Dietary calcium supplementation has been reacommanded for the prevention of osteoporosis and as been a standard component of most "health food" diets. Although proper dietary calcium is important for all age groups, the potential adverse effect
of
excessive calcium suplementation may be an increased risk of gallstone formation. Recent clinical and experimental evidenes suggest that biliary calcium may play a central role in the gallstone pathogenesis.
We hypothesized, therefore, that long-term oral calcium supplementation will promote pigment gallstone formation.
Thirty-five hamster were divided into three groups(G); G-I(n=10) fed calcium free water, G-II(n=10) fed calcium cotained water(Calcium 500mg/250ml normal water), G-Ⅲ(n=15) fed high calcium contained water(Calcium 1000mg/250ml normal water). All
groups
fed normal rodent diet. After 8 weeks, all animal were sacrified and cholecystecotomised. Presence r absence of gallstone was checked grossly. Gall bladder bile was analyzed for calcium and bilirubin and blood calcium was checked.
The results were as follows; Gallstones were developed in 10%(1/10) of G-I, 20%(2/10) of G-II, and 46%(7/15) of G-ⅢBiochemical analysis of gallbladder bile demonstrated no difference in level of calcium & bilirubin. Level of blood calcium was
not
different between three groups either. These data suggest that oral calcium supplementation may promote gallstone formation in the hamster.
As a conclusion, we suggest that high calcium intake may induced gallstone formation.
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