Table 2 .

Design of randomised controlled trials and selected baseline characteristics of eligible trials of calcium supplements

Trial	Design	Calcium dose (mg/d)	Duration	Care setting	No of participants*	No in Ca/controls group†	% women	Mean age (y)
Recker 197731	3 arm: Ca, HRT, control	1040	2 y	Community	60	22/20	100	57
Lamke 197832	2 arm: Ca, P	1000	12 mo	Community	40	19/17	100	60
Hansson 198712	4 arm: 30 mg NaF/Ca, 10 mg NaF/Ca, Ca, P	1000	3 y	NS	50	25/25	100	66
Polley 198717	4 arm: Ca, dairy, dairy/salt restrict, control	1000	9 mo	Community	269	40/52	100	57
Riis 198734	3 arm: Ca, HRT, P	2000	2 y	Community	43	14/11	100	51
Smith 198935	2 arm: Ca, P	1500	4 y	Community	169	70/77	100	51
Dawson-Hughes 199036	3 arm: Ca, Ca, P	500	2 y	Community	361	158/93	100	58
Fujita 199037	2 arm: Ca, control	900	2 y	Institution	32	12/20	100	80
Elders 199139	3 arm: Ca, Ca, P	1000 or 2000	2 y	Community	295	198/97	100	NS
Prince 199140	3 arm: Ca/ex, ex, HRT	1000	2 y	Community	80	39/41	100	57
Lau 199242	2×2 factorial: Ca, Ca/ex, ex/P, P	800	10 mo	Institution	50	27/23	100	76
Reid 199343	2 arm: Ca v P	1000	2 y	Community	135	61/61	100	58
Strause 199445	2×2 factorial: Ca, Ca/minerals, minerals, P	1000	2 y	Community	113	27/32	100	66
Prince 199520	4 arm: Ca, Ca/ex, milk, P	1000	2 y	Community	168	42/42	100	63
Fujita 199646	3 arm: Ca, Ca, P	900	2 y	Institution	58	38/20	100	81
Perez-Jaraiz 199647	4 arm: Ca, HRT, calcitonin, control	1000	1 y	Community	52	26/26	100	50
Recker 199648	2 arm: Ca, P	1200	4.3 y	Community	197	91/100	100	74
Ricci 199851	2 arm: Ca, P	1000	6 mo	Community	43	15/16	100	58
Riggs 199852	2 arm: Ca, P	1600	4 y	Community	236	119/117	100	66
Storm 199821	3 arm: Ca, milk, P	1000	2 y	Community	40	20/20	100	72
Castelo-Branco 199922	3 arm: Ca, OHC, control	2500	2 y	Community	60	19/16	100	54
Ruml 199953	2 arm: Ca, P	800	2 y	Community	63	25/31	100	52
Fujita 200054	4 arm: Ca, Ca, Ca, P	900	4 mo	NS	38	32/6	100	55
Peacock 200013	3 arm: Ca, 25OHD, P	750	4 y	Community	438	126/135	72	74
Son 200155	3 arm: Ca, alphacalcidiol, P	1000	10 mo	Community	69	22/21	100	72
Albertazzi 200426	3 arm: Ca, OHC, P	500	6 mo	Community	153	51/50	100	68
Prince 200661	2 arm: Ca, P	1200	5 y	Community	1460	730/730	100	75
Reid 200662	2 arm: Ca, P	1000	5 y	Community	1471	732/739	100	74
Manios 200728	3 arm: Ca, dairy, control	600	12 mo	Community	112	26/36	100	62
Reid 200865	3 arm: Ca, Ca, P	600 or 1200	2 y	Community	323	216/107	0	56
Chailurkit 201067,68	2 arm: Ca, P	500	2 y	Community	404	178/165	100	66
Nakamura 201270	3 arm: Ca, Ca, P	250 or 500	2 y	Community	450	281/137	100	60

Ca=calcium; HRT=hormone replacement therapy; P=placebo; ex=exercise; NaF=sodium fluoride; restrict=restriction; OMC=ossein-mineral complex; 25OHD=25-hydroxyvitamin D; NS=not stated.

*Total number of randomised participants in all treatment arms.

†Number of participants in relevant arms from trial in whom bone mineral density was reported.