Opposing Digits

A large, seven-year study of healthy women over age 50 found no broad benefit from calcium and vitamin D supplements in preventing broken bones, despite widespread endorsement by doctors for the supplements.

The study also found no evidence that the supplements prevented colorectal cancer, and it found an increased risk of kidney stones.

Osteoporosis specialists said the study, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, is likely to put a dent in what has become a widespread medical practice of recommending that all women take calcium and vitamin D supplements starting at menopause if not sooner, as a sort of insurance policy against osteoporosis. But beyond that there is no agreement on what, if anything, healthy women should do.

Full Article by Gina Kolata

Osteoporosis is a condition where you're losing calcium; not caused by lack of calcium. Cutting back on meat protein, milk (yes milk) and other acidifying foods should help prevent it I would think. Just because calcium is the most abundant does not make it "better". We should get a good balance of all good minerals. A container is not full just because it's full of large stones, you can still add small stones, sand, and water.