No Detectable Levels of Lead in Most Calcium Supplements

MIAMI–A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Sept. 20) shows that 13 of 21 calcium supplements had no detectable levels of lead. The remaining eight products had very low levels of lead, far below official tolerances established for calcium carbonate. The U.S. Pharmacopeia and Food Chemicals Codex, which establish standards for food and drug ingredients, both have a tolerance of 3 part per million of lead for calcium carbonate, which equates to 7.5 micrograms (mcg) per 1000 milligrams (mg) of calcium. In the new study, detectable lead levels were in the range of 1 to 2 mcg per 1000 mg of calcium.

Putting the study in perspective, Dr. Robert Heaney of Creighton University said in an accompanying editorial that "a luncheon of mixed salad greens and a glass of Chardonnay will contain from 10 to more than 50 times as much lead as could be ingested in a typical calcium supplement tablet."

Dr. David Heber, Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California in Los Angeles said, "The benefits of calcium supplements far outweigh any theoretical concern about the very low levels of lead found in this study. Most people simply aren’t getting enough calcium from the food choices they make, and therefore need calcium supplements for optimal health."

"The industry has made remarkable progress in decreasing lead levels in calcium supplements over the past decade, to the point that the majority of products have no detectable lead levels and the remainder have very low levels," said Dr. Annette Dickinson, vice president for scientific and regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition. "This confirms that consumers can continue to use calcium supplements with confidence."

The Council for Responsible Nutrition is a trade association founded in 1973 and represents more than 100 companies in the dietary supplement industry.