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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Is Calcium Supplement Safe For An Elderly Person?

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.
Fri, 17 Mar 2017
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
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.
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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.