Calcium Supplementation: A Review of Oral Calcium Intake on Human Health

Volume 3 - Issue 1

Dr. Gurmeet Singh Sarla*

Received:June 11, 2019;   Published: June 18, 2019

DOI: 10.32474/OAJOM.2018.02.000151

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Abstract

Adequate calcium intake is essential for the maintenance of bone health and the preservation of bone mineral density. The lay person believes that calcium is always good for health. Successful marketing and various clinical practice guidelines have made prescribing calcium supplements a billion dollar market in recent years. The aim of this study was to scan the literature and find out whether calcium supplements should be prescribed to all patients with fractures so as to improve their bone healing or should it be restricted to elderly post- menopausal females who have osteoporotic bones. The inference drawn was that dietary calcium is easier to absorb and may have beneficial effects as compared to calcium supplements and it should be limited to the total daily intake to 1000–1200 mg optimally from dietary sources. Calcium supplementation does not significantly reduce fracture risk in postmenopausal women but it reduces the risk of osteoporosis. It increases the risk of urolithiasis. A favourable role of calcium has been seen in postmenopausal women, elderly population, children and adolescents. Calcium is a double-edged sword, which may be both potentially crucial and perilous and hence should be prescribed with caution.

Keywords: calcium; Osteoporosis; Dementia; Kidney stones; Constipation

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