Word association
Let's do a little word association game. I'll tell you a word, and you say the first thing that comes into your mind. The word? Calcium. And I'll bet quite a few of you said "bones"…or maybe "milk." You're correct on both counts, of course. But let me tell why there may be an even better answer… Last month, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine of nearly half a million people indicated that calcium plays a pivotal role in protecting against a disease much more deadly than the one typically associated with calcium (osteoporosis). Researchers from the National Cancer Institute found that this essential nutrient also significantly reduces the risk of colon cancer. They examined dietary questionnaires from 293,907 men and 198,903 women and found that the people who reported the highest calcium intakes had significantly lower risk of colorectal cancer than those with the lowest intake. Specifically, men who reported getting around 1,500 milligrams of calcium per day had a 16 percent lower risk of developing colorectal cancer than men who consumed only about 500 milligrams per day. And women whose daily calcium intake was on the high end fared even better, reducing their risk of colorectal cancer by 23 percent. In fact, women who reported taking in up to 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day had a lower risk of developing ANY form of cancer (though, for some reason, the overall cancer risk reduction didn't hold true for the men in the study). The researchers are cautiously optimistic about their discovery, but note that calcium may not be the only factor involved. Vitamin D may also contribute to the cancer protection found in this study, since the two nutrients are often consumed together. In fact, one of the researchers suggested that vitamin D, not calcium, may actually be the underlying protective powerhouse here. They're planning further studies to pinpoint the true standout. But regardless of which nutrient comes out on top, the fact remains that, in order to keep your bones -- and the rest of your body -- in the best health possible, you need BOTH of these essential nutrients. For adults, Dr. Wright recommends at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day, and 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day. Source:
"Calcium linked to lower colon cancer risk, study finds," The New York Times (www.nytimes.com), 2/25/09 | 
