Hi,I am Dr. Andrew Rynne (Family Physician). I will be looking into your question and guiding you through the process. Please write your question below.
I am 63 yrs old and a healthy, active person. There is a history of heart disease on both sides of my family. However, those individuals were smokers (not me!) and never exercised, which I do.Is it safe for me to take a calcium supplement? As additional information, I am a vegetarian.
I understand your concern. I commend you for abstaining from smoking, exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As for your question, according to recent studies on calcium and Vitamin D supplement intake, even assuming that the kidney function is intact, these supplements are a waste of money since they have not shown any real benefits in the elderly. If you enjoy good health, have a good diet, containing milk products and a healthy lifestyle, you may not need these supplements. However, if you have bone loss or fragility, the best medications are the ones that build new bone mass and bone active drugs, such as bisphosphonates.
I hope this helps. Wishing you all the best.
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Is Calcium Supplement Safe For An Elderly Person?
Hello, I understand your concern. I commend you for abstaining from smoking, exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As for your question, according to recent studies on calcium and Vitamin D supplement intake, even assuming that the kidney function is intact, these supplements are a waste of money since they have not shown any real benefits in the elderly. If you enjoy good health, have a good diet, containing milk products and a healthy lifestyle, you may not need these supplements. However, if you have bone loss or fragility, the best medications are the ones that build new bone mass and bone active drugs, such as bisphosphonates. I hope this helps. Wishing you all the best.