BREAKTHROUGH REPORT
Calcium Conspiracy Revealed
Shocking research proves calcium supplements
DO NOT decrease the risk of osteoporosis.
Reading this exposé could save your bones - and your life!
If you're a woman over 50, you're probably well-versed in the importance of bone health. In fact, if you're a woman of any age you're probably taking steps to make sure osteoporosis is not part of your future.
You may even have seen friends and family suffer from the debilitating effects of osteoporosis... broken bones... prolonged healing periods... loss of independence... and having to be put in nursing homes.
Which is why I'm willing to bet that in the hopes of decreasing your risk of osteoporosis, you're taking a daily calcium supplement.
Yet – and this is the shocking truth that big pharma does NOT want you to know – the latest research in leading medical journals like The Lancet prove that what we've all been lead to believe about Calcium just isn't true!
Calcium supplements put your bones and your life in danger.
I'm as surprised as you are. I didn't want to believe it myself. But research of this caliber doesn't lie. Which is why I couldn't wait another minute to stop you – and the world – from making the same mistake I was. A mistake so harmful, it could literally cause your death.
Exploiting the calcium myth
It's natural for big business to hope you won't do your reading and put the truth about calcium supplements together, but the proof is beginning to gain steam.
How are calcium supplements Putting North American bones and lives in danger?
If you grew up in North America, then it's likely that the benefits of drinking enough milk and ingesting enough calcium were hammered into you from an early age. They certainly were in my childhood.
And while it is of vital importance to ensure you get enough calcium for growing bones, the benefits wane as you reach adulthood. To the point where – shockingly – calcium supplementation can even do harm.
The truth about calcium that big business doesn't want you to know.
Why is this information being kept from you? Why are health care practitioners pushing expensive calcium pills and why is the media not stepping up with a little more well-rounded reporting of the actual facts?
This misinformation we will refer to as "The Calcium Myth" has spread around the world based on the flawed belief that calcium is essential to bone health and your health in general.
But it has started to become clear through new research, and the woefully apparent dollar signs that big companies have in their eyes, that the benefits of calcium are more or less, imaginary.
The sad truth is that most mainstream health practitioners are so convinced by old school thinking and pharmaceutical marketing that they'll ignore emerging proven research.
Let me ask you this … if you were being fed a line for the sole purpose of putting money into the pocket of a big calcium supplement company, or acting on the word of others who were deceiving you, wouldn't you want to know? Of course you would.
You might be wondering, "are you just trying to scare me?" The short answer is a resounding "No". There is one piece of information that is a real eye-opener as we begin to unravel and exploit the calcium myth.
Meet one of the companies behind the "Calcium Myth"
You've probably already heard of the popular calcium supplement Caltrate with its powerful slogan "Help Prevent Bone Loss with Caltrate." But did you know that Caltrate is actually owned by Pfizer – the largest research-based pharmaceutical company?
Given its size and breadth of products, Pfizer has incredible sway over doctors and the public. To such an extent that Pfizer and Caltrate helped create the very belief that adult bones need calcium supplements to be healthy … despite the lack of science to back it up.
Given that Pfizer is so proud of its research department, how could they not know that calcium supplements have not been proven to prevent osteoporosis?
Which makes me wonder, are they just filling their pockets, with no regards for the real life consequences?
On the next few pages we'll look at a number of more specific ways the "Calcium Myth" is leading you astray. And, how it could actually be harming you.
I'll also share some secret, yet surprisingly simple, ways to help prevent osteoporosis without taking a single pill.
Calcium: Big business. Bigger deception.
Do you realize that calcium is one of the most heavily advertised supplements in the world?
Knowing that, it's not a huge surprise that, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, Americans spent $1.2 billion last year on calcium supplements alone. And a further $430 million dollars on calcium pills containing vitamin D.
People are throwing their money away because they are being told they need calcium! Not only this, but the hyped up North American dairy industry – that just so happens spend millions of dollars on marketing dairy and calcium as necessary for strong bones – is worth billions of dollars.
But what's most interesting of all is that milk could actually be depleting calcium from your bones.
It's true. And here's how it happens.
When we drink milk (or consume other animal proteins) it acidifies our bodies' pH. In response, our body attempts to correct the imbalance. How? You guessed it, with calcium (an excelled acid neutralizer). And the biggest repository of calcium in our bodies is … in our bones!
It truly is a vicious circle! The very same calcium our bones need to stay strong is used by our bodies to neutralize the acidifying effect of the milk we drink to strengthen our bones…
Once calcium is pulled out of our bones and into our blood stream it leaves the body via our urine. At the end of it all, what we're left with is a calcium deficit.
How is it that all this isn't headline news? I ask myself the same question.
The milk myth is one that has been fed to consumers around the world by big dairy and pharma companies for a very long time and no one has really questioned it. Until now.
Top three calcium myths … revealed
We've talked about how we've all grown up with the importance of calcium being hammered into us (an importance that was further amplified and marketed by big business as we reached late adulthood) and about how pharma companies are capitalizing on the North American belief that our bones need calcium supplementation to be healthy.
Now it's time to take to take a look at the specifics of the misinformation … and how science has disproven what we've been lead to believe about calcium is true.
Following are three powerful facts that are shifting the tide against calcium supplementation:
Calcium Expose #1:
Calcium supplements DO NOT improve bone health or help prevent fractures.
For years, getting a lot of calcium has been portrayed as one of the best things you could do to prevent osteoporosis and related bone fractures. WRONG.
In fact, Harvard researchers studied over 170,000 women who suffered from a total of almost 3,000 hip fractures, and guess what they found … There was "no association between total calcium intake and hip fracture risk." They literally found the extra calcium did nothing!
Another 12-year long Harvard study of 78,000 women, found that those who had the highest amounts of calcium intake actually broke 45% more bones than those with the lowest daily consumption. 45% MORE!
Don't get me wrong – osteoporosis is a dangerous epidemic that needs to be addressed.
Here's a startling fact as many as half of all women and a quarter of men older than 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Putting more than 40 million Americans at increased risk for bone fracture!
Each year, osteoporosis is a contributing factor in as many as 1.5 million fractures, including:
- About 300,000 hip fractures
- About 700,000 vertebral (spine) fractures
- About 250,000 wrist fractures
- About 300,000 fractures at other sites
Even worse, 20% of seniors who break a hip die within one year. Either from problems related to the broken bone itself, or the surgery to repair it.
That's one in five people, dead due to a broken hip! And many of those who so survive suffer from depression, loss of mobility and independence and often need long-term nursing home care.
By 2025, experts predict that osteoporosis will be responsible for approximately three million fractures and $25.3 billion in costs each year.
All the more reason to make sure that women – and all aging people – aren't pinning their hopes on a supplement that has been proven NOT to help.
In 2008, a report out of Harvard Health stated, "Two studies showed that calcium didn't prevent fractures—even when taken in combination with vitamin D".
Another study showed that postmenopausal women who took a calcium-vitamin D combination were no less likely to break their hip than women who took a placebo pill.
Additionally, a 1994 study of elderly men and women in Australia showed that higher dairy product consumption was associated with an increased risk of fractures.
The studies go on and on and on … and they all come to the same startling conclusion: not only doesn't calcium supplementation protect bones from fractures, but it actually increases the likelihood that a break will occur.
A step in the right direction …
Thankfully, there are signs that the world is starting to pay attention to science. Osteoporosis Canada itself has changed its recommendation, now suggesting that you get your calcium from dietary sources whenever possible!
That's a huge shift in ideology. The tides are finally turning against calcium supplementation to support bone health. Do not be left behind. Stop risking your health and wasting your money.
Calcium Expose #2
Countries that Consume Less Calcium Don't Break as Many Bones
Caucasians over age 51 living primarily in North America are told by the US Department of Health they need over 1200 mg of calcium per day.
But T. Colin Campbell, a professor of nutritional biochemistry at Cornell University, and author of The China Study doesn't agree. His studies have shown that Asians, who consume far less dietary calcium than Americans, have just a fraction of the bone fracture rate of Americans.
In fact, the hip fracture incidence in Asians is approximately 40% to 50% – less than half – of that in American Caucasians! This despite the US being one of the top countries for calcium intake.
Calcium supplements can cause incredible harm.
The over hyped calcium myth has spread around the world based on the incorrect belief that calcium supplements are absolutely essential to support bone health – at any age. But no one really mentions all the detrimental effects such a high blast of calcium can have on a person's health.
These facts are so far removed from the "flood your body with calcium" theory mainstream medicine, big pharma and the dairy industry have been pushing that the situation would be laughable … if it wasn't so alarming.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states the irony of the calcium situation: "The calcium intake of much of the worlds' population is low by American standards yet these populations develop and perform well without obvious signs of deficiency and are in calcium balance".
What this means, quite simply, is that countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis and bone fractures, consume the most calcium. Whereas countries like China and Japan, where people consume much less calcium and have a much lower intake of calcium, have very low rates of osteoporosis.
How can this be true? I asked the same question and came across considerable data indicating that it may be the Asian diet, high in fruits and vegetables, which is protecting against fractures.
It's also been reported that potassium – a mineral found in fruits and vegetables – can improve mineral balance, which in turn increases bone formation.
For now, it's plain to see that although high calcium intakes have long been recommended to prevent osteoporosis, calcium supplements are clearly not the answer. And that osteoporotic fractures, like coronary artery disease, are largely a disease of Western societies.
Calcium Shocker #3
Calcium Supplements Can Give You a Heart Attack and Kill You.
If that doesn't hit home, nothing will.
Recent findings published in the journal Heart analyzed data after tracking almost 24,000 men and women in Germany aged 35 to 64 for 11 years. Shockingly, the risk of having a heart attack almost doubled among calcium supplement users compared with non-users!
Professor Sabine Rohrmann of the division of cancer epidemiology and prevention at the University of Zurich spoke about her and her co-authors research saying, "This study suggests that increasing calcium intake from diet might not confer significant cardiovascular benefits, while calcium supplements, which might raise [heart attack] risk, should be taken with caution."
This wasn't the first research of its kind, either. According to a British Medical Journal meta-analysis, patients using calcium supplements showed a major increase in risk for myocardial infarction (medical term for Heart Attack).
The BMJ research selected 11 placebo-controlled studies, including nearly 12,000 subjects using calcium. The results showed a higher risk factor for stroke, myocardial infarction and sudden death.
This study found that women taking calcium (averaging about 1,000 mgs a day) had a 27% increased risk of a heart attack. That translated into 36 extra heart attacks over the course of two to five years.
If that isn't enough to convince you, a second follow up study was published showing that calcium and vitamin D supplements increased the risk of cardiovascular events in participants.
The study concluded that calcium supplements increase the risk of cardiovascular events, particularly myocardial infarction. Authors say "this data justifies a reassessment of the use of calcium supplements in older people."
An editorial in JournalWATCH commented on the study saying, "Patients with osteoporosis should generally not be treated with calcium supplements, either alone or combined with vitamin D, unless they are also receiving an effective treatment for osteoporosis." If that isn't enough proof of the detrimental effects of calcium, take a look at this...
According to the National Institutes of Health, taking too much calcium in the form of supplements can lead to:
- Problems with kidney function and kidney stones
- Prostate cancer
- Constipation and digestive problems
- Higher levels of heart attacks and strokes
- And can keep the body from absorbing important nutrients, including iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc
The Director of geriatrics at St. Louis University Dr. John Morley goes on to say that those with certain conditions, including kidney problems and heart conditions, need to take extra care when considering calcium intake and supplements.
You're probably asking what it is about calcium supplements that is so harmful. Well, the answer isn't 100% clear. But researchers have speculated that taking calcium in supplement form causes calcium blood levels to quickly spike to dangerous levels.
Here's the kicker: when these mega doses of calcium flood our blood, it causes calcium to attach to our artery walls. In effect, it calcifies your arteries – giving plaque something to stick to.
The result is blood clots, heart attacks, strokes and other clotting abnormalities. In other words, nothing good. And a whole lot that's potentially deadly. All from simply following doctors' orders (or general health guidelines). Who would have thought?
Save yourself and stick to leafy greens and other dietary calcium options.
Getting calcium from food is less dangerous because the calcium is absorbed in smaller amounts at various points throughout the day – causing no spike.
I don't know about you, but learning that people taking calcium supplements were more than twice as likely to have heart attacks certainly shocked me. And has moved me to change the way I practice geriatric medicine considerably.
When I think of the many tens of thousands of people who are taking these supplements, the increase in risk translates to substantial lives lost. All for a minimal gain, if any.
In fact, the numbers suggest that if 1,000 people began taking calcium supplements, three fractures might be prevented — but six heart attacks or strokes would be caused!
I'm sure you'd agree that that is not a tradeoff we should be making.
Bone Health 101
The truth behind osteoporosis, bone health and inflammation
We all know who calcium supplements are directed at. The catchy advertisements abound featuring women approaching 50 or older, either with osteoporosis or actively trying to prevent bone fractures.
While there's no doubt that osteoporosis is a serious disease affecting a growing number of our aging population, after reading this expose, I think you'll agree that calcium supplements – no matter how hard big pharma wants you to believe it – will not keep you from bone fractures.
Even worse, they could do serious harm to your bones.
To help you better understand the REAL science of bone health, and counter some of the misinformation out there, here's a little bone health 101.
Your bones are constantly remodeling
Also known as bone metabolism, bone remodeling is a lifelong process in which your body replaces mature bone tissue with new bone tissue. This process also controls the reshaping and replacement of bone following injuries and day-to-day damage.
Here's where it gets interesting. Osteoporosis is actually thought to be the result of an imbalance in the body's regulation of the bone remodeling process. In other words, when the rate of bone re-absorption exceeds the rate of new bone formation, the result is a decrease in bone mass.
New research is showing that inflammation may also be affecting bone mass in healthy women. In fact, factors involved in inflammation are linked with those critical for bone remodeling. And, certain pro-inflammation compounds actually play a critical role in the breakdown of bone.
There are some pretty big guns in favor of this theory linking inflammation to bone loss. Researchers from Stanford University were quoted as saying, "we hypothesize that many cases of osteoporosis are also partially attributable to a maladaptation of the link between inflammation and bone remodeling".
The link between inflammation and osteoporosis also emerges in conditions such as aging, menopause, pregnancy, transplantation and steroid administration. So if you boil it down, bone loss is more than just a nutritional issue, inflammation also plays a substantial role.
The missing mineral
Now keep in mind there are other, less talked about, but equally as important minerals for bone health. Calcium and magnesium taken together is certainly making some head-way (but don't get too excited) in the fight against osteoporosis.
Research is now reporting that magnesium deficiency plays a significant role in the initial development of osteoporosis.
Several studies have shown that women suffering from osteoporosis tend to have a lower magnesium intake than normal and also have lower levels of magnesium in their bones.
It is also clear that recommendations to postmenopausal women to increase calcium intake can lead to a poor calcium to magnesium ratio unless the magnesium intake is increased to a suitable 2:1 level.
And get this! A magnesium deficiency can heavily affect the body's production of the biologically active form of vitamin D … which can further promote osteoporosis!
As in all things, balance is key
Unfortunately, when dealing with the 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium, a common result is that we wind up with much more calcium than magnesium for a good, healthy balance. Both minerals require each other for their absorption and utilization and must be provided in adequate amounts.
Furthermore, according to Osteoporosis Canada, there is a certain amount of calcium stored in our bodies from our bone-forming years. When too much additional calcium is ingested it simply cannot be absorbed, which can lead to some of the other health problems we've already discussed.
Here are even more ways excess calcium can mess with your body:
- Your body will try to expel excess calcium through the kidney/urine pathway, but without enough vitamin C to make it water soluble, the possibility of kidney stones increases
- Excess calcium may be deposited in bone spurs or cysts in various spots on the skeleton
- Calcium can also be deposited in lungs, breasts and other various body tissues, causing calcareous spots on x-rays in these areas
- Excess calcium is the "backbone" of plaque found in blood vessels, and on teeth (removing excess calcium can lessen these problems)
One easy way is to make sure you take sufficient vitamin C to help flush it out of your system. As mentioned before, another good rule of thumb is to eat lots of green leafy vegetables. But the tricky part now becomes the idea of balance.
You must be aware of exactly how much calcium products you are consuming every day, while keeping in mind most milk products generally only have calcium so you have to supplement with magnesium to keep the balance.
Not an easy task, I assure you. But don't worry. I'm about to share all-natural solutions that can help prevent osteoporosis.
When it comes to calcium, too many health practices are behind the times.
A practical, science-based solution is long overdue
There needs to be a shift in focus. Blasting your body with calcium could be hurting you, so it's time to take your eye off the catchy advertisements and outdated health recommendations and regroup.
Start to make up your own mind about your health. There are other ways to optimize your bone health.
Researchers at Harvard Health agree. And have concluded that "with few exceptions, all North Americans are receiving enough calcium and vitamin D. Higher levels have not been shown to provide greater benefits, and in fact, they have been linked to other health problems, challenging the concept that that more is better."
Some examples of calcium rich foods are sardines, tofu, almonds, beans and chick peas. As mentioned in more detail on page 9, you also need exercise to maintain bone health.
The bottom line is this; you need to remember that your nutritional needs are very individual. So the idea that calcium is the miracle that can cure or prevent such a serious onslaught of problems is dead wrong.
Thankfully, there are a number of things you yourself can do to help ensure your bones are healthy for years to come.
Check out my top five natural bone health secrets.
The News Isn't All Bad – Prevention is Key!
So what CAN you do to prevent bone loss? Don't buy another bottle of calcium pills! Try these all-natural secrets to bone health instead:
1. Keep active and exercise your entire body. According to the U.S. Surgeon General "evidence suggests that the most beneficial activity regimens for bone health include strength-training or resistance-training activities. These activities place levels of loading on bone that are beyond those seen in everyday activities."
2. Adopt a complete and nutritious diet. Cut out all the junk. Pure fruit juice and soy or rice milk are healthy ideas. If you crave harmful salty snacks, try some unsalted almonds and walnuts. A well-balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated or trans-fat is ideal.
3. Consider adding soy foods to your diet. Soy foods contain plant estrogens, which may help to reduce bone loss. They also contain calcium. In this case, eat the food, and don't worry about the supplements. Chances are your diet has more calcium than you need, even as a preventative.
4. Practice a low-acid diet Low-acid eating was first flagged as showing promise back in 1968 by two American doctors in the medical journal The Lancet. Supporters of the theory say acidic foods strip away at bone health, and that eating low-acid foods as part of a diet plan laden with fruits and vegetables could lead to much stronger overall bone health than the typical North American diet rich in dairy products.
5. Try weight bearing exercise These types of exercise (such as walking and running) send your bones the message that they need strength, which starts the bone building process.
Of course, you don't have to take on all five of these recommendations overnight. Try starting with one or two that fit best into your life. And then take it from there.
Research has proven that with a few steps in the right direction, you can make a positive change in your bone health all without the use of calcium supplements.
For your health and your pocket book, stop taking calcium supplements
Although we've been led to believe there's a calcium crisis going on, putting our bones at risk, supplementing with calcium is not the answer.
Despite all of the calcium supplements we take, the fracture rate in North America is still sky high!
Remember, time and again clinical studies have proven that calcium supplements:
- Don't decrease fracture risk
- Aren't of benefit in the battle against osteoporosis
- Don't increase bone health after the bone forming years
- Can increase your risk of a heart attack and other ailments
But supplement companies wouldn't make any money off the theory that eating a healthy diet and getting your body moving could be the easiest ways to maintain bone health.
The bottom line is pretty simple. If calcium and calcium supplements don't make your bones stronger, if they don't prevent osteoporosis, and if other cultures who consume less calcium have stronger bones, then there is a massive deception going on.
It's about time you were made aware.
I have carefully provided detailed Referral information for you and your doctor in the Sources section of this reportDisclaimer:
The information contained herein is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as a diagnosis, treatment, preventive, or cure for any disease, disorder, or abnormal physical state, nor should it be considered a substitute for medical care from your doctor. On any matter relating to your health or well-being—and prior to undertaking any health-related activity—consult an appropriate health professional. The opinions herein are exactly that, they are the opinions of the author. Bel Marra Nutritionals and its employees are not responsible for medically unsupervised activities that could be harmful to your health.
Sources
Osteoporosis – NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center. http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/bone/osteoporosis/Osteoporosis: MedlinePlus. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/osteoporosis.html
National Osteoporosis Foundation. http://www.nof.org/aboutosteoporosis/bonebasics/whybonehealth
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00281
We Get Enough Vitamin D and Calcium, Panel Finds. Los Angeles Times. Dec. 01, 2010. Melissa Healy.
Calcium Intake Statement - Osteoporosis Canada www.osteoporosis.ca/index.php/ci_id/9930/la_id/1.htm
Feskanich D, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. American Journal of Public Health. 1997
Calcium and Milk: What's Best for Your Bones and Health? http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-full-story/
Cumming RG, Klineberg RJ. Case-control study of risk factors for hip fractures in the elderly. Am J Epidemiol. 1994;139:493-503.
Larsen ER, Mosekilde L, Foldspang A. Vitamin D and calcium supplementation prevents osteoporotic fractures in elderly community dwelling residents: a pragmatic population-based 3-year intervention study. J Bone Miner Res. 2004 Mar;19(3):370-8. Epub 2003 Dec 22.
Warensjo E, Byberg L, Melhus H, et al. Dietary calcium intake and risk of fracture and osteoporosis: prospective longitudinal cohort study. BMJ. 2011;342:d1473.
Chan JM, Stampfer MJ, Ma J, Gann PH, Gaziano JM, Giovannucci E. Dairy products, calcium, and prostate cancer risk in the Physicians' Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001;74:549-554.
Hegsted DM. Calcium and osteoporosis. J Nutr. 1986 Nov;116(11):2316-9.
Do we really need all that calcium? http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Do-we-really- need-all-that-calcium.shtml
Hegsted DM. Fractures, calcium, and the modern diet. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Nov;74(5):571-3.
Bolland MJ, Avenell A, Baron JA, Grey A, MacLennan GS, Gamble GD, et al. Effect of calcium supplements on risk of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular events: meta-analysis. BMJ 2010;341:c3691.
Cleland JGF, Atkin SL. Thiazolidinediones, deadly sins, surrogates and elephants. Lancet 2007;370:1103-4. Reid IR, Bolland MJ, Grey A. Effect of calcium supplementation on hip fractures. Osteoporos Int 2008;19:1119-23.
Tang BM, Eslick GD, Nowson C, Smith C, Bensoussan A. Use of calcium or calcium in combination with vitamin D supplementation to prevent fractures and bone loss in people aged 50 years and older: a meta-analysis. Lancet 2007;370:657-66.
Sahota O. Reducing the risk of fractures with calcium and vitamin D. BMJ 2010;340:b5492.
Bolland MJ, Grey AB, Gamble GD, Reid IR. Effect of osteoporosis treatment on mortality: a meta- analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010;95:1174-81.
Bolland MJ, Grey A, Avenell A, Gamble G, Reid IR. Calcium supplements with or without vitamin
D and risk of cardiovascular events: reanalysis of the Women's Health Initiative limited access dataset and meta-analysis. BMJ, 2011; 342
Heart. 2012 Jun;98(12):920-5.
Li K, Kaaks R, Linseisen J, Rohrmann S. Associations of dietary calcium intake and calcium supplementation with myocardial infarction and stroke risk and overall cardiovascular mortality in the Heidelberg cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (EPIC-Heidelberg).Calcium supplements: bad for the heart? Reid IR, Bolland MJ. Heart. 2012 Jun;98(12):895-6.
Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General
Chapter 7: Lifestyle Approaches To Promote Bone Health. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/bonehealth/chapter_7.html
Dreosti IE. Magnesium status and health. Nutr Rev. 1995 Sep;53(9 Pt 2):S23-7.
R E Newnham Essentiality of boron for healthy bones and joints. Environ Health Perspect. 1994 November; 102(Suppl 7): 83–85.
NUTRITION ISSUES IN GASTROENTEROLOGY, SERIES #58
Metabolic Bone Disease in the Patient on Long-Term Parenteral Nutrition.
Koh JM, Khang YH, Jung CH, Bae S, Kim DJ, Chung YE, Kim GS.
Higher circulating hsCRP levels are associated with lower bone mineral density in healthy pre- and postmenopausal women: evidence for a link between systemic inflammation and osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int. 2005 Oct;16(10):1263-71.
http://www.belmarrahealth.com/Belmarra-Expert-Reports/CalciumReport.html
Clearly, the study above shows that chemo is not believed to cure terminal cancer. Unfortunately, more "treatable" cancers don't respond much better with chemo.