What happens when you stop taking calcium supplements
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Effects of Stopping Calcium Supplements on Bone Health
Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Loss in Elderly Men and Women
When elderly individuals stop taking calcium and vitamin D supplements, the benefits to bone mineral density (BMD) are largely lost. A study involving 295 elderly men and women who had taken calcium and vitamin D supplements for three years found that, within two years of stopping the supplements, men lost the gains in spinal and femoral neck BMD, although a small benefit in total-body BMD remained. For women, no lasting benefits in BMD were observed at any bone site after discontinuation.
Residual Benefits in Healthy Men
In a study of healthy older men, those who had taken 1,200 mg/day of calcium supplements for two years showed a small residual benefit in total-body BMD 20 months after stopping the supplements. However, no significant benefits were observed at the hip or spine, suggesting that the residual effects are minimal and unlikely to provide ongoing fracture prevention.
Reversibility of Bone Gains in Children
Research on children has shown that the benefits of calcium supplementation are also reversible. In a study of Hong Kong children, the increased bone mineral mass observed after 18 months of calcium supplementation disappeared within 18 months of stopping the supplements. Pubertal status was found to be a stronger determinant of bone acquisition and growth during the study period.
Impact on Nigerian Toddlers
A study on Nigerian toddlers who received calcium supplements for 18 months found that the increase in forearm BMD was not sustained 12 months after stopping the supplements. The benefits were largely attenuated, with only a slight residual effect observed in the proximal forearm for those who had received calcium from ground fish.
Broader Health Implications
While calcium supplementation has various health benefits, such as reducing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and preventing osteoporosis, the cessation of supplementation can lead to increased bone resorption, particularly in post-partum women. This highlights the importance of maintaining adequate calcium intake to sustain these health benefits.
Conclusion
In summary, the discontinuation of calcium supplements generally leads to the loss of the bone density gains achieved during supplementation. This effect is observed across different age groups and populations, indicating the need for continuous calcium intake to maintain bone health and prevent bone-related conditions.
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