The suggestion that calcium supplements contribute to dementia has been debunked. beyza yurtkuran on Unsplash –
We know about the important role calcium plays in maintaining bone strength, particularly in postmenopausal women. However, some earlier observational studies suggested that calcium supplements might contribute to blood vessel damage or calcium build-up in the brain – both potential pathways to dementia.
New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU), Curtin University and the University of Western Australia aimed to get a clearer answer to the question of whether calcium is linked to dementia by looking at data from a large, long-term randomized controlled trial.
“Calcium supplements are often recommended to prevent or manage osteoporosis,” said ECU PhD student Negar Ghasemifard, the study’s lead author. “Previous research has raised concerns around the impacts that calcium supplements could have on cognitive health, particularly dementia. Results from our study provides reassurance to patients and clinicians regarding the safety of calcium supplements in the context of dementia risk for older women.”
This study is one of the first to address the gaps in older observational studies by using data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT), the gold standard for testing cause and effect. The research was based on the Perth Longitudinal Study of Aging Women (PLSAW), which followed 1,460 community-dwelling women aged 70 and over who were initially free of dementia. Half received 1,200 mg of calcium carbonate daily for five years, while the other half took a placebo.
After the trial, the women were followed through linked health records for another 9.5 years, giving a total follow-up period of 14.5 years. Over that time, dementia cases were identified from hospital and mortality data, including all major dementia subtypes such as Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
During the study, 269 (18.4%) developed dementia, but there was no difference between the supplement and placebo groups. The hazard ratio for developing dementia among calcium users was 0.90, meaning their risk was essentially the same as that of those who took no calcium. Even after adjusting for other dementia risk factors, including age, smoking status, physical activity, cardiovascular health, socioeconomic status, and the APOE ε4 gene, the results didn’t change.
“Given calcium’s critical role in multiple physiological functions, including bone health, these results provide reassurance that long-term calcium supplements did not increase dementia risk in older women,” said study co-author Professor Blossom Stephan, the Chair in Dementia and Director of the Dementia Center of Excellence at Curtin University.
The study had limitations. It only involved older white Australian women. Results might differ in men, younger people, or other ethnic groups. Researchers didn’t track whether participants continued taking calcium beyond the initial five years. Dementia diagnoses were based on hospital records and death certificates, which may underestimate total cases. Because dementia was not the primary focus of the original trial, cognitive outcomes weren’t measured in depth. And, participants’ average dietary calcium was about 960 mg/day – slightly below recommended levels – so results might not apply to people with much lower intake.
“Whether this extrapolates to other demographics, such as men or even women commencing supplementation earlier in life, remains unknown,” said Professor Simon Laws, study co-author and the Director of ECU’s Center for Precision Health. “To confirm the current findings, particularly regarding brain health, and to address these population gaps, future clinical trials of calcium supplements, with or without vitamin D, would need to be undertaken. These should include specific and robust assessments of brain health as the primary outcome measures.”
Despite the limitations…[for the balance of this very important article please visit: https://newatlas.com/health-wellbeing/calcium-supplements-dementia-risk-older-women/]
–
The study was published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific.
Source: ECU
–
Tags
