MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Joshua Lewis, Ph.D
Raine Foundation / Alan Robson Fellow
Bone and Vascular Research Group
School of Medicine and Pharmacology
University of Western Australia
Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
Hospital Avenue, Nedlands 6009
www.boneandvascularresearch.org.au
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Lewis: The paper reports the findings from an ancillary study of the effects of 1200 mg per day of calcium supplementation on a major predictor of heart disease risk, carotid artery intima-medial thickness and
atherosclerosis. The principle study was a large five-year double blind randomized controlled trial of calcium supplements or a placebo. After 3 years of calcium supplementation or placebo measures of carotid artery intima-medial thickness were identical in the placebo and calcium treated patients. Atherosclerotic plaque was reduced in calcium treated patients when analysed as total calcium intake. These findings argue strongly against an adverse effect of high dose calcium tablets on cardiovascular risk.
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