Young girls who obtain extra calcium from food sources tend to gain more bone mass than those who get it from tablet supplements. However, children who already receive adequate amounts of calcium in their diets do not benefit from extra calcium in any form.
Some 60 percent of adult bone mass accumulates during puberty; understanding how to maximize bone growth during this period may help prevent later osteoporosis.
Tablets Versus Cheese
A two-year study followed almost 200 girls, ages 10 to 12, with calcium intake below recommended levels. They randomly assigned the children to receive either calcium tablets, calcium tablets fortified with vitamin D, low-fat cheese, or placebo tablets.
More Benefit From Cheese, but No Benefit Past a Certain Point
The cheese group showed more beneficial effects than any of the other groups. However, there was no additional benefit to any group once a certain level of dietary calcium intake was exceeded.
The authors of the study concluded that, while calcium from natural sources is best, it is wise to avoid unnecessary calcium supplementation of any kind in normally growing children.
