MORE THAN 60 percent of American women older than 60 take
calcium on a regular basis believing that it strengthens bones
and improves health. But that may change with the publication of
new research that suggests that not only is calcium ineffective
at preventing bone fractures, it may be harmful to your health.
After decades of believing in the benefits of calcium
supplements for women, most doctors were surprised and skeptical
when in 2010, researchers reviewed data from the famous Women's
Health Initiative study and found that calcium might be
associated with heart attacks and strokes. Soon after, an
article from Australia contradicted those findings, suggesting
that calcium was safe to take. But now a new study, published
Feb. 13 in the British Medical Journal, looked at a population
of nearly 62,000 Swedish women over a long time frame — nearly
20 years. The women were closely surveyed for their dietary
calcium intake as well as calcium supplements (in pill form).
Their intake of calcium was then correla