Calcium has Lots of Protective Effects
Beyond Bones
When big health news hits the headlines, everyone in my hometown finds a reason to bump into me -- after church, in the market, even when I'm out walking my dog. So when that big study came out saying calcium doesn't do much to keep your bones from breaking, my neighbors and friends all wanted to hear my take on things. My take is to keep taking your calcium -- and not just to protect your bones, either. Calcium has lots of protective effects, including a unique cancer prevention benefit.
It seems that keeping up with your calcium supplements for the long haul can protect your colon from developing polyps...and that protection can last for years. Now polyps aren't tumors, and they don't mean you have cancer. But polyps are usually called precancerous, meaning they can turn into cancer, and avoiding them is always a good thing.
A trial called the Calcium Polyp Prevention Study found that calcium supplements could reduce the risk of colon polyps by 19 percent, and the risk went down even more -- 28 percent -- for a more serious form called advanced adenomas. During the five-year follow up, the numbers looked just as good, and some got even better. There was a 36 percent reduction in new adenoma growth, and a 48 percent drop in the risk of developing another type (called hyperplastic polyps).
The most important fact we've learned from this study is this: Calcium is the only dietary substance that helps prevent colon polyps from developing. The folks in the study took 1,200 mg of calcium every day. I recommend taking a special form called calcium citrate that your body can absorb better than other kinds. To get the best results, take your calcium along with 1,000 IU of vitamin D.
A word of caution for men, though. It's possible that there's a connection between high calcium intake and prostate cancer, so talk to your doctor before you start taking any calcium supplements.
Another thing mentioned in that big study about calcium was that it could cause kidney stones. Now it's true that many kidney stones are made of calcium, and that getting too much calcium all at once can sometimes cause them. But there are a lot of other factors that come into play that can put you at higher risk for kidney stones. Keep reading...
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Weight Can Cause Kidney Stones
Being overweight or obese can lead to a bunch of health troubles, and now kidney stones are added to that growing list. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which included about 240,000 participants and went on for about 15 years, overweight men have a 44 percent higher chance of getting painful kidney stones then men at healthy weights. And the women in the high weight category faced a risk about 90 percent higher than other women.
The scientists also learned that men who had packed on the pounds after they hit age 21 packed on 39 percent extra risk as well. Again, the numbers were more dramatic for women who gained a lot of weight after they turned 18 -- for those women the risk rate climbed up between 70 percent and 92 percent!
So if you're looking for some inspiration to help you lose some weight, think about this. Kidney stones hurt a lot. And you can lower your chances for getting stuck with that terrible pain by shedding some extra pounds.
While I was looking up these studies about colon polyps and kidney stones, I stumbled across something very different, but just as important. Your weight and the foods and supplements you take have a mighty impact on your health, but your emotions play a role too. You can learn about the whopping effect emotional stress can have on your heart below.
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Sudden Emotions Can Stun Your Heart
Unexpected terrible news can knock us off our feet in a big sweep of emotions. And that sudden emotional stress can throw your heart off course, too, both emotionally and physically.
Some doctors evaluated a group of patients who'd all just dealt with some overwhelming emotional stress and suffered heart problems to boot. All of the patients had come in with chest pain or heart failure, and it turns out that their hearts had lost about half of their pumping ability. In doctor speak, their hearts were stunned.
Severe emotional distress can cause your body to put out high levels of stress hormones, like adrenaline. In these patients, the stress hormone levels were much higher than normal for typical heart attacks, and that seems to simply stun the heart.
Before you worry too much about this, it's important to note that all of the patients survived this heart problem. In fact, their hearts were back to normal in about 14 to 28 days. But it just goes to show you what a big impact stress can have on your physical health. Whenever my patients are going through a tough time, in addition to paying extra close attention to their health, I always recommend that they reach out to those support networks meant to provide comfort: friends, family, church groups. After all, that's why they're there. And from what I've seen, they can make a world of difference.
Until next time,
Dr. Alan Inglis
House Calls
