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Recent studies Calcium supplements can promote dementia in women
Calcium supplements are supposed to have a positive effect on our health. However, this does not apply to all people. Researchers now found that older women who have previously had a stroke should not use calcium supplements. The intake can lead to an increased risk of dementia for those affected.
The scientists from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found in an investigation that the intake of calcium supplements in older women with a recent stroke to an increased likelihood of dementia disease leads. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Neurology".
In fact, most people assume that supplements do not harm our bodies. However, researchers have found that calcium supplements in some women massively increase the risk of dementia. (Image: fotoperle / fotolia.com) Calcium supplements in some women increase the risk of dementia massively
When elderly women who have previously had a stroke take calcium supplements, they become seven times as likely to have dementia over a five-year period compared to stroke patients who never take calcium supplements. In addition, the physicians could find that women with a disruption of blood flow in the brain should also not take calcium supplements regularly. Taking them regularly is twice as likely to cause dementia compared to women who do not take calcium, the experts explain.
Calcium supplements do not generally increase the risk of dementia
In general, we should of course make sure that our body receives enough calcium. Only then can the negative effects of calcium deficiency be avoided. While the study found that certain women with pre-existing conditions should not take calcium to prevent dementia, that does not mean that calcium supplements generally lead to dementia, said co-author Dr. Silke Kern from the University of Gothenburg. Additional research needs to be done to better understand the potential risks of women's calcium supplements, the physician adds.
Study examines 700 older women
For their study, the researchers examined the medical history of 700 women between the ages of 70 and 92 years. All women had no signs of dementia at the beginning of the study, the researchers explain. The doctors asked the women about the regular intake of calcium and tested their memory and their ability to think. In addition, the researchers scanned the brains of 447 subjects.
Many older people have lesions in their brains
The investigation revealed that 54 women had previously had a stroke and 98 women were taking calcium supplements at the beginning of the study, say the experts. In the scanned brains of women, it was noted that 71 percent had so-called lesions (injuries, injuries). In these women, a white matter was found in the brain. It is considered a marker of cerebrovascular disease, which affects the blood flow in our brain, explain the doctors. Such lesions appear to be widespread in older adults. The study's scientists estimate that 50 to 98 percent of older adults have these lesions.
Scientists observe the women for a period of five years
The physicians monitored and examined the participating women over a five-year period. They found that 59 women developed dementia. 54 subjects had strokes during this period, say the scientists. When the researchers looked at the relationship between calcium intake and the onset of dementia, it became clear that only women who had had a stroke or signs of cerebrovascular disease at the beginning of the trial were at an increased risk of dementia. Cerebrovascular disease belongs to a group of diseases that affect the blood vessels of the brain, especially the cerebral arteries or cerebral veins.
Too much calcium can harm the body
For example, six out of 15 calcium-taking women who had previously had a stroke developed dementia during the study period, explain the physicians. By comparison, only 12 out of 93 women who had previously had a stroke developed dementia if they did not take calcium. In general, too much calcium can harm our body. Other studies have shown that high calcium intake increases the risk of heart attack.
Calcium affects our blood vessels and blood flow?
It is still unclear why the use of calcium supplements in women with special health conditions leads to a higher risk of dementia, say the authors. Calcium supplements could affect the blood vessels and thus the blood flow in our vessels, the experts speculate. Some previous investigations had already linked blood vessel problems to an increased risk of dementia. Many people assume that supplements are automatically harmless. But even such products can sometimes harm our body, the scientists warn. (As)