Calcium supplement use linked to cancer death

These are observational data. This is not saying we put someone on calcium, and they ended up with cancer, and when you look at this whole thing it’s amazing to me that nobody is discussing the benefits that were found in patients taking magnesium, vitamin K2, and other vitamins. The other thing I would like to point out is that, for at least a decade, it has been really well established that we shouldn’t be using more than 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, especially from a supplements source. In this study, supplemental calcium intake of 1,000 mg/d or higher was associated with increased risk of cancer death, so what’s the big deal?

The big thing with calcium is calcium comes in 7 different forms. When you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables the source of calcium you get is mixed. The problem with supplements is you are using one or maybe two forms of calcium, but if your body doesn’t recognize that form of calcium then you aren’t getting calcium and it may not be beneficial to you.

What we need to do here, in my opinion, is we need to look at the whole picture. We know that dieting alone or exercising alone does not improve outcomes. It’s the combination of diet, exercise, hormone balance, nutrients from supplements, and emotional balance that makes you healthy. Similarly, you can’t say if you just take this one nutrient you are going to improve your quality of life.

With calcium and vitamin D, you have to take vitamin K2, because vitamin K2 activates osteocalcin, a protein that rebuilds the matrix of the bone. Without vitamin K2, you can’t deposit calcium in the bones. K2 also prevents the deposition of calcium in the blood vessels.
Magnesium is another tremendously important mineral, and magnesium deficiency is the most common mineral deficiency in the United States.

Probably one of the most common causes of magnesium deficiency is the use of acid blockers. I would be very curious to know how many people were taking proton pump inhibitors or acid blockers in general. I bet you most of them were.

Derrick DeSilva Jr., MD, is an internist, practicing in Edison, N.J. He made these comments in an interview. He reported serving as a consultant for Common Sense Supplements, a company that produces dietary supplements.