Starting on your 51st birthday, current government guidelines say you’re
supposed to consume 1,200 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily. At about that
age, both men and women begin to experience osteoporosis, a decline in the
density of bones that makes them weaker and more likely to break. In essence
, your bone becomes more porous, and calcium supposedly fills in the holes.
But calcium is currently at the center of one of nutrition’s most
contentious debates. The critics say there’s little evidence that high
intake has more than a marginal effect on bone density and fracture
prevention. They say exercise and vitamin D are neglected and more important
for bone health. They also argue that dairy foods are a bad overall
influence on many people’s diets because of the saturated fat, calories,
and other factors. Professor Walter Willett, chair of the nutrition
department at the Harvard School of Public Health and a member of the Health
Letter’s editorial board, is one of the leading lights in the critical
camp.
Naturally, the proponents see the evidence quite differently — and they set
the government recommendations, so they’re hardly a fringe group. They say
dozens of studies have shown that high calcium intake builds up bone and
prevents fractures. And they cite calcium’s other possible benefits, such
as modest protection against colon cancer.
So what should you do? For women, 1,200–1,500 mg of calcium daily doesn’t
seem to have any drawbacks. For men, though, it may. Studies have shown a
possible connection between calcium and prostate cancer. Great Britain set
its daily calcium recommendation at 700 mg, which Professor Willett believes
is probably closer to the amount that men should be consuming.
Perhaps the most important thing you can do is change how you think about
calcium. High intake is not the surefire ticket to bone health that it has
been made out to be.
If you’re still worried about getting enough calcium, supplements are
inexpensive and free of the saturated fat and added calories that you’d get
from dairy products. If you’re going to consume dairy products, pick low-
fat and skim varieties.
