Calcium reduces osteoporosis risk for women on the Pill

The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, are important because it is estimated that 80 percent of all women have used oral contraceptives. If the pill’s effect on their bone mass is not offset with higher calcium intake in their youth, the peak bone development years, we may see an increase in the incidence of osteoporosis once they reach the menopause.

The study group comprised 135 healthy young women aged between 18 and 30 years, all of whom had a dietary calcium intake of less than 800mg per day and 57 of whom reported using oral contraceptives.

These women were randomly assigned to one of three diets: a medium dairy diet, where calcium intake was increased to between 100 and 1100 mg per day; a high dairy diet, with 1200 to 1300 mg of calcium per day; and a control diet, where calcium intake remained below 800mg per day.

The researchers found that, over the one-year period, an increase in dietary calcium positively impacted the percentage change of total hip body mass density (BMD), body mass content (BMC) and bone area.

Increased intake of calcium products also prevented a negative percent change in total hip and spine BMD in the women taking oral contraceptives.

Overall, the extent of the differences in bone mass with increased dietary calcium noted in this study was between 1 and 2 percent, which translates to a reduced risk of osteoporosis of between 3 and 10 percent over one year. A 5 to 10 percent increase in bone mass is estimated to reduce the risk of fracture by between 25 and 50 percent.

Steve - Make sure that as you up your calcium intake, you offset that with increased magnesium.