10.25.2015 - By NEJM Group
We interview John Baron about his recent New England Journal of Medicine study testing the ability of calcium or vitamin D (or both) to prevent recurrences of colorectal adenomas in a population who had lesions found during colonoscopy. On follow-up after three to five years, the effects of daily calcium and/or vitamin D supplements were the same as for placebo — that is, there was no significant reduction in risk.
The results were surprising, since the same author found a protective effect for calcium in a 1999 publication in NEJM. (In that study, vitamin D wasn’t tested.)
LINKS:
New England Journal of Medicine study (free abstract)
Physician’s First Watch coverage (free)