Effectiveness and safety of routine calcium supplementation in postmenopausal women. A narrative review.

BACKGROUND To determine whether routine administration of calcium supplementation is useful in postmenopausal women, while it is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. METHODS A literature search was performed using Medline/PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar by using relevant keywords. RESULTS Calcium supplement exerts a small protective effect against bone loss which disappears after cessation. Antifracture effect of supplemental calcium is limited to older frail women or community-dwelling residents who are vitamin D deficient and have inadequate dietary calcium intake. The results of studies on the association between calcium supplementation and cardiovascular complications are contradictory and do not lead to a decisive conclusion CONCLUSION Current data do not support routine calcium supplementation to all postmenopausal women for prevention of bone loss or bone fracture.