MAY – JUNE 2022
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Although calcium is known for its effect on bone mineral density, studies that have been accumulating in recent decades show that ensuring adequate intakes of the nutrient have benefits that go beyond bones. For example, it lowers blood pressure, especially in young people. And it also prevents hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, cholesterol levels, kidney stones and colorectal adenomas.
Hthere is uncertainty regarding the levels real and optimal intake calcium for different ages, sexes and physiological conditions, but there is consensus that The usual diet only provides a fraction of the necessary amount (especially in low- and middle-income countries) and dietary changes are difficult to implement in short periods.
For some years now, in the IECS andhad identified the role of calcium in the prevention of preeclampsia and we promote that the World Health Organization (WHO) made a formal recommendation for supplementation as part of prenatal care. Now we are exploring the feasibility of making up for the nutrient deficit through fortification in tap water and flour.
It's a public health approach that could meet the mineral intake demands of the most vulnerable people. Studies carried out, underway or planned by our team include simulations on the additional contribution that would be achieved in different populations depending on the consumption pattern or the effect of fortification on industrial properties or flavor. Each strategy has its advantages and limitations. Local particularities also influence: The tap water of Buenos Aires, for example, provides a quarter of calcium/liter than that of London..
But to promote public health policies, it is not only about overcoming possible technical barriers, but also about clear prejudices. Fortification would only exceed the maximum recommended intake limits in a minimal proportion of the population. On the other hand, it is false that high levels of calcium increase the risk of kidney stones, as many believe, but rather the opposite occurs (because it favors the precipitation of oxalates in the digestive tract and not in the kidney tubules).
On the other hand, taking into account only the incidences of preeclampsia and neural tube defects, the magnitude of The benefits of calcium fortification in terms of public health couldn outperform those associated with folic acid fortification, which of course we all praise and no one argues. In summary: implementing measures to enrich calcium consumption could be a overall utility, cost-effective intervention, safe and acceptable to improve the health and prevent deaths of millions of people. We cannot afford to ignore its potential.
By Dr. José Belizean, president and investigatoradorer of the IECS and principal investigator of CONICET, and the dr. Gabriela Cormick, researcher at the IECS and vice director of the Epidemiology and Public Health Research Center (CIESP-CONICET)