More Calcium May Extend Your Life!

Tue, Aug 18, 15 by Jim Couch

A group of Swedish researchers recently released a study which showed that a greater intake of calcium may help men live longer.

The sudy was led by Dr. Joanna Kaluza of the Karolinska Instutet of Stockholm, and followed 23,366 men aged 45 to 79 for a 10 year period from 1998 through 2007.  The men had indicated their diet at the beginning of the study.  At the end of the study, 2,358 or 10% of the men had died from all causes.

The study found that the top third of men who consumed the most calcium — getting nearly 2,000 milligrams a day — were 25% less likely to die from any cause than the bottom third of men who consumed about 1,000 milligrams a day.  The top third was also 23% less likely to die from heart disease than the bottom third.  No such findings were concluded with respect to cancer.

Dr. Kaluza was quoted as saying “Intake of calcium above that recommended daily may reduce all-cause mortality.”  The current Recommended Daily Allowance or RDA for calcium is 1,000 milligrams for men aged 19 to 50 years and 1,200 milligrams for men 50 and older.

The study was published online in the Journal of Epidemiology February 19, 2010.

So…if a person needs more than the RDA for calcium, where does one look?   Dairy products and supplements are the obvious choices.  A glass of milk has about 300 mg of calcium.  Other good sources of calcium include green leafy vegetables, beans, grains, and nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts.

Coffee is also a good source of calcium…and HealthWise coffees more than any other coffee.  A 16 ounce mug of HealthWise coffee yields about 4.6% of the RDA for calcium.

Vitamin D is necessary to promote absorption of dietary calcium.  Since Vitamin D is present in very few foods, one should consider supplements, and of course getting out in the sun more often.  Vitamin D is created with exposure of your skin to sunshine, and about a half hour a day would help you absorb your calcium.