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| Low calcium hormone disease risk | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Having too little calcium in the diet increases women's risk of a hormone condition that can cause bone fractures and kidney stones, scientists suggest. | Having too little calcium in the diet increases women's risk of a hormone condition that can cause bone fractures and kidney stones, scientists suggest. |
| Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) affects around one in 800 people during their lifetime and is most common in post-menopausal women. | Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) affects around one in 800 people during their lifetime and is most common in post-menopausal women. |
| Writing in the British Medical Journal, the team suggest increasing calcium intake cuts the risk of the disease. | Writing in the British Medical Journal, the team suggest increasing calcium intake cuts the risk of the disease. |
| Adults need around 700mg of calcium a day. | Adults need around 700mg of calcium a day. |
| Milk and other dairy foods, nuts and fish such as sardines and pilchards (where the bones are eaten) are some dietary sources of calcium. | Milk and other dairy foods, nuts and fish such as sardines and pilchards (where the bones are eaten) are some dietary sources of calcium. |
| Taking too much could cause stomach pains and diarrhoea. | Taking too much could cause stomach pains and diarrhoea. |
| PHPT is caused by overactive parathyroid glands secreting too much parathyroid hormone. | PHPT is caused by overactive parathyroid glands secreting too much parathyroid hormone. |
| As well as bone and kidney problems, there have also been suggestions it is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. | As well as bone and kidney problems, there have also been suggestions it is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. |
| Benefits v risks | Benefits v risks |
| The US team from Brigham and Women's Hospital looked at 58,300 women who were taking part in a much broader ongoing piece of research called the Nurses' Health Study. | The US team from Brigham and Women's Hospital looked at 58,300 women who were taking part in a much broader ongoing piece of research called the Nurses' Health Study. |
| All were aged between 39 and 66 in 1986, when the study began, and had no history of PHPT. | All were aged between 39 and 66 in 1986, when the study began, and had no history of PHPT. |
| The women have completed food questionnaires to record how frequently they ate particular foods or supplements - including calcium - every four years, with the latest being completed in 2008. | The women have completed food questionnaires to record how frequently they ate particular foods or supplements - including calcium - every four years, with the latest being completed in 2008. |
| Over that 22 year period, 277 cases of PHPT were confirmed. | Over that 22 year period, 277 cases of PHPT were confirmed. |
| The researchers divided all the women into five groups , depending on the calcium intake. | The researchers divided all the women into five groups , depending on the calcium intake. |
| They accounted for factors such as age, body mass and ethnicity. | They accounted for factors such as age, body mass and ethnicity. |
| It was found those with the highest intake of dietary calcium had a 44% reduced risk of developing PHPT compared with the group with the lowest. | It was found those with the highest intake of dietary calcium had a 44% reduced risk of developing PHPT compared with the group with the lowest. |
| Writing in the journal, the team led by Dr Julie Paik, said: "Increased calcium intake, including both dietary and supplemental calcium, is independently associated with a reduced risk of developing primary hyperparathyroidism in women." | Writing in the journal, the team led by Dr Julie Paik, said: "Increased calcium intake, including both dietary and supplemental calcium, is independently associated with a reduced risk of developing primary hyperparathyroidism in women." |
| James Norman, of the Norman Parathyroid Center in Florida, added that daily calcium supplements in "modest doses" were likely to provide "more benefits than risks". | James Norman, of the Norman Parathyroid Center in Florida, added that daily calcium supplements in "modest doses" were likely to provide "more benefits than risks". |
| But experts in the UK say people should be able to get the calcium they need from their diets. | But experts in the UK say people should be able to get the calcium they need from their diets. |