Calcium supplementation does not affect CRP levels in postmenopausal women--a randomized controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Epidemiological studies suggest that calcium supplementation may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.


METHODS
Since the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and CRP production is potentially responsive to parathyroid hormone, we measured high-sensitivity CRP at baseline and 12 months in a subset of healthy postmenopausal women participating in a randomized controlled trial of the effects of 1 g of calcium daily on the incidence of fractures.


RESULTS
At baseline, we found that CRP correlated positively with indices of body weight and fat and with bone mineral density (BMD) at the total body and total hip sites, but the associations between CRP and BMD were lost after adjustment for body weight. There were consistent associations between levels of CRP and markers of the metabolic syndrome (fat mass, plasma triglycerides, fasting glucose).


CONCLUSIONS
After 1 year of calcium supplementation, there was no difference between the groups in levels of CRP. We conclude that levels of CRP correlate with anthropometric and biochemical features of insulin resistance, but that they are neither predictive of BMD nor affected by 1 g of calcium supplementation in healthy postmenopausal women.
Grey
A
A
Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. a.grey@auckland.ac.nz
Gamble
G
G
Ames
R
R
Horne
A
A
Mason
B
B
Reid
I R
IR
D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*
D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002118:Calcium