Optimal Calcium Intake

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

Here is an issue we might benefit from discussing.

There is an obvious need for calcium in the diet, whether from food or

supplements. But it is far from clear to me what the optimal calcium

intake might be. It is probably fair to say that all the metallic

essential nutrients (calcium, sodium, iron, selenium, etc.) are harmful

in excess, and that is certainly true of calcium, where calcification of

the arteries is one risk of excessive intake.

But the paper recently posted here as showing a dramatic reduction in

new cases of cancer among post-menopausal females supplemented with

vitamin D were also supplemented with a sizeable amount of calcium.

Indeed, in that study there was a subject group that was supplemented

with calcium only, and they too enjoyed a sizeable reduction in cancer

diagnoses.

So certainly it seems that we need more calcium than the average person

is getting (otherwise those supplemented with it would not have had

fewer cancer diagnoses). The subjects were given 1400 to 1500 mg of

calcium daily. So their total calcium intake was probably around 2000

mg.

Can anyone here provide a good rationale for an optimal intake of this

nutrient? I am currently supplementing 500 mg/day. I am thinking that

this may be less than optimal.

Rodney.