Calcium deficiency, pre-eclampsia, and intra-uterine growth restriction: Pre-eclampsia and intra-uterine growth restriction has been seen in pregnant women with calcium deficiency . Calcium taken during pregnancy can reduce the possibility of low birth weight and pre-ecclampsia. (19)
Calcium and hypertension:
Systolic blood pressure improved in 47% of subjects taking calcium alone but calcium and vitamin D taken together lowered bp in 81% of subjects in a study by Pfeifer M et al. A double-blind randomized controlled trial of 148 women with a mean age of 74 years tested the effect of calcium plus vitamin D on blood pressure was compared to calcium alone. Participants received either 1200 mg calcium plus 800 IU vitamin D3 or 1200 mg calcium per day. Vitamin D level, blood pressure, and heart rate were measured before and after treatment. Results indicate that supplementation with vitamin D and calcium resulted in a significant increase in vitamin D (25-D) levels by 72% and decreased PTH levels by 17% along with significant decreases in systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 9,3% and heart rate by 5.4% compared with calcium supplementation alone. Sixty subjects (81%) in the vitamin D(3) and calcium group compared with 35 (47%) subjects in the calcium group showed a decrease in SBP of 5 mm Hg or more (p = 0.04). The authors concluded that a short-term vitamin D plus calcium regimen reduced SBP better than calcium alone. (20)