STUDY REINFORCES BIOAVAILABILITY OF OS-CAL® CALCIUM CARBONATE EFFECTS
OF VITAMIN D STATUS ON CALCIUM ABSORPTIVE PERFORMANCE IN SENIOR WOMEN
ALSO STUDIED
Heaney RP, Creighton University, Omaha NE; Bendich A, GlaxoSmithKline,
Parsippany NJ
(December 17, 2002, Pittsburgh, PA GSK:NYSE)--An abstract of a new study,
“Effects of Vitamin D Status on Calcium Absorptive Performance
in Elderly Women” conducted by Robert P. Heaney, MD, Osteoporosis
Research Center at Creighton University in Omaha and Adrianne Bendich,
Ph.D., F.A.C.N., Clinical Director, Calcium Research at GlaxoSmithKline
Consumer Healthcare, was recently published in the October 2002 issue
of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (Vol. 21, No.5).
This original research, comparing the absorption of Os-Cal® calcium
carbonate and Citracal® calcium citrate (without Vitamin D pre-treatment),
demonstrated that there was no difference in serum calcium levels between
Os-Cal and Citracal: Os-Cal and Citracal were absorbed equally, and
therefore had equivalent bioavailability. The authors also concluded
that in free-living seniors, serum vitamin D levels below 80 nmol/L,
which are seen when vitamin D-containing supplements are not routinely
taken, are associated with important decreases in calcium absorption
efficiency. Dr. Heaney comments, “The results from this second
study strongly support the results from the previous study demonstrating
that Os-Cal and Citracal are equally bioavailable.” The previous
study “Absorbability and Cost-effectiveness in Calcium Supplementation”
was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (Vol.
20, No.3, 239-246 (2001). Os-Cal is the #1 calcium supplement preferred
by doctors of internal medicine for women at risk for osteoporosis,
is the #1 calcium supplement recommended by pharmacists three consecutive
years in a Pharmacy Times survey, and is clinically proven effective
to help maintain bone mass in more studies than any other calcium supplement
brand. The National Institutes of Health reports that a large percentage
of Americans fail to meet currently recommended guidelines for optimal
calcium intake and a unified public health strategy is needed to ensure
optimal calcium intake in the American population. Os-Cal contains the
most concentrated form of calcium, calcium carbonate. Taken in a simple
dosing regimen with meals, Os-Cal can help consumers easily meet their
daily calcium requirements. Americans can help prevent and slow the
progression of osteoporosis by following a healthy lifestyle, getting
adequate calcium and vitamin D (through dietary sources and calcium
with vitamin D supplements, such as Os-Cal), getting bone density tests,
and engaging in weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, dancing or
tennis. Os-Cal is quality-tested to meet USP dissolution standards.
The studies, “Effects of Vitamin D Status on Calcium Absorptive
Performance in Elderly Women” and “Absorbability and Cost-effectiveness
in Calcium Supplementation”, were funded by Creighton University
and research grants awarded by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare.
Call toll-free 1-866-538-3687 to learn more about calcium supplementation
and osteoporosis prevention. Visit the Os-Cal website at www.os-cal.com,
and for accurate information about calcium’s role in health, in
both English and Spanish, visit www.calciuminfo.com.
GlaxoSmithKline—one
of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare
companies—is committed to improving the quality of human life
by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. OsCal is
a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline
Citracal is a registered trademark of Mission Pharmacal
