Clinical analysis of commonly used calcium, calcium/vitamin D tablets in Lebanon. (c1999)

Abstract

Osteoporosis is one of the commonest public health problems of modern medicine. It is the major underlying cause of bone fractures in postmenopausal women and elderly. Factors that influence the occurrence of osteoporosis include: a-Optimal peak bone mass attained in the first 2 to 3 decades of life. b-And the rate at which bone is lost in later years. Calcium intake is one of a number of factors that affect peak bone mass. Adequate calcium intake is critical to achieving optimal peak bone mass and modifies the rate of bone loss associated with aging. The critical importance of calcium on skeletal health is illustrated in the National Institute of Health Consensus Panel recommendations that are age and gender specific. Calcium, which is a major component of mineralized tissues and is required for normal growth and development of the skeleton and teeth, can be provided through dairy products or calcium supplements. However, accuracy of calcium or calcium/vitamin D products is undetermined. Furthermore, certain reports from the US raise concern regarding the contamination of certain calcium supplements with heavy metals. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the purity and accuracy of commonly used calcium and calcium/vitamin D supplements in Lebanon. This investigation was a collaborative project between LAU and AUB-MC. The extraction and analytical studies were performed at the core research facility of faculty of medicine at AUB and the university Core Environment Laboratory.