Many older women take calcium supplements to protect their bones, especially to prevent or manage a condition called osteoporosis.
But in recent years, there have been concerns that calcium supplements might harm brain health or even increase the risk of dementia. A new study from Australian researchers helps put those worries to rest.
Scientists from Edith Cowan University, Curtin University, and the University of Western Australia found no evidence that taking calcium alone increases the risk of dementia over time. Their research looked at data from a previous study involving 1,460 older women.
These women were randomly placed into two groups. One group took calcium supplements, while the other group took a placebo (a pill with no active ingredient). This went on for five years.
Over the long term, the results showed that the women who took calcium were not more likely to develop dementia than those who didn’t. This is reassuring news for women who take calcium to strengthen their bones.
Calcium is often recommended for older adults because it helps reduce the risk of fractures caused by weak bones. Around one in five women over 70 has osteoporosis, so many women take calcium every day.
However, older studies suggested there might be a link between calcium supplements and dementia, which made some people worry about long-term brain health.
Ms. Negar Ghasemifard, a PhD student at ECU, explained that the new findings should reassure both patients and doctors. She said the study provides evidence that calcium supplements are safe for the brain, at least when it comes to older women.
Dr. Marc Sim, a senior research fellow at ECU, said the team carefully analyzed the results. Even after considering diet, genetics, and lifestyle factors, the results stayed the same—calcium didn’t increase dementia risk.
He pointed out that past studies were mostly observational, meaning they looked at patterns in data without controlling for many other factors. But this study was different. It was based on a clinical trial where women were randomly assigned to take calcium or not. This gives more reliable results.
In the trial, about 730 women took calcium supplements and another 730 took a placebo. The study lasted for five years, but researchers followed up for over 14 years. This long period gave them strong data to study how the women’s brain health changed over time.
Professor Simon Laws from ECU said that while this study is important, more research is still needed. He explained that it’s not clear if the same results would apply to men or to women who start taking calcium earlier in life. Future studies should look at different groups of people and should include clear measures of brain health from the start.
Professor Blossom Stephan, a medical advisor for Dementia Australia, said the study gives valuable peace of mind. She emphasized that calcium is important for many body functions, including keeping bones strong, and it’s good to know that it doesn’t seem to harm the brain in older women.
In short, this new study shows that calcium supplements, when taken alone, do not increase the risk of dementia for older women. It’s a finding that can help many people feel more confident about their health decisions.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about Vitamin B9 deficiency linked to higher dementia risk, and cranberries could help boost memory.
For more health information, please see recent studies about heartburn drugs that could increase risk of dementia, and results showing this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
The study is published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific.
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