Warning over calcium supplements

Taking too much calcium in the form of supplements can increase the chances of dying from cancer, researchers have said – but upping consumption of foods containing calcium is said to be safe.

Certain nutrients in food – but not supplements – were generally linked to a lower risk of all-cause and cancer death.

Scientists writing in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine said cancer patients could be putting themselves in greater danger by taking calcium supplement doses higher than 1,000 milligrams per day.

But the study, which focused on data from more than 27,000 US adults, found no evidence of an association between calcium in food and cancer death.

Lead scientist Dr Fang Fang Zhang, from Tufts University, Massachusetts, said: “It is important to understand the role that the nutrient and its source might play in health outcomes, particularly if the effect might not be beneficial.

“Our results support the idea that, while supplement use contributes to an increased level of total nutrient intake, there are beneficial associations with nutrients from foods that aren’t seen with supplements.”