70 percent lower than they are in the US. Statistics show that most industrially advanced countries have the highest fracture rates, although they consume more dairy products than other countries.

 

Excessive amounts of calcium from supplementation and/or dairy intake can suppress the thyroid gland.

 

Without enough magnesium, the calcium you take will not be absorbed. Unabsorbed calcium that is not excreted (and most isn’t) gets into your joints where it becomes arthritis or in your arteries where it becomes atherosclerosis. Taking more magnesium can prevent your blood vessels from calcifying and developing into atherosclerosis.

More illnesses are caused by a need for magnesium than for calcium.

Arthritis and joint pain are caused by excessive calcium and insufficient magnesium.

Too much calcium and not enough magnesium contributes to arthritis. It causes stiffness, because calcium causes muscles to contract.

Magnesium, on the other hand, causes muscles to relax. Most supplements already contain more calcium than magnesium. When you take additional calcium supplementation, you upset the calcium/magnesium balance even more. This causes more contraction than relaxation.

Magnesium helps calcium get into your bones. Unabsorbed calcium doesn’t just “go away. “ It gets stores in joints and becomes arthritis, or in arteries where it contributes to atherosclerosis. If you have arthritis, don’t overdo calcium either in supplements or in your diet.

 

Some people with chronic fatigue have diets that are very high in calcium and low in magnesium. Once they increase their magnesium (beans, whole grains, green vegetables) and eliminate dairy products (worth trying for at least 2 weeks), their symptoms are greatly lessened. You may very well need more magnesium.

Magnesium is one of the best nutrients – if not, the best – both for energy production and pain control. Everyone who has CFIDS or fibromyalgia – or even general fatigue – should try increasing their magnesium before turning to more expensive remedies.

While magnesium won’t eliminate fibromyalgia completely, it often plays a major role in improving energy, reducing pain, and lessening other symptoms.

 

I have more info, but don't want to overwhelm.

[thefragile7393]

http://www.vitacost.com/natural-vitality-natural-calm-plus-calcium-16-oz

I love this stuff. It goes along with what Negin was talking about.

[BlessedMom]

Interesting!

Thank you for sharing. This is information I had not heard prior to your post.

[Sandra in FL]

When taking calcium supplements, one should take vitamin K (MK-7) so that the calcium doesn't build up in the arteries. Google and read reviews below.

 

http://www.iherb.com/product-reviews/Jarrow-Formulas-MK-7-Vitamin-K2-as-MK-7-90-mcg-60-Softgels/256/?p=1

[Liz CA]

PSA: http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/calcium-supplement-linked-higher-heart-attack-risk

 

Hmmm. Dr. Carolyn Dean says to take magnesium and chuck the calcium supps. Perhaps she is right.

[Negin]

http://www.vitacost.com/natural-vitality-natural-calm-plus-calcium-16-oz

I love this stuff. It goes along with what Negin was talking about.

This looks good. Thank you for sharing.

 

When taking calcium supplements, one should take vitamin K (MK-7) so that the calcium doesn't build up in the arteries. Google and read reviews below.

http://www.iherb.com/product-reviews/Jarrow-Formulas-MK-7-Vitamin-K2-as-MK-7-90-mcg-60-Softgels/256/?p=1

Sandra, I've heard this also. The only thing is that I've read that vitamin K is usually best absorbed from food - leafy greens, etc. Off to read more on this.

 

Hmmm. Dr. Carolyn Dean says to take magnesium and chuck the calcium supps. Perhaps she is right.

Liz, love your siggy quote, btw. :D

And yes, I agree with Dr. Dean. Magnesium is much, much more important than calcium. Most of us are magnesium-deficient.

[dancer67]

Also, if you are prone to kidney stones one should not take calcium.

[Tohru]

Thanks for the information!

 

Negin,

So do you think it would be advantageous for some one that consumes too much dairy to take magnesium supplements?

[justLisa]

I have been taking Natural Calm mag for about 6-7 years. Once I ran out and did not take it for 3 weeks. I am an avid runner and lift weights twice a week and I have never been more convinced of something's effectiveness than I am of a good magnesium. I was sore daily and could not recover quickly enough during those 3 weeks. I like the orange flavor best. My kids drink it too.

[KidsHappen]

Hmmm. Dr. Carolyn Dean says to take magnesium and chuck the calcium supps. Perhaps she is right.

 

Yes, I have been taking magnesium citrate for 7 or 8 years now and no calcium.

[Margaret in GA]

What should I be giving my 12 year old who is a rather picky eater and allergic to dairy? For years, I refused the give him any calcium supplements because of articles like the one the OP posted, but recently the doctor talked me into it and he's been taking some for about 8 months... what to do? He eats raw vegetables like lettuce and carrots, and plenty of fruit. Honestly, he is getting about 3-4 servings of fruit/veg per day and I know that's not good enough. He broke his arm in a soccer game a few months ago and then tore a ligament in his ankle two weeks ago (again, at soccer). I realize these are things that naturally occur when you play sports, but part of me worries he may not be getting all the nutrients he needs. :confused:

[besroma]

Thanks for the information on this!

[besroma]

What should I be giving my 12 year old who is a rather picky eater and allergic to dairy? For years, I refused the give him any calcium supplements because of articles like the one the OP posted, but recently the doctor talked me into it and he's been taking some for about 8 months... what to do? He eats raw vegetables like lettuce and carrots, and plenty of fruit. Honestly, he is getting about 3-4 servings of fruit/veg per day and I know that's not good enough. He broke his arm in a soccer game a few months ago and then tore a ligament in his ankle two weeks ago (again, at soccer). I realize these are things that naturally occur when you play sports, but part of me worries he may not be getting all the nutrients he needs. :confused:

 

Is he eating a lot of green leafy vegetables? We eat a lot of broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, swiss chard, etc.

[Hoggirl]

Are you supposed to take magnesium at night or in the morning? Just wondering about this if it "relaxes" your muscles.

[Margaret in GA]

Is he eating a lot of green leafy vegetables? We eat a lot of broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, swiss chard, etc.

 

 

He is very picky about vegetables and only eats them raw unless forced (and even then he won't consume large quantities). So, kale is OK raw and so is broccoli, but these aren't things he eats in amounts that I think would make a noticeable difference in the amount of natural calcium/magnesium he gets. So, I do feel we ought to supplement. My question is, what kind of supplement?

 

Margaret

[sheryl]

Thanks for sharing this!!

[Joules]

Are you supposed to take magnesium at night or in the morning? Just wondering about this if it "relaxes" your muscles.

 

It does help relax you. I always take it at night.

 

Just as a warning to everyone: Magnesium citrate is used as a laxative. It bothers some people more than others. If you suddenly think you have a terrible stomach virus, you may need to cut the dose.

[KnitWit]

http://www.health-and-wisdom.com/magnesium.htm

 

This site has great info on Magnesium. Joan Schrader is the Mag Queen and her products are great!

[HappyGrace]

Does magnesium need to be citrate? We take Doctor's Best brand (for dd's migraines) and it does seem to help but I'm about to reorder and wondering if I should get something that's citrate instead. The Doctor's Best is magnesium glycinate (100 % chelated)

[Hoggirl]

It does help relax you. I always take it at night.

 

Just as a warning to everyone: Magnesium citrate is used as a laxative. It bothers some people more than others. If you suddenly think you have a terrible stomach virus, you may need to cut the dose.

 

Thanks.

[WishboneDawn]

After all, in Africa and Asia, where people generally don't take calcium supplements and they consume little or no dairy (except for breastfed infants), fracture rates are 50 to 70 percent lower than they are in the US. Statistics show that most industrially advanced countries have the highest fracture rates, although they consume more dairy products than other countries.

 

There's debate as to whether osteoporosis is even a disease. Some consider it a condition that, like wrinkles, just goes along with aging. The disparity in rates between the US and Africa/Asia may simply reflect the fact that Americans live longer and therefore the increase of fractures is due to Americans reaching a stage of osteoporosis that many Africans/Asians don't live to see.

 

One thing that does seem to help bone density and the prevention of fractures in late life is being overweight (good post with lots of info on osteoporosis).

[Laurie4b]

My philosophy is get your nutrients from a healthy diet, where they come in a complex combination as God intended.

 

For a number of years now, there have been recommendations for certain supplements, that later get retracted because eventually researchers find they are doing more harm than good. Calcium is just the latest example. With supplements, certain things thought to be the magic bullet in foods are extracted and marketed--but without all the other complex nutrients that God packaged them with.

 

So my philosophy is to eat nutrient-dense food and avoid supplements.

[Sevilla]

There's debate as to whether osteoporosis is even a disease. Some consider it a condition that, like wrinkles, just goes along with aging. The disparity in rates between the US and Africa/Asia may simply reflect the fact that Americans live longer and therefore the increase of fractures is due to Americans reaching a stage of osteoporosis that many Africans/Asians don't live to see.

 

One thing that does seem to help bone density and the prevention of fractures in late life is being overweight (good post with lots of info on osteoporosis).

 

Another reason is that when you eat a diet high in net acid then you lose calcium from your bones. The 'recommended FDA diet' will encourage just that to happen (primarily through the high intake of grains.

 

People tend to only think about the 'calcium in' side of the equation (hence the emphasis on lots of dairy, supplementing foods with calcium, taking supplements) and not the 'calcium out' side of things which is how much calcium is lost from our bones or excreted through our urine as well as HOW that happens (and how to stop it).

[Negin]

So do you think it would be advantageous for some one that consumes too much dairy to take magnesium supplements?

Yes, magnesium is most certainly beneficial, IMHO.

I'm someone who loves dairy, but I'm trying to eat less of it. Too much dairy, most especially cow's milk, is really not good for us. I can post the info on that if you're interested.

 

I have quite a bit of info on magnesium in my blog. Hope it's helpful to some. You can do a search there.

I also have some info on osteoporosis, but not as much as I'd like. Next up on my list is to start posting on all that.

I honestly don't claim to know it all :001_huh:. I'm learning as I go, just like the rest of us. :)

[Lucy in Australia]

Too much dairy, most especially cow's milk, is really not good for us.

 

Do you think this applies to raw milk, too? This (latest info about calcium supplements) has been a big learning curve for me. I used to firmly believe all women needed to take them, but the more I read, the more I find it's wrong. However, while I definitely believe commercial pasteurised milk is pretty much rubbish, I'm wondering whether we should cut down on the amount of raw milk we drink.

[Negin]

Do you think this applies to raw milk, too?

Lucy, I'm not sure. :confused:

I guess it depends on many things. Is it cow's milk? Are they grass-fed (healthier)? And so on ... it can all get confusing. Also, every body is different. I do know that most (possibly all) dairy products make us acidic. This is not a huge deal unless if one already has health problems and/or consumes an excess amount of acid-forming foods. If one has health problems, the 80/20 rule seems to apply. That is, eat at least 80% alkaline-forming foods. When one is healthy, 60% is fine. I wouldn't worry about it too much, unless if you consume lots of dairy and/or your body's not reacting to it well. Too much dairy (specifically cow's milk) can lead to osteoporosis, breast cancer, and a whole host of other problems ... I have more info on this if you're interested.

 

This (latest info about calcium supplements) has been a big learning curve for me. I used to firmly believe all women needed to take them, but the more I read, the more I find it's wrong.

Me too. Huge learning curve for me also.

I used to take tons of calcium supplements and drink endless amounts of milk. I love dairy, but consume much less than before.

[Onceuponatime]

Calcium is hidden in many processed products as well as in supplements. Read labels, look for calcium carbonate especially. Years ago I developed calcium related issues: arthritic like symptoms in my wrists, a rock like lump under my eye, vertigo, and nausea. All these things went away when I did some research and totally eliminated calcium carbonate.

 

Google calcium carbonate poisoning.

 

Calcium carbonate is found in loads of processed breakfast foods, some ice cream, some juices, some breads, Nestle Quick, antacids, almost any thing that says "high in calcium" or "calcium added." Manufacturers went crazy adding calcium to foods a few years ago. It is also in hard water.

 

I also think it can't be stressed enough that dark green veggies are good for you in multiple ways.

Edited June 11, 2012 by Onceuponatime

[Lucy in Australia]

I also think it can't be stressed enough that dark green veggies are good for you in multiple ways.

 

Yes! I'm also coming to this conclusion; to the point where I think that's all I'm going to put in the veggie patch to get the maximum nutrition from them.

[Melinda S in TX]

I recommend this book.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-K2-Calcium-Paradox-Little-Known/dp/1118065727/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339441833&sr=8-1&keywords=vitamin+k+and+the+calcium+paradox

 

Vitamin k2 causes calcium to be absorbed into the bones where it belongs, instead of taking the path of least resistance and getting in your soft tissues.

 

Most of the k you get from eating greens is k1 which is for blood clotting and not k2.

[Negin]

Calcium is hidden in many processed products as well as in supplements. Read labels, look for calcium carbonate especially.

Thank you for this important reminder.

 

Years ago I developed calcium related issues: arthritic like symptoms in my wrists, a rock like lump under my eye, vertigo, and nausea. All these things went away when I did some research and totally eliminated calcium carbonate.

Google calcium carbonate poisoning.

Calcium carbonate is found in loads of processed breakfast foods, some ice cream, some juices, some breads, Nestle Quick, antacids, almost any thing that says "high in calcium" or "calcium added." Manufacturers went crazy adding calcium to foods a few years ago. It is also in hard water.

Wow. I had no idea that there was such a thing as calcium carbonate poisoning. :glare: Thank you so much for this. Sorry you had to go through all that. I'm so happy to hear that you find the right answer. :grouphug:

 

I also think it can't be stressed enough that dark green veggies are good for you in multiple ways.

:iagree:

 

I recommend this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-K2-Calcium-Paradox-Little-Known/dp/1118065727/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339441833&sr=8-1&keywords=vitamin+k+and+the+calcium+paradox

Thanks, Melinda. Off to look at this.