Analysis reveals long-term impact of calcium and vitamin D supplements on health in postmenopausal women
After more than 20 years, supplementation associated with lower cancer mortality and higher CVD mortality
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-2598
URL goes live when the embargo lifts
A follow-up analysis of a randomized clinical trial found that the use of calcium and vitamin D supplements among postmenopausal women was associated with decreased risk for cancer mortality, but increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. The analysis is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
The largest randomized trial of CaD supplementation, completed by the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), examined the effects of daily CaD supplementation on health outcomes in postmenopausal women. The results were largely null. However, the 20-year adjudication of health events and mortality in the WHI CaD trial, complemented with National Death Index data, provided an opportunity to update the original findings and evaluate longer-term health risks.
Researchers from the University of Arizona conducted a post-hoc analysis long-term postintervention follow-up of the 7-year randomized intervention WHI trial of CaD versus placebo to evaluate long-term health outcomes among postmenopausal women. The researchers looked for incidence of cancer, disease-specific and all-cause mortality, CVD, and hip fracture by randomization assignment. Analyses also were stratified on personal supplement use. They found that for women who were randomly assigned to take CaD supplements had a 7% lower risk of dying from cancer over a period of about 22 years compared to those taking placebo. However, there was also a 6% higher risk of dying from CVD among those who took the supplements. The study didn’t find any significant overall effect on other measures, including all-cause mortality. The authors noted that cancer incidence seemed to depend on whether the women were already taking supplements before the study began and CVD mortality was higher among those taking the supplements.
Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Angela Collom at acollom@acponline.org. To speak with the corresponding author, Cynthia A. Thomson, PhD, RD, please contact cthomson@arizona.edu.
