title: The Effects of Dietary Calcium Supplements Alone or With Vitamin D on Cholesterol Metabolism: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence supports the role of lifestyle interventions as a primary intervention strategy among individuals with dyslipidemia. The role of micronutrients, and calcium in particular, on cholesterol metabolism is not clear and warrants further investigation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to conduct a meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials that have examined the effects of calcium supplements on blood lipids among adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched up to March 2016 for calcium supplements clinical trials. Other trials were selected from searching bibliography of reviews, meta-analysis, and included trials. Clinical trials with random allocation to calcium supplementation or calcium plus vitamin D supplementation, or control were selected. Data collected included study design, participant characteristics, information of the intervention, and outcomes. Data synthesis was conducted using random effect models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 22 trials, representing 4071 participants, met the eligibility criteria. Compared with control group, calcium supplements significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level by -0.12 mmol/L (95% confidence interval, -0.22 to -0.02) and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level by 0.05 mmol/L (95% confidence interval, 0.00 to 0.10). Subgroup analyses revealed that the associations were consistent across study duration and vitamin D cosupplementation status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Calcium supplementation has beneficial effect on blood lipids. Such supplements may be useful as a nonpharmaceutical strategy in cholesterol control.
authors.affiliation: Chunlan Chen, BSN, RN Staff Nurse, Department of Urologic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. Song Ge, BSN, RN PhD Student, School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Shengxu Li, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana. Lang Wu, PhD Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. Tingting Liu, PhD, RN Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Auburn University, Alabama. Changwei Li, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens.
authors.forename: Chunlan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Shengxu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Changwei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D