Study Says Calcium Reduces Risk of Some Cancers

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We already know that getting enough calcium is important for strong bones. But new reasons to drink milk and take calcium supplements keep popping up. Here’s the latest: It may help reduce your risk of cancer.

The National Institutes of Health and the AARP recently led a study that found both men and women with high calcium intake had a 16% lower risk of colorectal and other cancers of the digestive system. When the study narrowed its scope to examine calcium’s impact on women, the results were even more dramatic. The women who consumed the most calcium had a 23% less risk of cancer than those with the least.

Half a million people participated in the study by sharing information on their diet and supplement intake. The women for whom cancer risks were most greatly reduced consumed up to 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day. That’s 100 more milligrams per day that the current recommended dose for adults over 50. This information may one day lead to researchers to revise that recommendation.

You can find more details on the study here.

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