According to new study, too much consumption of calcium supplements may have adverse effect on physical condition.

Postmenopausal and pregnant women, transplant recipients, patients with bulimia and individuals on dialysis confront the maximum risk of growing the calcium-alkali syndrome.

The frequency of the calcium-alkali or the milk-alkali syndrome is rising in large parts, due to widespread use of over-the-counter calcium and vitamin D supplements.

Study authors Stanley Goldfarb and Ami Patel from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (UPSM) suggest that changing milk-alkali syndrome's name to calcium-alkali syndrome as it is now linked with a large calcium consumption, not just milk.

The syndrome got up in the early 1900s when patients consumed huge amounts of milk and (alkaline) antacids to control their ulcers.

The incidence of the milk-alkali syndrome fell when newer ulcer drugs became available, but it appears to be on the rise again.

The obvious preventive strategy against the calcium-alkali syndrome is to limit the intake of calcium to no more than 1.2 to 1.5 grams per day, the study co-authors said.

Goldfarb, according to a University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine said, "Calcium supplements taken in the recommended amounts are not only safe but are quite beneficial. Taken to excess is the problem."

"Even at the recommended dose, careful monitoring of any medication is wise and yearly determinations of blood calcium levels for those patients taking calcium supplements or vitamin D is a wise approach," he added.

The study results will appear in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). (With Inputs from Agencies)