Higher Calcium Intake Lowers Risk Of Thyroid Problems In Older Women

Women whose diet is low in calcium run the risk of developing primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), a condition in which an overactive thyroid secretes too much parathyroid hormone, leading to weak bones, fractures and kidney stones, a study finds. U.S. researchers collected data beginning in 1986 on 58,354 women aged 39 to 66 years. They measured calcium intake from dietary sources and supplements every four years. Women with the highest intake of dietary calcium had a 44 percent lower risk of developing PHPT than those with the lowest intake. Even women who took a modest 500 mg/day of calcium supplements had a 59 percent lower risk than those who took no supplement.