NPA Highlights Benefits of Calcium Supplements, Disputes New Study
The Natural Products Association (NPA) is the leading representative of the dietary supplement industry with over 1,900 members, including suppliers and retailers of vitamins and other dietary supplements. Dr. Cara Welch, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, comments on a study published in Heart Journal on the effects of taking calcium supplements:
“It’s important to note that this study was not set up to look at cardiovascular disease. The sub-population this study looked at, users of calcium supplements alone, was very small compared to the total group, with an older average age as well as a longer duration of smoking. Meanwhile, the benefits of calcium are well-accepted. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a health claim on the use of calcium with regard to osteoporosis.
The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements agrees that calcium does not negatively affect the heart. They have stated that, “Calcium has been proposed to help reduce cardiovascular disease risk by decreasing intestinal absorption of lipids, increasing lipid excretion, lowering cholesterol levels in the blood, and promoting calcium influx into cells…Results from other prospective studies have shown no significant associations between calcium intake and cardiac events or cardiovascular mortality.”
The Natural Products Association does not believe that the results published today should cause consumers to stop taking their calcium supplements. Calcium supplements are important for those Americans who do not get the appropriate amount of calcium in their diet. We recommend you discuss your calcium intake with your health care professional.”
For more information about the benefits and usage of dietary supplements, visit www.NPAinfo.org/consumers. Read the NIH quote at http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional.
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Mike Keaton of DC 11:08AM May 25, 2012