Some older women who take calcium supplements commonly recommended to ward off age-related bone damage may face a greater dementia risk , according to a 5-year study of 700 women aged 70 to 92 years.
The heightened dementia risk appears limited to women who have had a stroke or suffer from cerebrovascular disease & disorders that affect blood flow to the brain. researchers report in the journal Neurology.
At baseline, all women were dementia-free, 98 were taking calcium supplements, and 54 had experienced a stroke. Women with cerebrovascular disease who took calcium were twice as likely as those not taking calcium to develop dementia. In women with a history of stroke, 6 of 15 who took calcium developed dementia, versus 12 of 93 who did not; in those without stroke, dementia developed in 18 of 83 who took calcium, versus 33 of 509 who did not. Because this study was observational, however, it cannot be assumed that calcium supplements cause dementia.
“These findings need to be replicated before any recommendations can be made,” said lead author Dr. Silke Kern of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. “Women with cerebrovascular disease and osteoporosis should discuss this new information with their clinicians.”