Calcium Increases Prostate Cancer Risk in Smokers

A review of the dietary intake of calcium and dairy products in the Vitamin E and Beta-Carotene study of 29,133 male smokers aged 50-69 at entry found that

1. the 20% of men with highest calcium intake had a 26% higher risk of prostate cancer than the 20% of men with lowest calcium intake.


2. men who consumed over 2000 mg per day of calcium had 63% higher risk of developing prostate cancer than those consuming less than 1000 mg per day


3. dairy intake was also associated with prostate cancer but not after correction for calcium suggesting that the risk from dairy is due to its calcium or a constituent related to calcium.

Source:

Mitrou PN, Albanes D, Weinstein SJ, Pietinen P, Taylor PR, Virtamo J, Leitzmann MF. A prospective study of dietary calcium, dairy products and prostate cancer risk (Finland). Int J Cancer. 2007 Feb 2; [Epub ahead of print] [PMID: 17278090]