Bone density: an extra portion of calcium does not help

Luise Heine has been an editor at since 2012. The qualified biologist studied in Regensburg and Brisbane (Australia) and gained experience as a journalist in television, in the Ratgeber-Verlag and in a print magazine. In addition to her work at , she also writes for children, for example for the Stuttgarter Kinderzeitung, and has her own breakfast blog, “Kuchen zum Frühstück”.

More posts by Luise Heine All content is checked by medical journalists.

The older you get, the more fragile your bones become. Calcium tablets and a diet rich in calcium, such as dairy products, are said to strengthen the bones. Such experiments can be saved, say researchers. There are better ways to improve bone density.

Calcium is an essential mineral that is mainly found in bones and teeth. It is therefore recommended that adults of all ages consume 1000 mg of calcium daily. According to the general consensus, this should be beneficial to bone health. New Zealand scientists have now questioned exactly this principle.

For this purpose, Mark Bolland and some colleagues from the universities in Auckland and Wellington evaluated almost 100 studies in a meta-analysis that looked at calcium intake in people over 50.

No clinical relevance

Your first result: Yes, the extra portion of calcium increases the bone density every day - but only by one to two percent. "It is very unlikely that this has clinical relevance", judge Bolland and Co. accordingly.

In the second analysis, the result was confirmed: the calcium intake was not related to injuries to the bones. Also, those who ate a lot of calcium did not break their bones more easily.

"It is time we rethink the recommendations for calcium intake," said Professor Karl Michaëlsson from Uppsala University in Sweden, assessing the present study. Because recently it has been shown several times that calcium supplements can also have undesirable side effects, for example because the heart vessels change or kidney stones and pseudogout occur more frequently. In an interview with , the expert wishes for the future: "We have to learn to better understand when the body really suffers from a calcium deficit."

Train your balance!

Nevertheless, everyone can do something to maintain their bone density and thus counter the increasing risk of accidents in old age. “Stay physically active,” advises Michaëlsson. Balance training in particular is beneficial for healthy bones. "Also, don't smoke, watch your weight and eat a varied diet." And: You shouldn't hide from the sun. Because this promotes the body's own vitamin D production and thus prevents bone loss (osteoporosis).

Sources: Mark J. Bolland et al., Calcium intake and bone mineral density: systematic review and meta-analysis, The BMJ, doi: 10.1136 / bmj.h4183, published online 29 September 2015.

Mark J. Bolland et al., Calcium intake and risk of fracture: systematic review, The BMJ, doi: 10.1136 / bmj.h4580, published online 29 September 2015.

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