Do the risks of taking CaD supplements outweigh the benefits for hip fracture or colorectal cancer?
The only significant risk found in the CaD Trial was that of kidney stones (renal calculi). There was a suggestion of a reduction in hip fractures, and no effect on colorectal cancer. From the results it can be calculated that on average, for every 10,000 women taking the supplement for one year, there might be 6 more kidney stones and 2 fewer hip fractures. For women 60 and older, there might be 6 fewer hip fractures. It is not possible to calculate an overall benefit compared to risk, because hip fractures are much more serious than kidney stones. Also, the kidney stones were self -reported by the women, while the fractures and colorectal cancer cases were evaluated by trained physicians who reviewed actual medical records, and were therefore more reliable. There was no increase in total mortality in the active supplement group compared to the placebo group. The most important finding for the CaD Trial is the benefit to bone density and possible decreased risk of hip fracture, partic
