The New York Times > Health > Studies Cast Doubt on Use of Calcium in Some Cases

The New York Times > Health > Studies Cast Doubt on Use of Calcium in Some Cases: "
Studies Cast Doubt on Use of Calcium in Some Cases
By ANAHAD O'CONNOR

Published: April 28, 2005

Despite what doctors have long recommended, regularly taking calcium and vitamin D does not prevent fractures in older people who have broken a bone or who have osteoporosis, according to two large studies released yesterday."

interesting, and disappointing. But before you get too discouraged and throw away your calcium, consider this from later in teh article:

"experts called the findings important but cautioned that they did not apply to most people.

Just people older than 70, a majority of them women with previous bone injuries, were included in the studies.

Because vitamin D and calcium are widely considered early preventive measures, it is no surprise that the studies failed to find them effective in people who already had osteoporosis or signs of it, said Dr. Steven R. Goldstein, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the New York University medical center."