Butt (apparently)!
A 2005 study conducted by four Harvard students found an association between high intake levels of calcium and an increase in the severity and risk of prostate cancer. The four were familiar with claims that calcium both accelerated and worsened prostate cancer and decided to investigate the accusation further.
The population in question was a group of 47,750 male professionals in the health field without any history of cancers other than nonmelanoma skin cancer. The data used for the study was from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study from these 47,750 men. The group “assessed total, dietary, and supplementary calcium intake in 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1998, using a validated food frequency questionnaire.” (Giovannucci et. all, 2005). Their hypothesis was that elevated levels of calcium intake would result in a positive association between increased risk and level of prostate cancer.
The results showed a positive correlation between elevated calcium consumption and prostate cancer. Both dietary and supplemented forms of calcium were associated with the increased risk of developing the cancer. The group identified that over a follow-up period of 16 years there were “3,544 total cases of prostate cancer, 523 advanced (extraprostatic) cases, and 312 fatal cases.” (Giovannucci et. all, 2005). There was a 9% chance of getting prostate cancer with a 1 % chance of advanced cancer and .06% chance of it being fatal. Higher calcium consumption was associated with a higher likelihood of advanced forms of prostate cancer as well as fatality from it. The group defines elevated intake as greater than 2,000 milligrams per day.
This study startled me and caught my attention, as I am a male who consumes a great deal of calcium. I typically stay within my recommended daily dose, but I do exceed it on some days. I am fortunate that I came across this study, and I will now pay even closer attention to my levels of daily calcium intake. I would like to avoid this particular pain in the “you know what.”
Citation:
Cancer Epidemiology, Markers & Prevention, 2005. A Prospective Study of Calcium Intake
A 2005 study conducted by four Harvard students found an association between high intake levels of calcium and an increase in the severity and risk of prostate cancer. The four were familiar with claims that calcium both accelerated and worsened prostate cancer and decided to investigate the accusation further.
The population in question was a group of 47,750 male professionals in the health field without any history of cancers other than nonmelanoma skin cancer. The data used for the study was from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study from these 47,750 men. The group “assessed total, dietary, and supplementary calcium intake in 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1998, using a validated food frequency questionnaire.” (Giovannucci et. all, 2005). Their hypothesis was that elevated levels of calcium intake would result in a positive association between increased risk and level of prostate cancer.
The results showed a positive correlation between elevated calcium consumption and prostate cancer. Both dietary and supplemented forms of calcium were associated with the increased risk of developing the cancer. The group identified that over a follow-up period of 16 years there were “3,544 total cases of prostate cancer, 523 advanced (extraprostatic) cases, and 312 fatal cases.” (Giovannucci et. all, 2005). There was a 9% chance of getting prostate cancer with a 1 % chance of advanced cancer and .06% chance of it being fatal. Higher calcium consumption was associated with a higher likelihood of advanced forms of prostate cancer as well as fatality from it. The group defines elevated intake as greater than 2,000 milligrams per day.
This study startled me and caught my attention, as I am a male who consumes a great deal of calcium. I typically stay within my recommended daily dose, but I do exceed it on some days. I am fortunate that I came across this study, and I will now pay even closer attention to my levels of daily calcium intake. I would like to avoid this particular pain in the “you know what.”
Citation:
Cancer Epidemiology, Markers & Prevention, 2005. A Prospective Study of Calcium Intake
and Incident and Fatal Prostate Cancer. doi:10.1158/1055-9965
I have never heard this before, calcium seems like a mineral we dont want to ingest too much of, but also not too little. Seems like a very fine line, but still something very necessary. All of these posts are getting confusing, as it is hard to gage how much we consume without really keeping track of serving sizes and ca content. Do you think supplementing calcium is ever a good idea? given these potential negative effects.
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