by A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that calcium and vitamin D (CaD) supplements may have significant effects on cancer mortality in postmenopausal women over an extended period. This study, conducted by Cynthia A. Thomson, Ph.D., R.D., and her team from the University of Arizona, followed 36,282 postmenopausal women without a history of breast or colorectal cancer who participated in the Women’s Health Initiative CaD trial.
During the trial, participants were randomly assigned to receive either 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate with 400 IU of vitamin D3 daily or a placebo. The researchers monitored the women’s health outcomes for more than 20 years and found some interesting results. After a median cumulative follow-up of 22.3 years, women who were assigned to the CaD supplements had a reduced risk of cancer mortality compared to those who received the placebo (hazard ratio of 0.93). On the other hand, there was an increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality among women taking CaD supplements (hazard ratio of 1.06). However, there was no significant impact on overall mortality.
The study also highlighted the importance of achieving a certain level of serum vitamin D concentrations for the prevention of cancer. The authors noted that vitamin D supplementation for cancer prevention may be more effective when serum vitamin D concentrations are above 50 nmol/L. Additionally, the study pointed out that it was challenging to differentiate the specific benefits or risks of taking CaD supplements together versus taking vitamin D alone. This aspect could be the focus of future research studies.
The findings of this study shed light on the potential long-term effects of calcium and vitamin D supplements on cancer mortality in postmenopausal women. While the results show a reduction in cancer mortality, there is also an increase in CVD mortality associated with the supplements. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact of these supplements and their optimal use for improving women’s health outcomes.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
