Frontline: Calcium Safety; PPIs & Stroke Risk; Napping’s Affect on the Brain

More Support for the Safety of Calcium

In 2013, a Swedish study found that women who took calcium supplements had a higher risk of death due to cardiovascular disease than women who got the same amount of calcium from foods alone. This report led to an investigation of the possible connection between calcium supplements and heart health by the National Osteoporosis Foundation and the American Society for Preventive Cardiology. In November 2016, these organizations issued guidelines stating that the calcium found in food and calcium supplements does not have an impact on cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, or cause death from these diseases or from any other cause in otherwise healthy adults They recommended that calcium consumption be limited to a maximum of 2,000 to 2,500 mg a day. Other health experts suggest that more health benefits are gained from consuming foods, rather than supplements, that contain calcium.

Taking Proton Pump Inhibitors May Raise the Risk of Stroke

If you take a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) for heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you may be putting yourself at higher risk for an ischemic stroke, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in November 2016. In the six-year observational study, researchers found that people taking the highest recommended doses of a PPI had a 21 percent higher stroke risk, compared with similar adults who did not take PPIs Taking a high dose of pantoprazole (Protonix) was associated with the highest risk of stroke. PPIs, which include omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), pantoprazole (Protonix), and esomeprazole (Nexium), have previously been associated with higher risks of heart attacks, kidney disease, and dementia. If you take a PPI, review the risks and benefits with your doctor.

Napping May Benefit Your Brain

Taking a nap after lunch may boost cognitive functioning in older adults, according to research published Dec. 20, 2016 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. For the study, nap times were categorized as short (less than 30 minutes), moderate (between 30 and 90 minutes), and extended (more than 90 minutes). Of the 2,974 Chinese participants, average age 71, 57.7 percent reported napping after lunch (habitual napping is common in Chinese culture). The participants’ cognitive function was measured using interview-based standard assessments that evaluated episodic memory, visuospatial abilities, attention, and orientation. The data indicated that moderate nappers had better cognition than non-, short, or extended nappers. Short nappers scored higher on cognitive tests than non-nappers. The possible associations between sleep and cognitive function have become a topic of interest as researchers look for factors that may help minimize cognitive impairment in older adults. Poor sleep has been linked with a number of health problems; if you have trouble sleeping or you frequently feel tired, ask your doctor to investigate possible causes.

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