Calcium Consumption Seems to Reduce Risk of Cancer

A study of almost 300,000 men and 200,000 women has found that high dietary intake of calcium appears related to a relatively low risk of developing cancer.

Yikyung Park, ScD, of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, analyzed data from a major dietary and health study. Information on dietary and supplement habits was obtained through a food questionnaire and the subjects' health was tracked over an average of seven years.

Park reported that women with high intakes of calcium from food and supplements had a significantly lower overall risk of many different types of cancer. The benefits increased with the daily amount of calcium up to 1,300 mg daily, compared with women who consumed less than about 500 mg daily. Intake of calcium above 1,300 mg daily provided no further benefits.

Men did not have any overall benefits in reduced cancer risk from high calcium intake. However, both men and women did have a lower risk of digestive tract cancers if they had consumed adequate calcium.

Reference: Park Y, Leitzmann MF, Subar AF, et al. Dairy food, calcium, and risk of cancer in the NIH-AARP diet and health study. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2009;169:391-401.