Selected nutrient intakes and blood serum mineral concentrations of elderly humans fed regular and sweet acidophilus milks

Serum calcium level is associated with metabolic syndrome in elderly women

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between serum calcium level and metabolic syndrome, defined using the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) definition, in Korean elderly women.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1941 elderly women (mean age: 65.16±4.58 years) who participated in annual health examinations at Korea university Medical Center between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2009 and had normal serum calcium levels.

RESULTS

Women with metabolic syndrome had higher serum calcium levels than those without metabolic syndrome (9.26±0.35 vs. 9.20±0.33, P<0.001). In multiple logistic regression analysis, serum calcium level within normal range was positively associated with the risk of having metabolic syndrome (odds ratio 2.12, 95% confidence interval 1.50-2.98). With regard to components of metabolic syndrome, serum calcium level was also positively associated with the risk of having high triglyceride, and high glucose, whereas it was inversely associated with the risk of having low high density lipoprotein. However, there was no association of serum calcium level with abdominal obesity or high blood pressure.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher was the level of calcium within normal range, the greater were the odds of metabolic syndrome in healthy and elderly women. Prospective studies are needed to investigate the role of calcium in the development of metabolic syndrome in the future.

Determinants of serum calcium in men and women. The Tromsø Study

The level of serum calcium appears to be associated with blood pressure and metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Determinants of serum calcium may therefore be of interest. In a health survey in Tromsø in 1994-1995, 27,159 subjects were examined. The survey included measurements of serum calcium and questionnaires on diet and lifestyle factors. In males mean serum calcium declined from 2.41 mmol/l for those in their 20s to 2.34 mmol/l for those in their 80s. In females mean serum calcium was stable at a level of 2.35 mmol/l before the menopause, and thereafter reached a plateau of 2.39 mmol/l. In both sexes serum calcium showed a positive association with body mass index (BMI) and coffee consumption that persisted after correcting for other variables in a multiple regression model (p < 0.05). Physical activity had no significant association with serum calcium. In females alcohol consumption was negatively, and cigarette smoking positively associated with serum calcium (p < 0.01). No significant effect on the serum calcium levels was found for the intake of calcium or vitamin D, except for males with a calcium intake below 200 mg/day. Some of the observed effects, like the variation with age, may partly be explained by alterations in levels of serum albumin to which approximately 40% of circulating calcium is bound and which was not adjusted for in this study, whereas that is hardly the case for the association with BMI and coffee consumption. However, none of these factors could affect the serum calcium level more than 0.02 mmol/l, and the biological significance of the observed associations questionable.