Review article

Calcium and malignant neoplasms

Marija Strnad ; Hrvatski zavod za javno zdravstvo, Rockefellerova 7, 10000 Zagreb

Abstract

Several studies have shown that there is a link between calcium, vitamin D, milk consumption and colon cancer mortality. They recognized milk, as the richest source of food calcium, as a protective factor. Most of them have flaws capable of affecting the results. Purportedly, the protective role of calcium consists in calcium ions reducing the exposure of colonic epithelium to fats and gallbladder acids by binding with them into insoluble calcium soaps. Fats and lipids are considered to simulate tumor growth in the cells exposed to the initial carcinogenesis. The observation that in colonic cancer the action of vitamin D may be protective is based on the reports of areas with less sunlight having a higher mortality from this cancer. At it, the role of vitamin D is closely related with its function in calcium metabolism. The evidence for a causal relationship between calcium and colonic cancer is not strong enough yet. More significant is that indicating its relationship with osteoporosis and hypertension. It is thus important to insure a sufficient daily calcium intake thorough food.

Keywords

calcium; milk; malignancies and milk; osteoporosis

Hrčak ID:

94991

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/94991

Publication date:

15.5.1996.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 2.344 *